Edgar Filing: Autohome Inc.

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Form 20-F

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 20-F

(Mark One)

¨	REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

x	ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015

¨	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

¨	SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of event requiring this shell company report

Commission file number: 001-36222

Autohome Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

N/A

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

Cayman Islands

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

10th Floor Tower B, CEC Plaza

3 Dan Ling Street

Haidian District, Beijing 100080

The People’s Republic of China

(Address of principal executive offices)

Nicholas Yik Kay Chong

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +86 (10) 5985-7001

E-mail: ir@autohome.com.cn

Fax: +86 (10) 5985-7387

10th Floor Tower B, CEC Plaza

3 Dan Ling Street

Haidian District, Beijing 100080

The People’s Republic of China

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Persons)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of Each Class		Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share*		The New York Stock Exchange

*	Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing on The New York Stock Exchange of the American depositary shares (“ADSs”). Currently, one ADS represents one Class A ordinary share.

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

(Title of Class)

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:

None

(Title of Class)

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the Issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report. 51,230,242 Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, and 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, were outstanding as of December 31, 2015.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No ¨

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ¨ No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

U.S. GAAP x

International Financial Reporting Standards as issued

by the International Accounting Standards Board ¨

Other ¨

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the Registrant has elected to follow: Item 17 ¨ Item 18 ¨

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ¨ No x

(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes ¨ No ¨

TABLE OF CONTENTS


INTRODUCTION			1

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			1

PART I			2

ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORS			2
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE			2
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION			3
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY			37
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS			61
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS			61
ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES			79
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS			90
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION			95
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING			96
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION			96
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK			108
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES			109

PART II			111

ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES			111
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS			111
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES			112
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT			113
ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS			113
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES			113
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES			114
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS			114
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT			114
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE			114
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE			114

PART III			114

ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS			114
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS			114
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS			115

INTRODUCTION

Unless otherwise indicated and except where the context otherwise requires, references in this annual report on Form 20-F to:

•

“ADSs” are to our American depositary shares, each of which represents one Class A ordinary share;

•

“CAGR” refers to compound annual growth rate;

•

“China” or the “PRC” are to the People’s Republic of China, excluding, for the purpose of this annual report only, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan;

•

“shares” or “ordinary shares” are our ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, before our initial public offering, or IPO, and our Class A and Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, after our initial public offering;

•

“RMB” and “Renminbi” are to the legal currency of China;

•

“we,” “us,” “our,” “our company” and “the Company” are to Autohome Inc., its predecessors, subsidiaries and variable interest entities, or VIEs;

•

“U.S. GAAP” refers to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States; and

•

“$,” “dollars,” “US$” or “U.S. dollars” refers to the legal currency of the United States.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This annual report contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections entitled “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview” and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.” These forward looking statements are made under the “safe-harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those listed under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors,” may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

You can identify some of these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to:

•

our ability to attract and retain users and customers;

•

our business strategies and initiatives as well as our new business plans;

•

our future business development, financial condition and results of operations;

•

our ability to further enhance our brand recognition;

•

our ability to attract, retain and motivate key personnel;

•

competition in our industry in China; and

•

relevant government policies and regulations relating to our industry.

These forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that our expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations may later be found to be incorrect. Our actual results could be materially different from our expectations. Other sections of this annual report include additional factors that could adversely impact our business and financial performance. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. You should read thoroughly this annual report and the documents that we refer to with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from, or worse than, what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

This annual report contains certain data and information that we obtained from various government and private publications. Statistical data in these publications also include projections based on a number of assumptions. The online automotive advertising industry may not grow at the rate projected by market data, or at all. The failure of this market to grow at the projected rate may have a material adverse effect on our business and the market price of our ADSs. In addition, the rapidly changing nature of the online automotive advertising industry and the online automobile transaction industry results in significant uncertainties for any projections or estimates relating to the growth prospects or future condition of our market. Furthermore, if any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data are later found to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this annual report relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this annual report. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this annual report and the documents that we refer to in this annual report and exhibits to this annual report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

PART I

ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORS

Not applicable.

ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE

Not applicable.

ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION

A.	Selected Financial Data

The following tables present the selected consolidated financial information for our company. Our selected consolidated statement of comprehensive income data presented below for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and our selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 have been derived from our consolidated financial statements, which are included in this annual report beginning on page F-1. Our selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the selected consolidated statement of comprehensive income data for 2011 and 2012 presented below have been derived from our consolidated financial statements not included in this annual report. Our historical results for any period are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future period. You should read the following selected financial data in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes and the information under “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” in this annual report. Our audited consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	(in thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)
	2011			2012			2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
Selected Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income Data:
Net revenues
Advertising services		379,666			592,622			894,937			1,499,516			2,400,023			370,500
Dealer subscription services		53,523			139,898			321,611			633,433			1,063,952			164,246

Total net revenues		433,189			732,520			1,216,548			2,132,949			3,463,975			534,746
Cost of revenues		(130,565	)		(178,240	)		(252,236	)		(381,498	)		(669,121	)		(103,294	)

Gross profit		302,624			554,280			964,312			1,751,451			2,794,854			431,452
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing expenses		(67,500	)		(129,796	)		(245,228	)		(559,070	)		(1,127,484	)		(174,054	)
General and administrative expenses		(46,547	)		(83,153	)		(82,529	)		(129,751	)		(193,655	)		(29,895	)
Product development expenses		(16,459	)		(42,865	)		(81,651	)		(158,395	)		(273,908	)		(42,284	)

Operating profit		172,118			298,466			554,904			904,235			1,199,807			185,219
Interest income		1,167			5,093			11,082			34,682			63,218			9,759
Interest expense		—			—			(414	)		—			—			—
Earnings from equity method investments		—			—			—			—			102			16
Other income, net		509			310			2,884			2,544			13,064			2,017

Income from continuing operations before income taxes		173,794			303,869			568,456			941,461			1,276,191			197,011

Income tax expense		(38,348	)		(90,988	)		(112,294	)		(192,781	)		(285,542	)		(44,080	)
Income from continuing operations		135,446			212,881			456,162			748,680			990,649			152,931
Loss from discontinued operations		(4,182	)		—			—			—			—			—

Net income		131,264			212,881			456,162			748,680			990,649			152,931
Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil
Foreign currency translation adjustments		—			583			1,403			3,946			56,821			8,772
Comprehensive income		131,264			213,464			457,565			752,626			1,047,470			161,703

Earnings per share for ordinary shares – Basic
Net income from continuing operations		1.35			2.13			4.57			7.01			8.83			1.36
Loss from discontinued operations		(0.04	)		—			—			—			—			—

Net income		1.31			2.13			4.57			7.01			8.83			1.36


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	(in thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)
	2011			2012		2013		2014		2015
	RMB			RMB		RMB		RMB		RMB		US$
Earnings per share for ordinary shares – Diluted
Net income from continuing operations		1.35			2.12		4.37		6.64		8.57		1.32
Loss from discontinued operations		(0.04	)		—		—		—		—		—

Net income		1.31			2.12		4.37		6.64		8.57		1.32

Weighted average number of shares used to compute earnings per share⁽¹⁾
Ordinary shares:
Basic		100,000,000			100,000,000		—		—		—		—
Diluted		100,189,928			100,650,652		—		—		—		—
Class A and Class B ordinary shares⁽²⁾:
Basic		—			—		99,898,154		106,735,303		112,227,405		112,227,405
Diluted		—			—		104,329,226		112,831,585		115,646,826		115,646,826
Dividend per share⁽³⁾		—			—		—		—		—		—

(1)	Earnings per share for ordinary shares (Diluted) for each year from 2011 to 2015 were computed after taking into account the dilutive effect of the shares underlying our employees’ share-based awards.

(2)

As holders of Class A and Class B ordinary shares have the same dividend right in our undistributed earnings, the basic and diluted net income per Class A ordinary share and Class B ordinary share are the same for all the periods presented during which there were two classes of ordinary shares. The weighted average number of shares represents the sum of the weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares. Please see “Earnings per Share” under Note 17 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report for additional information regarding the computation of the per share amounts and the weighted average numbers of Class A and Class B ordinary shares.

(3)	Dividends distributed to our shareholders in the fiscal years ended 2012 and 2013 were one-time distributions due to special circumstances. See “Item 8. Financial Information—A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information—Dividend Policy.”


	As of December 31,
	2011		2012		2013		2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		RMB		RMB		RMB		US$
	(in thousands)
Selected Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and term deposits		213,705		420,576		1,383,613		2,772,191		4,169,053		643,591
Accounts receivable, net		203,102		326,071		465,712		736,695		1,075,456		166,022
Total current assets		451,823		786,192		1,899,265		3,640,766		5,742,475		886,486
Total assets		2,043,005		2,379,673		3,512,950		5,278,515		7,530,076		1,162,445
Deferred revenue		41,461		94,392		213,240		438,797		872,487		134,689
Total current liabilities		203,805		336,292		789,818		1,080,657		2,156,534		332,913
Total liabilities		682,726		821,698		1,300,586		1,613,092		2,679,040		413,574
Total shareholders’ equity		1,360,279		1,557,975		2,212,364		3,665,423		4,851,036		748,871

Exchange Rate Information

Substantially all of our operations are conducted in China and substantially all of our revenues are denominated in RMB. This annual report contains translations of RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at specific rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to RMB in this annual report were made at a rate of RMB6.4778 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on December 31, 2015. We make no representation that any RMB or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, at the rates stated below, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of RMB into foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade. On February 29, 2016, the noon buying rate was RMB6.5525 to US$1.00.

The following table sets forth information concerning exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar for the periods indicated.


	Noon Buying Rate
Period	Period End		Average ⁽¹⁾		Low		High
	(RMB per US$1.00)
2011		6.2939		6.4475		6.6364		6.2939
2012		6.2301		6.2990		6.3879		6.2221
2013		6.0537		6.1412		6.2438		6.0537
2014		6.2046		6.1704		6.2591		6.0402
2015		6.4778		6.2869		6.4896		6.1870
September		6.3556		6.3676		6.3836		6.3544
October		6.3180		6.3505		6.3591		6.3180
November		6.3883		6.3640		6.3945		6.3180
December		6.4778		6.4491		6.4896		6.3883
2016
January		6.5752		6.5726		6.5932		6.5219
February		6.5525		6.5501		6.5795		6.5154

Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release

(1)	Annual averages are calculated from month-end rates. Monthly averages are calculated using the average of the daily rates during the relevant period.

B.	Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not applicable.

C.	Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not applicable.

D.	Risk Factors

An investment in our capital stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included in this annual report, before making an investment decision. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could suffer. In that case, the trading price of our capital stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We rely on China’s automotive industry for substantially all of our revenues and future growth, the prospects of which are subject to many uncertainties, including government regulations and policies.

We rely on China’s automotive industry for substantially all of our revenues and future growth. We have greatly benefited from the growth of China’s automotive industry during the past few years. However, China’s automotive industry is still at an early stage of development and are subject to many uncertainties. We cannot predict how this industry will develop in the future. Further, the growth of China’s automotive industry could be affected by many factors, including general economic conditions in China, the urbanization rate of China’s population, the growth of disposable household income, the cost of new automobiles as well as tax and incentives related to automobile purchases. In addition, governmental policies may have a considerable impact on the growth of the automotive industry in China. For example, in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and improve air quality, the Beijing municipal government issued a regulation in December 2010 to limit the number of new passenger vehicle plates issued in Beijing each year to 240,000 commencing in 2011, and the limitation was subsequently further reduced to 150,000 starting from 2014. There are similar policies that restrict the issuance of new passenger vehicle plates in several other cities, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Guiyang, Shijiazhuang, Hangzhou and Shenzhen. Other cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing and Wuhan may take measures to limit the number of purchases of automobiles. In September 2013, the PRC government released a plan for the prevention and remediation of air pollution, which requires large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to further restrict the ownership of motor vehicles. In October 2013, the Beijing municipal government issued an additional regulation to limit the total number of vehicles in Beijing to no more than six million by the end of 2017, compared to approximately 5.2 million vehicles in operation by the end of 2013. In 2015, the PRC government released high automobile emission standards and new tax benefits for electric cars. Since late 2014, the PRC government has released a series of incentive policies for new energy-efficient vehicles. Beginning from late 2011, the National Development and Reform Commission, one of China’s antitrust regulatory authorities, initiated a series of investigations into the pricing practices of foreign automobile companies in China in connection with allegations of the lack of fair competition. These investigations may lead to price reductions due to enhanced competition. Such regulatory developments, as well as other uncertainties, may adversely affect the growth prospects of China’s automotive industry, and in turn reduce demand for automobiles. If automakers and automobile dealers were to reduce their marketing expenditures as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We face significant competition, and if we fail to compete effectively, we may lose market share and our business, prospects and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

The markets for our services are highly competitive. With respect to our advertising services, we face competition from China’s automotive websites, such as xcar.com.cn, pcauto.com.cn and bitauto.com, from the automotive channels of major internet portals, such as Sina and Sohu, and from social media and online video websites. We may also face competition from other websites engaged in the online automobile transaction business, such as bitauto.com and tmall.com, as we develop our transaction platform. In addition, we also face competition from other used-automobile websites, such as 51auto.com, taoche.com, youxinpai.com, guazi.com and renrenche.com. Competition with these and other websites is primarily centered on increasing user reach, user engagement and brand recognition, relationships with the suppliers, and attracting and retaining advertisers or customers, among other factors.

Some of our competitors or potential competitors have longer operating histories and may have greater financial, management, technological, development, sales, marketing and other resources than we do. They may use their experience and resources to compete with us in a variety of ways, including by competing more heavily for users, advertisers and dealers, investing more heavily in research and development and making acquisitions. Some of our competitors have entered or may enter into business cooperation agreements with search engines, which may impact our ability to obtain additional user traffic from the same sources. Our competitors may be acquired and consolidated by, or cooperate with, industry conglomerates who are able to further invest with significant resources into our operating space. We cannot assure you that any such large internet business will not in the future focus on the automotive sector. If we are unable to compete effectively and at a reasonable cost against our existing and future competitors, our business, prospects and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

For our advertising business and dealer subscription business, we also face competition from traditional advertising media, such as newspapers, magazines, yellow pages, television, radio and outdoor media. Advertisers in China generally allocate a significant portion of their marketing budgets to traditional advertising media. If we cannot effectively compete with traditional media for the marketing budgets of our existing and potential customers, our results of operations and growth prospects could be adversely affected. For our transaction business, as online automobile transaction is a relatively new business model and consumers in China might be accustomed to make automobile purchases with traditional dealerships, we cannot guarantee that the automobile consumers in China will accept such business model. If we cannot earn consumer recognition and trust in our transaction business, our results of operations and growth prospects could be adversely affected.

If we fail to attract and retain users and advertisers, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

In order to maintain and strengthen our position as the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China, we must continue to attract and retain users to our websites, which requires us to continue to provide quality content throughout the automobile-ownership cycle. We must also innovate and introduce services and applications that enhance user experience. In addition, we must maintain and enhance our brand recognition among consumers. If we fail to provide high-quality content, offer a superior user experience or maintain and enhance our brand recognition, we may not be able to attract and retain users. If our user base decreases, our websites may be rendered less attractive to advertisers and our advertising services and dealer subscription services revenues may decline, which may have a material and adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to successfully monetize and expand our mobile internet services.

We plan to continue to expand our mobile internet services and explore monetization strategies for our mobile internet services. We have made significant efforts in recent years to optimize the mobile version of our websites to display our content and develop new mobile applications to capture a greater number of users that access our services through mobile devices. For example, the number of our average daily unique users who access our websites via mobile devices and the number of our average daily unique users of our mobile applications amounted to approximately 7.7 million and 6.1 million, respectively, in December 2015. However, if we are unable to attract and retain a substantial number of mobile device users, or if we do not keep up with our competitors in developing attractive services that are adapted for such mobile devices, we may fail to capture a significant share of an increasingly important portion of the mobile internet market for our services or lose existing users.

Furthermore, we are still in the midst of experimenting with early monetization strategies for our mobile internet services. Advertisers currently spend less on advertising on mobile devices as compared to advertising on PCs, and may not increase their advertising spending on mobile devices in the future. If our users continue to allocate more time on our mobile services instead of our traditional PC services, mobile monetization may become increasingly important to our results of operations. Accordingly, if we are unable to successfully implement monetization strategies for our mobile internet users, our results of operations may be negatively affected.

A limited number of automaker advertisers have accounted for, and are expected to continue to account for, a significant portion of our revenues. The failure to maintain or to increase revenues from these advertisers could harm our prospects.

A limited number of automaker advertisers have accounted for, and are expected to continue to account for, a significant portion of our revenues. Our top five advertisers, all of whom were automakers, contributed 15.0%, 9.8% and 11.1% of our net revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In each of 2013, 2014 and 2015, 75, 85 and 87 automakers operating in China used our advertising services. These automakers include independent Chinese automakers, joint ventures between Chinese and international automakers and international automakers that sell cars made outside of China. We believe that our major future revenue growth will be focused on deepening our existing commercial relationships with automakers to increase our share of each automaker’s advertising budget. If we fail to do so, our growth prospects could be harmed.

Due to the limited number of automakers operating in China and our revenue concentration attributable to a small number of these companies, any of the following events, among others, may cause a material decline in our revenue and materially and adversely affect our results of operations and prospects:

•

contract reduction, delay or cancellation by one or more significant advertisers and our failure to identify and acquire additional or replacement advertisers;

•

a substantial reduction by one or more of our significant advertisers in the price they are willing to pay for our services; and

•

financial difficulty of one or more of our significant advertisers who become unable to make timely payment for the advertisements placed on our websites.

We may not be able to successfully monetize and expand our dealer network.

We had local sales and service representatives covering 202 cities across China as of December 31, 2015. We intend to increase our penetration in existing dealer advertising and subscription services markets and expand into new geographic markets. China is a large and diverse country and business practices and demands may vary significantly by region and by the level of development of the cities. Our experience in the markets in which we currently operate may not be applicable in other parts of China or in the lower tier cities in China. We may not be able to leverage our experience to expand into new geographic markets or in the lower tier cities in China. As a result, our monetization and expansion strategies, including our “share of wallet” approach, sales and marketing efforts designed to attract dealer advertisers and maximize the conversion of registered dealers using our free basic listing service into dealer subscribers, may be unsuccessful. Furthermore, expanding into new geographical markets or lower tier cities will require us to hire additional employees to cover these markets. We will incur additional compensation and benefit costs, office rental expenses and other costs, as well as additional strain on our managerial resources. In addition, we intend to further monetize our existing dealer network by converting dealers that currently use our free listing service into dealer subscribers, increasing the average spending of our existing dealer subscribers and upselling our premium packages with higher rates for our dealer subscription services. If we are unable to successfully monetize and expand our dealer network and to generate sufficient revenues to cover our increased costs and expenses, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Our business depends on strong brand recognition, and failing to maintain or enhance our brands could adversely affect our business and prospects.

Maintaining and enhancing our “Autohome” and “Che168” brands is critical to our business and prospects. We believe that brand recognition will become increasingly important as the number of internet users in China grows and competition in our industry intensifies. A number of factors could prevent us from successfully promoting our brands, including user dissatisfaction with the content offered on our websites, negative publicity involving our business and the failure of our sales and marketing activities. If we fail to maintain and enhance our brands, or if we incur excessive expenses in this effort, our business, results of operations and financial condition will be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to conduct our marketing activities cost-effectively, our results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

We have incurred expenses on a variety of different marketing and brand promotion efforts designed to enhance our brand recognition and increase sales of our products and services. Our marketing and promotional activities may not be well received by customers and may not result in the levels of sales of products and services that we anticipate. We incurred RMB245.2 million, RMB559.1 million and RMB1,127.5 million (US$174.1 million) in sales and marketing expenses in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively, representing 20.2%, 26.2% and 32.6%, respectively, of total net revenues in the corresponding years. Marketing approaches and tools in the consumer products market in China are evolving. This further requires us to enhance our marketing approaches and experiment with new marketing methods to keep pace with industry developments and consumer preferences, which may not be as cost-effective as our marketing activities in the past and may lead to significantly higher marketing expenses in the future. We conducted various sales and marketing initiatives to promote our brands through search engines, mobile platforms and navigation sites, a 10-year anniversary campaign, “Singles’ Day” event and various offline promotional activities such as the “Group Buy” initiative. For example, we have entered into an arrangement with Baidu for a 12-month period that started from July 1, 2014, for enhanced automotive-related content search results on PCs powered by “Aladdin,” Baidu’s open platform initiative, and we continued our cooperation with Baidu as an exclusive supplier for automotive-related content on PCs powered by “Aladdin” for a six-month period that started from August 25, 2015. We also cooperate with brands and dealers for promotions in target regions. We may not be able to continue or conduct these activities efficiently, and our marketing activities may not yield satisfactory results. Failure to refine our existing marketing approaches or to introduce new effective marketing approaches in a cost-effective manner could impact our net revenues and profitability.

Inaccuracy in pricing and listing information provided by our dealer customers may adversely affect our business and financial performance.

Our automobile listings and promotional information are provided and continuously updated by our dealer customers. Users interested in particular vehicle models can conveniently search for up-to-date information on such models without having to visit the local showrooms of relevant dealers. If such listings and promotional information provided by our dealer customers are frequently inaccurate or not reliable, our users may lose faith in our websites, resulting in reduced user traffic to our websites and diminished value to advertisers. We may receive more customer complaints, and we may need to allocate more resources in responding and handling such complaints. We cannot guarantee that such complaints will be resolved in satisfactory. Our reputation could be harmed, which could adversely affect our business and financial performance.

We may not be able to manage our expansion and new business initiatives effectively.

We have experienced rapid growth in our business in recent years. The number of our employees has grown rapidly from 1,191 as of December 31, 2013 to 1,771 as of December 31, 2014 and 3,292 as of December 31, 2015. Our net revenues increased from RMB1,216.5 million in 2013 to 2,132.9 million in 2014 and RMB3,464.0 million (US$534.7 million) in 2015, representing a CAGR of 68.7%. We expect to continue to grow our user base and our business operations.

Our rapid expansion and new business initiatives may expose us to new challenges and risks. To manage the further expansion of our business, we need to continuously expand and enhance our infrastructure and technology, and improve our operational and financial systems, procedures and internal controls. We also need to train, manage and motivate our growing employee base. In addition, we need to maintain and expand our relationships with automaker and dealer advertisers, advertising agencies and other third parties. We cannot assure you that our current and planned personnel, infrastructure, systems, procedures and controls will be adequate to support our expanding operations. We may be required to increase our sales and marketing expenses in order to support any such expansion and our efforts may not be effective. If we fail to manage our expansion and new business initiatives effectively or efficiently, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to maintain our relationships with advertising agencies or if we are unable to collect accounts receivable from advertising agencies in a timely manner, our results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Although we consider automakers and automobile dealers to be our end-customers for our advertising business and dealer subscription business, we sell our advertising services and solutions primarily to third-party advertising agencies that represent the automakers and automobile dealers, as is customary in China. Our top ten advertising agencies accounted for 44.0%, 38.7% and 39.2% of our total net revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, our largest agency accounted for 6.7%, 5.9% and 6.9% of our total net revenues, respectively. We do not have long-term cooperation agreements or exclusive arrangements with these agencies and they may elect to direct business to other advertising service providers, including our competitors. If we fail to retain and enhance our business relationships with third-party advertising agencies, we may suffer from a loss of advertisers and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected. In our agreements with certain major advertising agencies, we undertake to provide them with most favored pricing terms. Such most favored pricing terms may hinder our ability to acquire new customers using special pricing terms.

In addition, we rely on third-party advertising agencies for the collection of payment from our advertisers. As a result, the financial soundness of our advertising agencies may affect our collection of accounts receivables. We make a credit assessment of the advertising agency to evaluate the collectability of the advertising service fees before entering into an advertising contract. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to accurately assess the creditworthiness of each advertising agency, and any failure of advertising agencies to pay us in a timely manner may adversely affect our liquidity and cash flows.

If online advertising does not continue to grow in China, our ability to increase revenue and profitability could be materially and adversely affected.

The use of the internet as a marketing medium in China has been growing recently but remains in an early stage as compared to the developed markets. The expansion of China’s internet population may be limited by a number of factors, including limitations on network infrastructure and social and political uncertainties, among others.

Many of our current and potential advertisers and dealer subscribers have limited experience with the internet as a marketing medium, and they have not devoted a significant portion of their marketing budgets to online marketing and promotion until recently. As a result, they may not consider the internet as the most effective medium to promote or sell automobiles as compared to traditional print and broadcast media. Our ability to increase revenue and profitability from online marketing may be adversely impacted by a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

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difficulties associated with developing a larger user base with demographic characteristics attractive to advertisers;

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increased competition and potential downward pressure on online advertising prices;

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difficulties in acquiring and retaining advertisers or dealer subscribers;

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failure to develop an independent and reliable means of verifying online traffic; and

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decreased use of the internet or online marketing in China.

If the internet does not become more widely accepted as an effective media platform for advertising and marketing by China’s automotive industry, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to grow our transaction business, we may not be able to achieve our expected business growth and our results of operations may be adversely affected.

We started to develop our transaction business in 2014 and has expanded to include direct vehicle sales and commission-based services facilitating transactions through our transaction platform. In June 2014, we launched Autohome Mall, an online transaction platform that we believe will allow us to be a transaction facilitator as we develop our transaction business. The success of our transaction business depends, in part, on third parties and factors over which we have limited control. We may incur more investment on inventory. We will need to react quickly to meet the changing consumer preferences and buying trends relating to our transaction business. We will also face competition from other websites engaged in the online automobile transaction business as well as from traditional dealerships. In addition, we also rely on our dealership partners to perform order fulfillments for vehicles sold on our platform. We may not be able to cooperate with dealership partners on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. We may not have full control over the order fulfillment procedures, and any dissatisfaction from the consumers might harm our reputation.

Furthermore, we must keep up to date with competitive technology trends, including the use of new or improved technology, creative user interfaces and other transaction marketing tools, such as paid search and mobile applications among others, which may increase our costs and which may not succeed in increasing sales or attracting consumers. Developing the transaction business may require significant investment in product development, sales and marketing and working capital, and we may not be able to get the expected return on our investment. As online automobile transaction is a relatively new business model, we cannot guarantee that the automobile consumers in China will accept such business model. Due to the limited operating history of our transaction business, we cannot predict that whether the consumers will trust our platform or view us as an option for purchasing automobile. Finally, developing the transaction business may take up our management’s time and allow them less time to focus on our existing core business. Our transaction business is substantially dependent on the new vehicle sales level in China, which is sensitive to changing economic conditions. Our failure to successfully mitigate these risks and uncertainties might adversely affect the sales or margins in our transaction business, as well as damage our reputation and brand.

Our ability to meet the consumers’ demand for vehicles depend in part on our ability to maintain a reasonable level of inventory.

We must maintain a reasonable level of inventory of new vehicles in terms of their quantity and selection to satisfy the consumers’ needs in a timely manner. Our inventories was RMB111.7 million (US$17.2 million) as of December 31, 2015 as we expanded our transaction business. As we plan to continue expanding our transaction business, we expect to include more vehicles in our inventory, which will make it more challenging for us to manage our inventory effectively and will put more pressure on our inventory system. If we fail to manage our inventory effectively, we may be subject to a heightened risk of inventory obsolescence, a decline in inventory values, and significant inventory write-downs or write-offs. We may misjudge customer demand and result in unexpected inventory build-up or possible inventory write-downs. In addition, we may be required to lower sale prices in order to reduce inventory level, which may lead to lower or even negative gross margins. High inventory levels may also require us to commit substantial capital resources, preventing us from using that capital for other important purposes. If our inventory is too low, our ability to satisfy the consumers’ needs may be compromised, which may harm our reputation and result in lost revenues. Any of the above may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

If we fail to manage and maintain our relationships with automakers, our ability to obtain a desirable mix of popular vehicles for our transaction platform will be adversely affected. If we are unable to offer vehicles that attract new consumers and new purchases from existing consumers on our transaction platform, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Our future growth depends on our ability to continue to attract new consumers as well as new purchases from existing consumers. Constantly changing consumer preferences have affected and will continue to affect the online automobile retail industry. We must stay abreast of emerging consumer preferences and anticipate product trends that will appeal to existing and potential consumers. Our new automobile sales are influenced by the automakers’ abilities to anticipate changes in consumer tastes, preferences and requirements, including those driven by environmental or popular trends, and to manufacture and deliver to us in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis, a desirable, high quality and price-competitive mix of new vehicles to sell to our consumers. The most popular vehicles usually generate the highest profit margins and are frequently difficult to obtain from the automakers. If we cannot obtain sufficient quantities of the most popular models, our profitability may be adversely affected. Sales of less desirable models may reduce our profit margins.

We source vehicles from automakers for our online transaction platforms. Maintaining strong relationships with these automakers is important to the growth of our business. We cannot assure you that our current automaker suppliers will continue to sell vehicles to us on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. Even if we maintain good relations with the automakers, their ability to supply products to us in sufficient quantity and at competitive prices may be adversely affected by economic conditions, labor actions, regulatory or legal decisions, natural disasters or other causes. Furthermore, some automakers may limit the number of vehicle sales maintained by a certain platform or dealership. Automakers may also prefer to offer vehicles to their franchise dealerships instead of us. Some automakers may not approve our applications as a sales partner for its certain vehicles or may require certain purchase commitments from us, which could materially compromise our growth strategies and business prospects. Any adverse developments in our relationships with suppliers could materially and adversely affect our business and growth prospects. In addition, as part of our growth strategy, we plan to further expand our product offerings. If we fail to attract new suppliers to sell their vehicles to us or on our platform due to any reason, our business and growth prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to grow our used automobile-related business through our repositioned che168.com website, we may not be able to achieve our expected business growth and our results of operations may be adversely affected.

Historically, we have delivered content related to new and used automobiles through both autohome.com.cn and che168.com websites whose user bases overlap to some extent. We redesigned our che168.com website in October 2011 to focus on used automobile information and content. Through this website, we offer used automobile listing services to dealers and individual car owners through a user interface that allows potential used car buyers to identify listings that meet their specific requirements and contact the dealer or individual selling the selected car. In 2015, we started to trial used car transaction business in selected cities in China and completed and facilitated used car transaction between sellers and buyers.

We may not be able to successfully grow our used automobile-related business through our repositioned che168.com website and our used car transaction platforms. Although the used automobile market in China is growing due to the increased number of consumer-owned automobiles, there is still significant uncertainty regarding the extent to which our used automobile- business may benefit from such growth. We may not be able to attract a broad user base to our che168.com website. Even if we are able to grow our user base, we may not be able to establish a business model that allows us to successfully monetize the user traffic. We may not be able to successfully facilitate used car transactions and our services might not be satisfactory to the used car buyers or sellers. In such cases, we may not be able to achieve our expected business growth and our results of operations may be adversely affected.

Our business is subject to fluctuations, which makes our results of operations difficult to predict and may cause our quarterly results of operations to fall short of expectations.

Our quarterly revenues and other operating results have fluctuated in the past and may continue to fluctuate depending upon a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control. For these reasons, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful, and you should not rely on our historical results as an indication of our future performance. For instance, our advertising services revenues typically increase in the second quarter as automakers increase marketing activities in connection with China’s major auto shows, and in the fourth quarter as advertisers seek to complete year-end marketing campaigns. Demand for our advertising services is generally lowest in the first quarter of each year, primarily due to a general slowdown in business activities and a reduced number of working days during the Chinese New Year holiday period. Our transaction business has not experienced similar trends due to its limited operating history and rapid growth but seasonality may increase in the future.

In addition, because a significant portion of our advertising services revenues is attributable to new model promotion campaigns, the timing of new car releases of our major automaker advertisers can have a significant impact on our results of operations. The timing of such releases, however, is subject to uncertainty due to various factors, such as automakers’ design or manufacturing issues, marketing conditions and government incentives or restrictions. These factors may make our results of operations difficult to predict and cause our quarterly results of operations to fall short of expectations.

Problems with our network infrastructure or information technology systems could impair our ability to provide services.

Our ability to provide our users with a high quality online experience depends on the continuing operation and scalability of our network infrastructure and information technology systems. Our systems are potentially vulnerable to damage or interruption as a result of earthquakes, floods, fires, extreme temperatures, power loss, telecommunications failures, technical error, computer viruses, hacking or similar events. We may encounter problems when upgrading our systems or services and undetected programming errors could adversely affect the performance of the software we use to provide our services. The development and implementation of software upgrades and other improvements to our internet services is a complex process, and issues not identified during pre-launch testing of new services may only become evident when such services are made available to our entire user base.

In addition, we rely on content delivery networks, data centers and other network facilities provided by third parties. Any disruption to these network facilities may result in service interruptions, decreases in connection speed, degradation of our services or the permanent loss of user data and uploaded content. If we experience frequent or persistent service disruptions, whether caused by failures of our own systems or those of third-party service providers, our reputation or relationships with our users or advertisers may be damaged and our users and advertisers may switch to our competitors, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Computer viruses and “hacking” may cause delays or interruptions on our systems and may reduce use of our services and damage our reputation and brand.

Computer viruses and “hacking” may cause delays or other service interruptions on our systems. “Hacking” involves efforts to gain unauthorized access to information or systems or to cause intentional malfunctions, loss or corruption of data, including user identity data, software, hardware or other computer equipment. In addition, the inadvertent transmission of computer viruses could result in significant damage to our hardware and software systems and databases, disruptions to our business activities, including our e-mail and other communications systems, breaches of security and inadvertent disclosure of confidential or sensitive information, interruptions in access to our website through the use of “denial of service” or similar attacks and other material adverse effects on our operations. We have experienced hacking attacks in the past, and although such attacks in the past have not had a material adverse effect on our operations, there is no assurance that there will be no serious computer viruses or hacking attacks in the future. We may incur significant costs to protect our systems and equipment against the threat of, and to repair any damage caused by, computer viruses and hacking. Moreover, if a computer virus or hacking affects our systems and is highly publicized, our reputation and brand could be materially damaged and use of our services may decrease.

Failure to protect confidential information of our customers and network against security breaches could damage our reputation and brand and substantially harm our business and results of operations.

Ensuring secured transmission of confidential information through public networks is essential to maintaining the confidence of our customers and users. Our existing security measures may not be adequate to protect such confidential information. In addition, computer and network systems are susceptible to breaches by computer hackers. Security breaches could expose us to litigation and potential liability for failing to secure confidential customer information and could harm our reputation and reduce our ability to attract customers and users. Future security breaches, if any, may result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Practices regarding the collection, use, storage, transmission and security of personal information by companies operating over the internet and mobile platforms have recently come under increased public scrutiny. As e-commerce continues to evolve, we believe that increased regulation by the PRC government of data privacy on the internet is likely. We may become subject to new laws and regulations applying to the solicitation, collection, processing or use of personal or consumer information that could affect how we store, process and share data with our customers. We generally comply with industry standards and are subject to the terms of our own privacy policies. Compliance with any additional laws could be expensive and may place restrictions on the conduct of our business and the manner in which we interact with our customers. Any failure to comply with applicable regulations could also result in regulatory enforcement actions against us.

Significant capital and other resources may be required to protect against information security breaches or to alleviate problems caused by such breaches or to comply with our privacy policies or privacy-related legal obligations. The resources required may increase over time as the methods used by hackers and others engaged in online criminal activities are increasingly sophisticated, well-funded and constantly evolving. Any failure or perceived failure by us to prevent information security breaches or to comply with privacy policies or privacy-related legal obligations, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personally identifiable information or other customer data, could cause our customers to lose trust in us and could expose us to legal claims. Any perception by the public that online transactions or the privacy of user information is becoming increasingly unsafe or vulnerable to attacks could inhibit the growth of online retail and other online services generally, which may reduce the number of orders we receive.

The continuing and collaborative efforts of our senior management, key employees and highly skilled personnel are crucial to our success, and our business may be harmed if we were to lose their services.

Our success depends on the continuous effort and services of our senior management team and other key personnel. If one or more of our executive officers or other key personnel are unable or unwilling to continue to provide us with their services, we might not be able to replace them within a short period of time or at all. Our business could be severely disrupted, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, and we might incur additional expenses to recruit, train and retain personnel. If any of our executive officers joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose advertisers, know-how and key professionals and staff members. Each of our executive officers has entered into an employment agreement with Beijing Cheerbright Technologies Co., Ltd., or Autohome WFOE, which contains non-competition provisions. However, if any dispute arises between us and our executive officers, we may have to incur substantial costs and expenses in order to enforce these agreements in China.

Our performance and future success also depend on our ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate and retain skilled personnel for all areas of our organization. Competition in the automotive and internet advertising industries and the online automobile transaction industry for qualified employees is intense, and if competition in these industries further intensifies, it may be more difficult for us to hire, motivate and retain highly skilled personnel. If we do not succeed in attracting additional highly skilled personnel or retaining or motivating our existing personnel, we may be unable to grow effectively or at all.

If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights, our brand and business may suffer.

We rely on a combination of trademark, patent, copyright and trade secret protection laws in the PRC and other jurisdictions, as well as through confidentiality agreements and other measures, to protect our intellectual property rights. Our major brand names and logos are registered trademarks in China. Most of our professionally produced content available on our websites and proprietary software are protected by copyright laws. Despite our precautions, third parties may obtain and use our intellectual property without our authorization. Historically, the legal system and courts of the PRC have not protected intellectual property rights to the same extent as the legal system and courts of the United States, and companies operating in the PRC continue to face an increased risk of intellectual property infringement. Furthermore, the validity, application, enforceability and scope of protection of intellectual property rights for many internet-related activities, such as internet commercial methods patents, are uncertain and still evolving in China and abroad, which may make it more difficult for us to protect our intellectual property. From time to time, other websites may use our articles, photos or other content without our proper authorization. Although such use has not in the past caused any material damage to our business, it is possible that there may be misappropriation on a much larger scale with a material adverse impact to our business. If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property rights in the future, our brand and business may suffer.

We may be vulnerable to intellectual property infringement claims brought against us by others.

Internet, technology and media companies are frequently involved in litigation based on allegations of infringement of intellectual property rights, unfair competition, invasion of privacy, defamation and other violation of other parties’ rights. We have never experienced any material claims on these issues against us in the past, but as we face increasing competition and as litigation becomes more common in China in resolving commercial disputes, we face a higher risk of being the subject of intellectual property infringement claims. We may be subject to legal proceedings and claims from time to time relating to the intellectual property of others in the ordinary course of our business. We could also be subject to claims based upon the content that is displayed on our websites or accessible from our websites through links to other websites or information on our websites supplied by third parties. Intellectual property claims and litigation are expensive and time-consuming to investigate and defend and may divert resources and management attention from the operation of our websites. Such claims, even if they do not result in liability, may harm our reputation. Any resulting liability or expenses, or changes required to our websites to reduce the risk of future liability, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be subject to liability for advertisements and other content placed on our websites.

The PRC government has adopted regulations governing advertising content as well as internet access and the distribution of information over the internet. Under PRC advertising laws and regulations, we are obligated to monitor the advertising content shown on our websites to ensure that such content is true and accurate and in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Advertisements.” Under the internet information regulations, internet content providers and internet publishers are prohibited from posting or displaying over the internet content that, among other things, compromises national security, harms the dignity or interests of the state, incites ethnic hatred or racial discrimination, undermines the PRC’s religious policy, disturbs social order, disseminates obscenity or pornography, encourages gambling, violence, murder or fear, incites the commission of a crime, infringes upon the lawful rights and interests of a third party, or is otherwise prohibited by law or administrative regulations. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Internet Content Services.”

We display advertisements on our websites. In addition, through our websites and user forums, we allow users to upload written materials, images, pictures and other content on our websites, and also allow users to share and link to content from other websites through our websites. Failure to identify and prevent illegal or inappropriate content from being displayed on or through our websites may subject us to liability. We cannot assure you that all of the advertisements and content shown or posted on our websites adhere to the advertising and internet content laws and regulations, especially given the uncertainty in the interpretation of these PRC laws and regulations.

If PRC regulatory authorities determine that any advertisements or content displayed on our websites do not adhere to applicable laws and regulations, they may require us to limit or eliminate the dissemination or availability of such advertisements and other content on our websites in the form of take-down orders or otherwise. Such regulatory authorities may also impose penalties on us, including fines, confiscation of advertising income or, in circumstances involving more serious violations by us, the termination of our advertising or internet content license, any of which would materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

In addition, we may be subject to claims by consumers asserting that the information on our websites is misleading, and we may not be able to recover our losses from advertisers. As a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We may undertake acquisitions, investments, joint ventures or other alliances that could prove difficult to integrate, disrupt our business or otherwise negatively impact our operating results and the value of your investment.

As part of our business strategy, we regularly evaluate potential acquisitions, investments and alliances, including joint ventures and minority equity investments. These transactions involve numerous risks, including:

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the failure to achieve the expected benefits of the acquisition, investment or alliance;

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difficulties in, and the cost of, integrating operations, technologies, services and personnel;

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write-offs of investments or acquired assets;

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non-performance by, or conflicts of interest with, the parties with whom we enter into investments or alliances;

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limited ability to monitor or control the actions of other parties with whom we enter into investments or alliances;

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misuse of proprietary information shared in connection with an acquisition, investment or alliance; and

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depending on the nature of the acquisition, investment or alliance, exposure to new regulatory risks.

The realization of any of these risks could materially adversely affect our business. To the extent any of our directors or officers also invests in a capacity other than as our director or officer, his or her interest may not be aligned with ours.

In addition, if we finance acquisitions by issuing equity or convertible debt securities, our existing shareholders may be diluted, which could affect the market price of our ADSs.

Furthermore, we may fail to identify or secure suitable acquisition, investment and other strategic opportunities, or our competitors may capitalize on such opportunities before we do, which could impair our ability to compete with our competitors and adversely affect our growth prospects and results of operations.

Any financial or economic crisis, or perceived threat of such a crisis, including a significant decrease in consumer confidence, may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The global financial markets experienced significant disruptions in 2008 and the United States, European and other economies went into recession. The recovery from the lows of 2008 and 2009 was uneven and the global financial markets are facing new challenges, including the escalation of the European sovereign debt crisis since 2011, the hostilities in the Ukraine, the end of quantitative easing by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the economic slowdown in the Eurozone in 2014. It is unclear whether these challenges will be contained and what effects they each may have. There is considerable uncertainty over the long-term effects of the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies that have been adopted by the central banks and financial authorities of some of the world’s leading economies, including China’s. Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions. Recently there have been signs that the rate of China’s economic growth is declining. Any prolonged slowdown in China’s economic development might lead to tighter credit markets, increased market volatility, sudden drops in business and consumer confidence and dramatic changes in business and consumer behaviors. In response to their perceived uncertainty in economic conditions, consumers might delay, reduce or cancel purchases of automobiles, which are still considered luxury items in China, and our advertisers may also defer, reduce or cancel purchasing our services. To the extent any fluctuations in the Chinese economy significantly affect automakers’ and dealers’ demand for our services or change their spending habits, our results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Our third-party vendors may raise prices and as a result increase our operating expenses.

We rely on third parties for certain essential services, such as internet services and we may not have any control over the costs of the services they provide. Any third-party service provider may raise their prices, which might not be commercially reasonable to us. If we are forced to seek other providers, there is no assurance that we will be able to find alternative providers willing or able to provide comparable high-quality services and there is no assurance that such providers will not charge us higher prices for their services. If the prices that we are required to pay third-party vendors for services rise significantly, our results of operations could be adversely affected.

We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance requirements, which may result in public investors not having as much protection as they would if we were not a controlled company.

As of February 29, 2016, Telstra Holdings Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation Limited, or Telstra, owned 54.6% of the total voting rights in our company, and we are a “controlled company” under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. As a controlled company, we rely on certain exemptions that are available to controlled companies from the NYSE corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:

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a majority of our board of directors consists of independent directors;

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our compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors; and

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our corporate governance and nominating committee be composed entirely of independent directors.

We are not required to and will not voluntarily meet these requirements. As a result of our use of the “controlled company” exemption, our investors will not have the same protection as they would if we were not a controlled company.

In addition, because Telstra beneficially owns 54.6% of the voting rights in our company, it has decisive influence in determining the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to the shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. Without the consent of Telstra, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us. The interests of Telstra may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. Furthermore, Telstra’s business activities, although not related to our operations, may adversely impact reputation.

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, our ability to accurately and timely report our financial results or prevent fraud may be adversely affected, and investor confidence and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely impacted.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, adopted rules requiring every public company to include a management report on the company’s internal control over financial reporting in its annual report, which contains management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting. Our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2015. See “Item 15. Controls and Procedures—Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.” Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an attestation report, which has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective in all material aspects as of December 31, 2015. However, if we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, our management and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable assurance level. This could in turn result in loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements and negatively impact the trading price of our ADSs. Furthermore, we have incurred and anticipate that we will continue to incur considerable costs, management time and other resources in an effort to comply with Section 404 and other requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

We have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to evaluate our business.

We have a limited operating history. Autohome.com.cn and che168.com were launched in 2005 and 2004, respectively. Our company was incorporated in June 2008 and acquired the entities that operated these two websites soon thereafter. Although we have achieved profitability in recent periods, our limited operating history makes the prediction of future results of operations difficult. Historical results of operations achieved by us should not be taken as indicative of the rate of growth, if any, that can be expected in the future. You should consider our future prospects in light of the risks and uncertainties fast-growing companies with limited operating histories may encounter.

We have limited business insurance coverage.

Insurance companies in China currently do not offer as extensive an array of insurance products as insurance companies do in more developed economies. We do not have any business liability or disruption insurance to cover our operations. We have determined that the costs of insuring for these risks and the difficulties associated with acquiring such insurance on commercially reasonable terms make it impractical for us to have such insurance. Any uninsured occurrence of business disruption may result in our incurring substantial costs and the diversion of resources, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

We face risks related to health epidemics and natural disasters.

Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of H1N1 flu, avian flu, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, or another epidemic. China reported a number of cases of SARS in 2003, which resulted in the closure of many businesses by the PRC government to prevent the transmission of SARS. In recent years, there have been reports of occurrences of avian flu in various parts of China, including a few confirmed human cases and deaths. In 2009, the global spread of H1N1 flu resulted in several confirmed infections and deaths in China. Restrictions on travel resulting from any prolonged outbreak of H1N1 flu, avian flu, SARS or another epidemic could adversely affect our ability to market our services to users, automakers and automobile dealers throughout China. Our business operations could be disrupted if one of our employees is suspected of having H1N1 flu, avian flu, SARS or another epidemic, which could require that a certain number of our employees be quarantined and/or our offices be disinfected. In addition, our results of operations could be adversely affected to the extent that H1N1 flu, avian flu, SARS or another outbreak harms the Chinese economy in general.

We are also vulnerable to natural disasters and other calamities. Although our servers are hosted in an offsite location, our backup system does not capture data on a real-time basis and we may be unable to recover certain data in the event of a server failure. We cannot assure you that any backup systems will be adequate to protect us from the effects of fire, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, power loss, telecommunications failures, break-ins, war, riots, terrorist attacks or similar events. Any of the foregoing events may give rise to server interruptions, breakdowns, system failures, technology platform failures or internet failures, which could cause the loss or corruption of data or malfunctions of software or hardware as well as adversely affect our ability to provide services. In addition, a severe disaster could affect the operations or financial condition of our customers and suppliers, which could harm our results of operations. For example, certain Japanese automakers or their joint ventures in China delayed or cancelled advertising campaigns following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011.

Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure

Substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the enactment timetable, final content, interpretation and implementation of draft PRC Foreign Investment Law published for public comments and how it may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.

The Ministry of Commerce published a discussion draft of the proposed Foreign Investment Law in January 2015 aiming to, upon its enactment, replace the trio of existing laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-foreign Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-invested Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. The draft Foreign Investment Law embodies an expected PRC regulatory trend to rationalize its foreign investment regulatory regime in line with prevailing international practice and the legislative efforts to unify the corporate legal requirements for both foreign and domestic investments. The Ministry of Commerce solicited comments on this draft in 2015, but no new draft has been published since then. As such, substantial uncertainties exist with respect to its enactment timetable, final content, interpretation and implementation. The draft Foreign Investment Law, if enacted as proposed, may materially impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations in many aspects.

Among other things, the draft Foreign Investment Law expands the definition of foreign investment and introduces the principle of “actual control” in determining whether a company is considered a foreign-invested enterprise, or an FIE. The draft Foreign Investment Law specifically provides that entities established in China but “controlled” by foreign investors will be treated as FIEs, whereas an entity set up in a foreign jurisdiction would nonetheless be, upon market entry clearance by the Ministry of Commerce, treated as a PRC domestic investor provided that the entity is “controlled” by PRC entities and/or citizens. In this connection, “control” is broadly defined in the draft law to cover the following summarized categories: (i) holding 50% of more of the voting rights of the subject entity; (ii) holding less than 50% of the voting rights of the subject entity but having the power to secure at least 50% of the seats on the board or other equivalent decision making bodies, or having the voting power to exert material influence on the board, the shareholders’ meeting or other equivalent decision making bodies; or (iii) having the power to exert decisive influence, via contractual or trust arrangements, over the subject entity’s operations, financial matters or other key aspects of business operations. Once an entity is determined to be an FIE, it will be subject to the foreign investment restrictions or prohibitions set forth in a “negative list,” to be separately issued by the State Council later. Unless the underlying business of the FIE falls within the negative list, which calls for market entry clearance by the Ministry of Commerce, prior approval from the government authorities as mandated by the existing foreign investment legal regime would no longer be required for establishment of the FIE.

The VIE structure has been adopted by many PRC-based companies, including us, to obtain necessary licenses and permits in the industries that are currently subject to foreign investment restrictions in China. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions— Contractual Agreements with our Variable Interest Entities” and “—If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish the structure for operating our services in China do not comply with PRC governmental restrictions on foreign investment in internet businesses, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations” below. Under the draft Foreign Investment Law, VIEs that are controlled via contractual arrangement would also be deemed as FIEs, if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. Therefore, for any companies with a VIE structure in an industry category that is on the “negative list,” the VIE structure may be deemed legitimate only if the ultimate controlling person(s) is/are of PRC nationality (either PRC companies or PRC citizens). Conversely, if the actual controlling person(s) is/are of foreign nationalities, the VIEs will be treated as FIEs and any operation in the industry category on the “negative list” without market entry clearance may be considered as illegal.

The draft Foreign Investment Law has not taken a position on what actions will be taken with respect to existing companies with a VIE structure, whether or not these companies are controlled by Chinese parties, while it is soliciting comments from the public on this point. The provision of internet content services, which we conduct through our VIEs, is subject to foreign investment restrictions set forth in the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries, or the Catalogue, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce in March 2015. It is unclear whether the new “negative list” will be different from the Catalogue. If the enacted version of the Foreign Investment Law and the final “negative list” mandate further actions, such as Ministry of Commerce market entry clearance or certain restructuring of our corporate structure and operations, to be completed by companies with existing VIE structure like us, we face substantial uncertainties as to whether these actions can be timely completed, or at all, and our business and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

The draft Foreign Investment Law, if enacted as proposed, may also materially impact our corporate governance practice and increase our compliance costs. For instance, the draft Foreign Investment Law imposes stringent ad hoc and periodic information reporting requirements on foreign investors and the applicable FIEs. Aside from the investment implementation report and investment amendment report that are required at each investment and alteration of investment specifics, an annual report is mandatory, and large foreign investors meeting certain criteria are required to report on a quarterly basis. Any company found to be non-compliant with these information reporting obligations may potentially be subject to fines and/or administrative or criminal liabilities, and the persons directly responsible may be subject to criminal liabilities.

If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish the structure for operating our services in China do not comply with PRC governmental restrictions on foreign investment in internet businesses, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.

Current PRC laws and regulations place certain restrictions on foreign ownership of companies that provide internet content services in China. Specifically, foreign ownership of internet service providers or other value-added telecommunication service providers may not exceed 50%. In addition, according to the Several Opinions on the Introduction of Foreign Investment in the Cultural Industry promulgated by the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, or the SARFT, the General Administration of Press and Publication, or the GAPP, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce in June 2005, foreign investors are prohibited from investing in or operating “internet cultural activities.” We are a Cayman Islands company and foreign legal person under PRC laws. Accordingly, neither we nor our wholly foreign-invested PRC subsidiaries are currently eligible to apply for the required licenses for providing internet content services in China.

As such, we conduct our business through contractual arrangements in China. In particular, we operate our internet content business through Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan. Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan are currently owned by individual shareholders who are PRC citizens and hold the requisite licenses or permits to provide internet content and advertising services in China. We do not have an equity interest in Autohome Information or Shengtuo Hongyuan but substantially control their operations and receive the economic benefits through a series of contractual arrangements. We have been and are expected to continue to be dependent upon Autohome Information and its subsidiaries and Shengtuo Hongyuan and its subsidiaries to operate our businesses in the near future. For more information regarding these contractual arrangements, see “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions— Contractual Agreements with our Variable Interest Entities.”

Based on the advice of our PRC legal counsel, TransAsia Lawyers, the corporate structure of our VIEs and our subsidiaries in China are in compliance with all existing PRC laws and regulations. However, as there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, we cannot assure you that the PRC government would agree that our corporate structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and regulations governing the validity of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations.

If we or any of our current or future VIEs or subsidiaries are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required permits or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or the MIIT, which regulates internet information services companies and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including levying fines, confiscating our income or the income of Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE and the VIEs, revoking the business licenses or operating licenses of Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE and the VIEs, shutting down our servers or blocking our websites, discontinuing or placing restrictions or onerous conditions on our operations, requiring us to undergo a costly and disruptive restructuring, or taking other enforcement actions that could be harmful to our business.

Any of these actions could cause significant disruption to our business operations and severely damage our reputation, which would in turn materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. In addition, if the imposition of any of these penalties causes us to lose the rights to direct the activities of the VIEs or our right to receive their economic benefits, we would no longer be able to consolidate the VIEs.

Our contractual arrangements with our VIEs may not be as effective in providing operational control as direct ownership.

We have relied and expect to continue to rely on (i) contractual arrangements with Autohome Information and its subsidiaries and shareholders and (ii) contractual arrangements with Shengtuo Hongyuan and its subsidiaries and shareholders to operate our business. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions— Contractual Agreements with our Variable Interest Entities.” These contractual arrangements may not be as effective in providing us with control over our VIEs as direct ownership. If we had direct ownership of these entities, we would be able to exercise our rights as a shareholder to effect changes in the board of directors, which in turn could effect changes, subject to any applicable fiduciary obligations, at the management level. However, under the current contractual arrangements, we rely on the performance by these entities and their shareholders of their contractual obligations to exercise control over our VIEs. Therefore, our contractual arrangements with our VIEs may not be as effective in ensuring our control over their operations as direct ownership would be.

The shareholders of our VIEs may breach, or cause our VIEs to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and our VIEs. Any failure by our VIEs or their shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

The shareholders of our VIEs may breach, or cause our VIEs to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and our VIEs. If our VIEs or their shareholders fail to perform their obligations under the contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend resources to enforce our rights under the contracts. We may have to rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief and claiming damages, which may not be effective. For example, if the shareholders of Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan were to refuse to transfer their equity interests in those companies to us or our designee when we exercise the call option pursuant to these contractual arrangements, if they transfer the equity interests to other persons against our interests, or if they were otherwise to act in bad faith toward us, then we may have to take legal actions to compel them to perform their contractual obligations.

All of these contractual arrangements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in the PRC. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal system in the PRC is not as developed as in other jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. Under PRC law, rulings by arbitrators are final, parties cannot appeal the arbitration results in courts, and the prevailing parties may only enforce the arbitration awards in PRC courts through arbitration award recognition proceedings, which would incur additional expenses and delay. In the event we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, we may not be able to exert effective control over our VIEs, and our ability to conduct our business may be negatively affected.

Contractual arrangements our subsidiary has entered into with our VIEs may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and a finding that we or our VIEs owe additional taxes could substantially reduce our consolidated net income and the value of your investment.

Under PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit or challenge by the PRC tax authorities within ten years after the taxable year when the transactions are conducted. We could face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that the contractual arrangements among Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE, our VIEs and the shareholders of our VIEs do not represent arm’s-length prices and consequently adjust Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE’s or our VIEs’ income in the form of a transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing adjustment could, among other things, result in a reduction, for PRC tax purposes, of expense deductions recorded by our VIEs, which could in turn increase their tax liabilities. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may impose late payment fees and other penalties on Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE or our VIEs for any unpaid taxes. Our consolidated net income may be materially and adversely affected if Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE or our VIEs’ tax liabilities increase or if they are subject to late payment fees or other penalties.

The shareholders of our VIEs may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business.

The shareholders of Guangzhou Advertising, Shanghai Advertising and Autohome Information are James Zhi Qin, our director and chief executive officer, Xiang Li, our director, and Zheng Fan, our vice president. They hold 8%, 68% and 24%, respectively, of the equity interests in Guangzhou Advertising, Shanghai Advertising and Autohome Information. Each of these three individuals is also a beneficial owner of our company and a PRC citizen. The shareholders of Shengtuo Hongyuan are James Zhi Qin and Zheng Fan, each holding 50% of the equity interests in Shengtuo Hongyuan. Conflicts of interest may arise between their roles as directors, officers and/or beneficial owners of our holding company and as shareholders of our VIEs. In addition, the controlling shareholders of our company are substantially different from that of the VIEs, which may heighten any conflicts of interest that could arise between the two groups of shareholders. We cannot assure you that when conflicts of interest arise, any or all of these equity holders will act in the best interests of our company or such conflicts will be resolved in our favor. Currently, we do not have any arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest between these equity holders and our company. We rely on these individuals to comply with the laws of China, which protect contracts, provide that directors and executive officers owe a duty of loyalty and a duty of diligence to our company and require them to avoid conflicts of interest and not to take advantage of their positions for personal gain. We also rely on the laws of the Cayman Islands, which provide that directors owe a duty of care and a duty of loyalty to our company. However, the legal frameworks of China and the Cayman Islands do not provide guidance on resolving conflicts in the event of a conflict with another corporate governance regime. If we cannot resolve any conflict of interest or dispute between us and the shareholders of our VIEs, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.

We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.

We are a holding company, and we may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity to be paid by our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders and service any debt we may incur. If our PRC subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us.

Under PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries, as wholly foreign-owned enterprises in the PRC, may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, wholly foreign-owned enterprises are required to set aside at least 10% of their accumulated after-tax profits, if any, each year to fund certain statutory reserve funds, until the aggregate amount of such funds reach 50% of their registered capital. These statutory reserve funds are not distributable as cash dividends.

Any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.

PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from using the proceeds of our equity offerings to make loans to our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs or to make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which may materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

We are an offshore holding company conducting our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs. We may make loans to our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs, or we may make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries. Any loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries, which are treated as foreign-invested enterprises under PRC law, are subject to PRC regulations and foreign exchange loan registrations. For example, loans by us to Autohome WFOE or Chezhiying WFOE to finance its activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the local counterpart of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE. We may also decide to finance Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE by means of capital contributions. These capital contributions must be approved by the PRC Ministry of Commerce or its local counterpart. Due to the restrictions imposed on loans in foreign currencies extended to any PRC domestic companies, we are not likely to make such loans to our VIEs, which are PRC domestic companies. Further, we are not likely to finance the activities of our VIEs by means of capital contributions due to regulatory restrictions relating to foreign investment in PRC domestic enterprises engaged in internet content services and online advertising businesses.

SAFE promulgated a circular on November 19, 2010, or Circular No. 59, which tightens the examination on the authenticity of settlement of net proceeds from an offering and requires that the settlement of net proceeds shall be in accordance with the description in its prospectus. On March 30, 2015, the SAFE issued the Circular on Reform of the Administrative Rules of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Exchange Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19, which became effective on June 1, 2015. Pursuant to SAFE Circular 19, foreign-invested enterprises may either continue to follow the current payment-based foreign currency settlement system or choose to follow the “conversion-at-will” system for foreign currency settlement. Where a foreign-invested enterprise follows the conversion-at-will system for foreign currency settlement, it may convert part or all of the amount of the foreign currency in its capital account into Renminbi at any time. The converted Renminbi will be kept in a designated account labeled as settled but pending payment, and if the foreign-invested enterprise needs to make payment from such designated account, it still needs to go through the review process with its bank and provide necessary supporting documents. SAFE Circular 19, therefore, has substantially lifted the restrictions on the usage by a foreign-invested enterprise of its Renminbi registered capital converted from foreign currencies. According to SAFE Circular 19, such Renminbi capital may be used at the discretion of the foreign-invested enterprise and the SAFE will eliminate the prior approval requirement and only examine the authenticity of the declared usage afterwards. Nevertheless, foreign-invested enterprises like our PRC subsidiaries are still not allowed to extend intercompany loans to our VIEs. In addition, as SAFE Circular 19 was promulgated recently, there remain substantial uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and implementation of this circular by relevant authorities.

In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries or VIEs or with respect to future capital contributions by us to our PRC subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds we received from our equity offerings and to capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

If our PRC subsidiaries or VIEs become the subject of a bankruptcy or liquidation proceeding, we may lose the ability to use and enjoy substantially all of our assets, which could reduce the size of our operations and materially and adversely affect our business, our ability to generate revenues and the market price of our ADSs.

As part of the contractual arrangements with our VIEs and their shareholders, Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan hold operating permits and licenses and substantially all of the assets that are important to the operation of our business. We expect to continue to be dependent on our VIEs to operate a significant portion of our business in China. If our VIEs go bankrupt and all or part of their assets become subject to liens or rights of third-party creditors, we may be unable to continue some or all of our business activities, which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If our VIEs undergo a voluntary or involuntary liquidation proceeding, their equity holders or unrelated third-party creditors may claim rights to some or all of these assets, thereby hindering our ability to operate our business, which would materially and adversely affect our business, our ability to generate revenues and the market price of our ADSs.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.

The majority of our assets and operations are located in China. Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic and social conditions in China generally and by continued economic growth in China as a whole.

The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the Chinese government has implemented measures since the late 1970s emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China are still owned by the Chinese government. In addition, the Chinese government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The Chinese government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth through allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.

While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, the growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy, and the rate of growth has been slowing. The Chinese government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy, but may have a negative effect on us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations. In addition, in the past the Chinese government has implemented certain measures, including interest rate increases, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity in China, which may adversely affect our business and operating results.

Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could adversely affect us.

We conduct our business primarily through our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs in China. Our operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past several decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China. In particular, because these laws and regulations are relatively new, and because of the limited volume of published decisions and their nonbinding nature, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations involve uncertainties. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, which may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. In addition, any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

We may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of internet business and companies.

The PRC government extensively regulates the internet industry, including foreign ownership of, and the licensing and permit requirements pertaining to, companies in the internet industry. These internet-related laws and regulations are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainty. As a result, in certain circumstances it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to be violations of applicable laws and regulations. Issues, risks and uncertainties relating to the PRC government regulation of the internet industry include, but are not limited to, the following:

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We only have contractual control over our websites. We do not own the websites due to the restriction on foreign investment in businesses providing value-added telecommunication services in China, which includes internet content provision services.

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There are uncertainties relating to the regulation of the internet industry in China, including evolving licensing requirements. This means that permits, licenses or operations at some of our companies may be subject to challenge, or we may fail to obtain permits or licenses that applicable regulators may deem necessary for our operations, or we may not be able to obtain or renew permits or licenses. For example, both Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan may be required to obtain additional licenses, including internet publishing licenses and internet news information service licenses, if the release of articles and information or the broadcast of videos on the websites autohome.com.cn and che168.com is deemed by the PRC regulatory authorities as being the provision of internet publishing service, internet news information service, or internet culture operating service. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Online Cultural Services,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Internet Publishing” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Internet News Information Service” for additional details.

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The evolving PRC regulatory system for the internet industry may lead to the establishment of new regulatory agencies. For example, the Cyberspace Administration of China was established in 2014, as the central Internet censorship, oversight and control agency for the PRC.

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New laws and regulations may be promulgated to regulate internet activities, including online advertising businesses. As such, additional licenses may be required for our operations. If our operations do not comply with these new regulations at the time they become effective, or if we fail to obtain any licenses required under these new laws and regulations, we could be subject to penalties.

On July 13, 2006, the MIIT, the predecessor of which was the Ministry of Information Industry, issued the Notice of the Ministry of Information Industry on Intensifying the Administration of Foreign Investment in Value-added Telecommunications Services. This notice prohibits domestic telecommunication service providers from leasing, transferring or selling telecommunications business operating licenses to any foreign investor in any form, or providing any resources, sites or facilities to any foreign investor for their illegal operation of a telecommunications business in China. According to this notice, either the holder of a value-added telecommunication services operation permit or its shareholders must directly own the domain names and trademarks used by such license holders in their provision of value-added telecommunication services. The notice also requires each license holder to have the necessary facilities, including servers, for its approved business operations and to maintain such facilities in the regions covered by its license. Currently, Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan, two of our VIEs, own the related domain names and trademarks and hold the internet content provider licenses, or ICP licenses, necessary to conduct our operations for websites in China.

The interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating to the internet industry have created substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments in, and the businesses and activities of, internet businesses in China, including our business. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain our existing licenses or obtain any new licenses if required by any new laws or regulations. There are also risks that we may be found to violate existing or future laws and regulations given the uncertainty and complexity of China’s regulation of the internet industry. If we or our VIEs fail to obtain or maintain any of the required assets, licenses or approvals, our continued business operations in the internet industry may subject us to various penalties, including the confiscation of illegal net revenues, fines and the discontinuation or restriction of our operations, any of which would materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

There are substantial uncertainties with respect to the enactment, final content, interpretation and implementation of the Draft Cyber Security Law and how it may impact our business operations.

On July 1, 2015, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China issued the National Security Law, which came into effect on the same day. The National Security Law provides that the state shall safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests of cyberspace in the state, and the state shall establish a national security review and supervision system to review including foreign investment, key technologies, internet and information technology products and services and other important activities that are likely to impact the national security of China.

On July 6, 2015, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China released the Draft Cyber Security Law to solicit public comments. Once adopted, this will be the first Chinese law that focuses exclusively on cyber security. The Draft Cyber Security Law sets high requirements for the operational security of facilities deemed to be part of PRC’s “key information infrastructure facilities,” and includes the integration of national security examinations under certain circumstances. Among which, “key information infrastructure facilities” includes networks and systems owned or managed by network service providers with a significant number of users. The Draft Cyber Security Law provides that key information infrastructure facilities operators must set up specialized internal security management divisions and assign appropriate person(s) responsible for security management. Additionally, these operators must conduct background checks on the person(s) responsible for security management and on personnel in critical positions. It further provides that when operators of key information infrastructure facilities purchase network products or services that may affect or involve national security, the operator must pass a security examination jointly arranged by the national network and information authority and the relevant government departments and the national security examination process under the National Security Law will be triggered. The operators of key information infrastructure facilities must store important data collected and generated, including citizens’ personal information, exclusively within the territory of the People’s Republic of China. The Draft Cyber Security Law also sets increasingly more stringent requirements for network operators. The Draft Cyber Security Law establishes censorship duties for network operators, including digital information distribution service providers and application software download service providers. When these operators notice a prohibited publication, or the transmission of illicit information, they must promptly stop transmitting the information and take measures necessary to prevent the spread of that information. Operators must maintain a record of these incidents when they occur and report them to the competent authorities. The Draft Cyber Security Law provides relevant subjects with solid legal authorities who are empowered to take measures to cut off any transmission(s) of prohibited information on communication networks. Upon finding prohibited information, those authorities will require that the network operators stop the transmission and take the necessary measures to remove any prohibited content. Where the above prohibited information comes from outside the territory of China, these authorities may request that all related institutions to take necessary measures to stop the flow of prohibited information.

There are substantial uncertainties with respect to the enactment timetable, final content, interpretation and implementation of the Draft Cyber Security Law. If enacted as proposed, the Draft Cyber Security Law could cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices in a manner materially adverse to our business.

Fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.

Substantially all of our revenues and costs are denominated in RMB. The conversion of RMB into foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, is based on rates set by the People’s Bank of China. In July 2005, the PRC government changed its decades-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar, and the RMB appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the RMB has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future.

To the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into RMB for capital expenditures and working capital and other business purposes, appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the RMB amount we would receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert RMB into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs, strategic acquisitions or investments or other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the RMB would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us. In addition, a significant depreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar may significantly reduce the U.S. dollar equivalent of our earnings, which in turn could adversely affect the price of our ADSs.

Very limited hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or to hedge our exposure at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currency. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.

Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment.

The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our revenues in RMB. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior SAFE approval by complying with certain procedural requirements. Therefore, Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE are able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior approval from SAFE. However, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions in the future. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currency to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders, including holders of our ADSs.

Certain regulations in the PRC may make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions.

Among other things, certain regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. For example, these regulations require that the Ministry of Commerce be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings, issued by the State Council on August 3, 2008, are triggered. According to the Implementing Rules Concerning Security Review on Mergers and Acquisitions by Foreign Investors of Domestic Enterprises issued by the Ministry of Commerce in August 2011, mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors involved in an industry related to national security are subject to strict review by the Ministry of Commerce. These rules also prohibit any transactions attempting to bypass such security review, including by controlling entities through contractual arrangements. We believe that our business is not in an industry related to national security. However, we cannot preclude the possibility that the Ministry of Commerce or other government agencies may publish interpretations contrary to our understanding or broaden the scope of such security review in the future. Although we have no current plans to make any acquisitions, we may elect to grow our business in the future in part by directly acquiring complementary businesses in China. Complying with the requirements of these regulations to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from the Ministry of Commerce, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions.

PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore holding companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.

On July 4, 2014, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control of Domestic Residents’ Overseas Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular No. 37, which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (generally known as SAFE Circular No. 75) promulgated by SAFE on October 21, 2005.

SAFE Circular No. 37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests, which is referred to in SAFE Circular No. 37 as a “special purpose vehicle.” SAFE Circular No. 37 further requires amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events. In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiaries. Furthermore, failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.

Currently, all of our shareholders who are PRC residents have registered with the competent local branch of SAFE with respect to their investments in our company as required by SAFE Circular No. 75 and will update their registration filings with SAFE under SAFE Circular No. 37 when there are any changes that should be registered under SAFE Circular No. 37. However, we may not at all times be fully aware or informed of the identities of all our shareholders or beneficial owners that are required to make such registrations, and if or when we have such shareholders or beneficial owners, we may not always be able to compel them to comply with SAFE Circular No. 37 requirements. As a result, we cannot assure you that all of our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents will at all times comply with, or in the future make or obtain any applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE Circular No. 37 or other related regulations. The failure or inability of such individuals to comply with the registration procedures set forth in these regulations may subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrictions on our cross-border investment activities or our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign-exchange-dominated loans from, our company, or prevent us from making distributions or paying dividends. As a result, our business operations and our ability to make distributions to you could be materially and adversely affected.

Furthermore, as these foreign exchange regulations are still relatively new and their interpretation and implementation has been constantly evolving, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. We cannot predict how these regulations will affect our business operations or future strategy. In addition, if we decide to acquire a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required by the foreign exchange regulations. This may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect our business and prospects.

Failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee share ownership plans or share option plans may subject the PRC plan participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.

In December 2006, the People’s Bank of China, or PBOC, promulgated the Administrative Measures of Foreign Exchange Matters for Individuals, which sets forth the respective requirements for foreign exchange transactions by individuals (both PRC and non-PRC citizens) under either the current account or the capital account. In January 2007, SAFE issued relevant implementing rules that specified approval requirements for certain capital account transactions such as a PRC citizen’s participation in the employee stock incentive plans or share option plans of an overseas publicly listed company. In February 2012, SAFE promulgated the Notice on the Administration of Foreign Exchange Matters for Domestic Individuals Participating in the Stock Incentive Plans of Overseas Listed Companies, or the Stock Option Notice. The Stock Option Notice supersedes the requirements and procedures for the registration of PRC resident individuals’ participation in stock incentive plans set forth by certain rules promulgated by SAFE in March 2007. Under these measures, PRC resident individuals who participate in an employee stock incentive plan or a share option plan in an overseas publicly listed company are required to register with SAFE and complete certain other procedures. A PRC domestic qualified agent appointed through the PRC subsidiaries of such overseas listed company must file applications on behalf of such PRC resident individuals with SAFE or its local counterpart to obtain approval for an annual allowance with respect to the foreign exchange in connection with stock holding or share option exercises. With the approval from SAFE or its local counterpart, the PRC domestic qualified agent must open a special foreign exchange account at a PRC domestic bank to hold the funds required in connection with the stock purchase or option exercise, payment received upon sales of shares, dividends issued on the stock and any other income or expenditures approved by SAFE or its local counterpart. We and our PRC resident employees who participate in our share incentive plans are subject to these regulations as we are an overseas listed company. We have made registration with the local counterparts of SAFE for our PRC resident employees who participate in our share incentive plans as required under the Stock Option notice and relevant rules. If we or our PRC optionees fail to comply with these regulations, we or our PRC optionees may be subject to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Employee Stock Options Plans.”

We face uncertainties with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.

Pursuant to the Notice on Strengthening Administration of Enterprise Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or SAT Circular 698, issued by the State Administration of Taxation, or the SAT, on December 10, 2009 with retroactive effect from January 1, 2008, where a non-resident enterprise transfers the equity interests of a PRC resident enterprise indirectly via disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, or an Indirect Transfer, and such overseas holding company is located in a tax jurisdiction that: (a) has an effective tax rate less than 12.5% or (b) does not tax the foreign income of its residents, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor, shall report to the relevant tax authority of the PRC resident enterprise this Indirect Transfer. Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such Indirect Transfer may be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. SAT Circular 698 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the relevant tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction.

On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued SAT Notice 7 to supersede the existing tax rules in relation to the Indirect Transfer, while the other provisions of SAT Circular 698 remain in force. SAT Notice 7 introduces a more sophisticated anti-avoidance guidance. SAT Notice 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to capture not only Indirect Transfer as set forth under SAT Circular 698 but also transactions involving transfer of movable and immovable property in China of a foreign company through the offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. According to SAT Notice 7, if a non-resident enterprise indirectly transfers PRC taxable properties through an arrangement without reasonable commercial purpose but to avoid PRC Corporate Income Tax, the Indirect Transfer shall be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of PRC taxable properties. SAT Notice 7 also interprets the term “transfer of the equity interest in a foreign intermediate holding company” broadly. In addition, SAT Notice 7 provides clearer criteria than Circular 698 on how to assess reasonable commercial purposes and introduces safe harbor scenarios applicable to the public trading of shares in a listed company holding taxable PRC assets and indirect transfers resulting from a corporate restructuring.

Further, SAT Notice 7 replaces the compulsory reporting requirement in SAT Circular 698 with a voluntary reporting regime and the criteria set forth in Circular 698 for indirect transfer reporting have been abolished. Both the foreign transferor and the transferee, and the PRC tax resident enterprise whose equity interests being transferred may voluntarily report the transfer by submitting the documents required in SAT Notice 7. In addition to the voluntary reporting, SAT Notice 7 empowers the Chinese tax authorities to require various documents from the parties involved. Although SAT Notice 7 provides clarities in many important areas such as reasonable commercial purpose and reporting requirements, it brings challenges to both the foreign transferor and transferee of the Indirect Transfer as they are required to make a self-assessment on whether the transaction should be subject to PRC tax and to file or withhold the PRC tax accordingly. It also introduces the interest regime by providing that where a transferor fails to file and pay tax on time, and where a withholding agent fails to withhold the tax, interest will be charged on a daily basis. If the transferor has provided the required documents and information or has filed and paid the tax within 30 days from the date that the share transfer contract or agreement is signed, interest shall be calculated based on the benchmark interest rate; otherwise, the benchmark interest rate plus 5% will apply.

SAT Notice 7 became effective on February 3, 2015, but it also applies to Indirect Transfers which occurred before its issuance but have not received assessments from the tax authorities. SAT Circular 698 and SAT Notice 7 may be determined by the tax authorities to be applicable to our corporate restructuring where non-resident investors were involved, if any of such transactions were determined by the tax authorities to lack reasonable commercial purpose. As a result, we and our non-resident investors in such transactions may become at risk of being taxed under SAT Circular 698 and SAT Notice 7 and we may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Circular 698 and SAT Notice 7 or to establish that we should not be taxed under the general anti-avoidance rule of the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations or such non-resident investors’ investments in us.

There are still uncertainties as to the interpretation and implementation of SAT Notice 7. The PRC tax authorities have the discretion under SAT Circular 698 and SAT Notice 7 to make adjustments to the taxable capital gains based on the difference between the fair value of the equity interests transferred and the cost of investment. We may pursue acquisitions in the future that may involve complex corporate structures. If we are considered a non-resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and if the PRC tax authorities make adjustments to the taxable income of these transactions under Circular 698 and SAT Notice 7, our income tax expenses associated with such potential acquisitions will be increased, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Discontinuation of any of the preferential tax treatments or imposition of any additional taxes could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

China passed a new PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, which became effective on January 1, 2008. The Enterprise Income Tax Law (a) reduces the statutory rate of the enterprise income tax from 33% to 25%, (b) permits companies established before March 16, 2007 to continue to enjoy their existing tax incentives, adjusted by certain transitional phase-out rules promulgated by the State Council on December 26, 2007, and (c) introduces new tax incentives, subject to various qualification criteria.

The Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules permit certain “high and new technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” which hold independent ownership of core intellectual property to enjoy a preferential enterprise income tax rate of 15% subject to certain qualification criteria. Autohome WFOE was recognized jointly by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and other authorities as a “high and new technology enterprise,” or HNTE, on September 17, 2010 and therefore was eligible for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2010 to 2012 upon its filing with the relevant tax authority. The qualification as an HNTE is subject to annual evaluation and a three-year review by the relevant authorities in China. We have obtained renewal of the HNTE qualification through 2015. Beijing Autohome Technologies Co., Ltd., or Beijing Autohome Technologies, was recognized as an HNTE in July 2015 and therefore was eligible for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2015 to 2017 upon their filing with the relevant tax authority. Beijing Prbrownies Software Co., Ltd., or Beijing Prbrownies, was recognized as an HNTE on February 29, 2016, qualifying it for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2015 to 2017 upon its filing with the relevant tax authority. However, should we lose this qualification for any reason, Autohome WFOE, Beijing Autohome Technologies and Beijing Prbrownies will no longer enjoy the 15% preferential tax rate, and the applicable enterprise income tax rate may increase to up to 25%.

Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries, dividends distributed to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders, and gains recognized by such shareholders or ADS holders, may be subject to PRC taxes under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, both of which became effective on January 1, 2008, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a resident enterprise and will be subject to the enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on its global income. The implementation rules define the term “de facto management bodies” as “establishments that carry out substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, etc. of an enterprise.” The SAT issued the Notice Regarding the Determination of Chinese-Controlled Offshore Incorporated Enterprises as PRC Tax Resident Enterprises on the Basis of De Facto Management Bodies, or SAT Circular 82, on April 22, 2009. SAT Circular 82 provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a Chinese-controlled offshore-incorporated enterprise is located in China. Although SAT Circular 82 only applies to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises, not those controlled by PRC individuals, the determining criteria set forth in Circular 82 may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises or individuals. Although we do not believe that our legal entities organized outside of the PRC constitute PRC resident enterprises, it is possible that the PRC tax authorities could reach a different conclusion. In such case, we may be considered a PRC resident enterprise and may therefore be subject to enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our global income. If we are considered a PRC resident enterprise and earn income other than dividends from our PRC subsidiaries, a 25% enterprise income tax on our global income could significantly increase our tax burden and materially and adversely affect our cash flow and profitability.

Pursuant to the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, dividends generated after January 1, 2008 and payable by a foreign-invested enterprise in China to its foreign investors, which are non-PRC tax resident enterprises without an establishment in China, or whose income has no connection with their institutions and establishments inside China, are subject to withholding tax at a rate of 10%, unless any such foreign investor’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a different withholding arrangement. We are a Cayman Islands holding company and we conduct our business through Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE. Autohome WFOE is 100% owned by Cheerbright, our wholly owned subsidiary located in the British Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands currently does not have any tax treaty with China with respect to withholding tax. As long as Cheerbright is considered a non-PRC resident enterprise and holds at least 25% of the equity interest of Autohome WFOE, dividends that it receives from Autohome WFOE may be subject to withholding tax at a rate of 10%. Chezhiying WFOE is 100% owned by Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited, our wholly owned subsidiary located in Hong Kong. Under the Arrangement between the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion, effective on January 1, 2007, as long as Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited is considered a non-PRC resident enterprise and holds at least 25% of the equity interest of its PRC subsidiaries, dividends that it receives from its PRC subsidiaries may be subject to withholding tax at a preferential rate of 5%, if it is the beneficial owner of the dividends, upon receiving the approval from the local tax authority. In August 2015, the State Administration of Taxation promulgated the Administrative Measures for Non-Resident Taxpayers to Enjoy Treatments under Tax Treaties, or SAT Circular 60, which became effective on November 1, 2015. SAT Circular 60 provides that non-resident enterprises are not required to obtain pre-approval from the relevant tax authority in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax rate. Instead, non-resident enterprises and their withholding agents may, by self-assessment and upon their confirmation that the prescribed criteria to enjoy the tax treaty benefits are met, directly apply the reduced withholding tax rate, and file necessary forms and supporting documents when performing tax filings, which will be subject to post-filing examinations by the relevant tax authorities. We have migrated our advertising business from our VIEs to the subsidiaries of Autohome Media. Autohome Media is 100% owned by Autohome HK, our wholly owned subsidiary located in Hong Kong. Under the Arrangement between the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion, effective on January 1, 2007, as long as Autohome HK is considered a non-PRC resident enterprise and holds at least 25% of the equity interest of its PRC subsidiaries, dividends that it receives from its PRC subsidiaries may be subject to withholding tax at a preferential rate of 5%, if it is the beneficial owner of the dividends, upon receiving the approval from the local tax authority.

As uncertainties remain regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, we cannot assure you that if we are regarded as a PRC resident enterprise, any dividends to be distributed by us to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders would not be subject to any PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. Similarly, any gain recognized by such non-PRC shareholders or ADS holders on the sale of shares or ADSs, as applicable, may also be subject to PRC withholding tax. If we are required under the Enterprise Income Tax Law to withhold PRC income tax on our dividends payable to our non-PRC enterprise shareholders and ADS holders, or on gains recognized by such non-PRC shareholders or ADS holders, such investors’ investment in our Class A ordinary shares or ADSs may be materially and adversely affected.

The enforcement of the PRC Labor Contract Law and other labor-related regulations in the PRC may adversely affect our business and our results of operations.

The PRC Labor Contract Law became effective and was implemented on January 1, 2008 as amended on December 28, 2012 and effective as of July 1, 2013. It has reinforced the protection of employees who, under the PRC Labor Contract Law, have the right, among others, to have written labor contracts, to enter into labor contracts with no fixed terms under certain circumstances, to receive overtime wages and to terminate or alter terms in labor contracts. According to the PRC Social Insurance Law, which became effective on July 1, 2011, and the Administrative Regulations on the Housing Funds, employees are required to participate in pension insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance and housing funds, and the employers must pay all or a portion of the social insurance premiums and housing funds for such employees.

As a result of these laws and regulations designed to enhance labor protection, we expect our labor costs will increase. In addition, as the interpretation and implementation of these new laws and regulations are still evolving, our employment practice may not at all times be deemed in compliance with the new laws and regulations. If we are subject to severe penalties or incur significant liabilities in connection with labor disputes or investigations, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is not permitted to inspect independent registered public accounting firms operating in China, including our auditor, and as such, investors may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection.

Our independent registered public accounting firm, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB, is required by the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by PCAOB to assess its compliance with the laws of the United States and professional standards. Because our independent registered public accounting firm is located in China, a jurisdiction where PCAOB is currently unable to conduct inspections without receiving the required approval from the PRC authorities, our independent registered public accounting firm, like other independent registered public accounting firms operating in China, is currently not inspected by PCAOB. Inspections of other firms that PCAOB has conducted outside of China have identified deficiencies in those firms’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. Since PCAOB cannot conduct inspections of independent registered public accounting firms operating in China without receiving the required approval from the PRC authorities, it is more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit or quality control procedures. As a result, investors may be deprived of the benefits of PCAOB inspections.

Proceedings instituted by the SEC against certain PRC-based accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, could result in financial statements being determined to be not in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

In December 2012, the SEC brought administrative proceedings against five accounting firms in China, including our independent registered public accounting firm, alleging that they had refused to produce audit work papers and other documents related to certain other China-based companies under investigation by the SEC. On January 22, 2014, an initial administrative law decision was issued, censuring these accounting firms and suspending four of these firms from practicing before the SEC for a period of six months. The decision is neither final nor legally effective unless and until reviewed and approved by the SEC. On February 12, 2014, four of these PRC-based accounting firms appealed to the SEC against this decision. In February 2015, each of the four PRC-based accounting firms agreed to a censure and to pay a fine to the SEC to settle the dispute and avoid suspension of their ability to practice before the SEC. The firms’ ability to continue to serve all their respective clients is not affected by the settlement. The settlement requires the firms to follow detailed procedures to seek to provide the SEC with access to Chinese firms’ audit documents via the CSRC. If the firms do not follow these procedures, the SEC could impose penalties such as suspensions, or it could restart the administrative proceedings. The settlement did not require the firms to admit to any violation of law and preserves the firms’ legal defenses in the event the administrative proceeding is restarted.

In the event that the SEC restarts the administrative proceedings, depending upon the final outcome, listed companies in the United States with major PRC operations may find it difficult or impossible to retain auditors in respect of their operations in the PRC, which could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, including possible delisting. Moreover, any negative news about the proceedings against these audit firms may cause investor uncertainty regarding China-based, United States-listed companies and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely affected.

If our independent registered public accounting firm was denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC and we were unable to timely find another registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our financial statements, our financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to the delay or abandonment of this offering, delisting of our ordinary shares from the NYSE or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our ADSs in the United States.

Risks Related to our ADSs

The market price for our ADSs has fluctuated and may be volatile.

The daily closing trading prices for our ADSs ranged from US$28.42 to US$55.02 in 2015. The trading price for our ADSs may continue to fluctuate in response to factors including, without limitation, the following:

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regulatory developments in our target markets affecting us, our advertisers or our competitors;

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announcements of studies and reports relating to the quality of our services or those of our competitors;

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changes in the economic performance or market valuations of other companies that provide online automotive advertising services;

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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations and changes or revisions to our expected results;

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changes in financial estimates by securities research analysts;

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conditions in the online automotive advertising industry;

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conditions in the online retail industry;

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announcements by us or our competitors of new solutions, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures or capital commitments;

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additions to or departures of our senior management;

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fluctuations of exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar;

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release or expiry of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding Class A ordinary shares or ADSs;

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sales or perceived potential sales of additional Class A ordinary shares or ADSs; and

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pending or potential litigation or administrative investigation.

In addition, the securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of any particular company. These market fluctuations may also have a material adverse effect on the market price of our ADSs.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for our ADSs and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our ADSs will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If we do not establish and maintain adequate research coverage or if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our ADSs or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for our ADSs would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for our ADSs to decline.

Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of our ADSs for return on your investment.

We currently intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our ADSs as a source of any future dividend income.

Subject to certain exceptions, our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on, among other things, our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements and surplus, the amount of distributions, if any, received by us from our subsidiaries, our financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Accordingly, the return on your investment in our ADSs will likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of our ADSs. There is no guarantee that our ADSs will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which you purchased the ADSs. You may not realize a return on your investment in our ADSs and you may even lose your entire investment in our ADSs.

Substantial future sales or perceived potential sales of our ADSs in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

Sales of our ADSs in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our ADSs to decline. All ADSs sold in our equity offerings will be freely transferable without restriction or additional registration under the Securities Act. In addition, certain holders of our ordinary shares have the right to cause us to register under the Securities Act the sale of their shares. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in ADSs representing these shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act. Sales of these registered shares, in the form of ADSs, in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline. Such sales also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate. In addition, if we pay for our future acquisitions in whole or in part with additionally issued ordinary shares, your ownership interests in our company would be diluted and this, in turn, could have a material and adverse effect on the price of our ADSs.

Our dual-class share structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.

Our ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of Class A and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights, including dividend rights, except for conversion and voting rights. Each Class B ordinary share may be converted into one Class A ordinary share by its holder at any time, while Class A ordinary shares cannot be converted into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote. When the total number of ordinary shares held by Telstra Holdings Pty Limited and/or its affiliates, or the Telstra Shareholder, constitutes no less than 51% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share is entitled to one vote; when the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder, drops below 51% but is no less than 39.3% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share will carry such number of votes that would result in the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder carrying, in the aggregate, 51% of the voting rights represented by all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; when the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder drops below 39.3% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, all Class B ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares. As of February 29, 2016, Telstra beneficially owned 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares, representing 54.6% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares and 54.6% of our aggregate voting rights. This concentrated control will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions that holders of Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.

You may not have the same voting rights as the holders of our Class A ordinary shares and may not receive voting materials in time to be able to exercise your right to vote.

Except as described in this annual report and in the deposit agreement, holders of our ADSs will not be able to exercise voting rights attaching to the Class A ordinary shares represented by our ADSs on an individual basis. Holders of our ADSs will appoint the depositary or its nominee as their representative to exercise the voting rights attaching to the Class A ordinary shares represented by the ADSs. Upon receipt of your voting instructions, the depositary will vote the underlying ordinary shares in accordance with these instructions.

Pursuant to our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we may convene a shareholders’ meeting upon ten calendar days’ notice. If we give timely notice to the depositary under the terms of the deposit agreement (30 business days’ notice), the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to instruct the depositary to vote the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs, and it is possible that you, or persons who hold their ADSs through brokers, dealers or other third parties, will not have the opportunity to exercise a right to vote. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and there may be nothing you can do if the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested. In addition, although you may directly exercise your right to vote by withdrawing the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs, you may not receive sufficient advance notice of an upcoming shareholders’ meeting to withdraw the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs to allow you to vote with respect to any specific matter.

Your right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings, and you may not receive cash dividends if it is illegal or impractical to make them available to you.

We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make rights available to you in the United States unless we register both the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. Under the deposit agreement, the depositary will not make rights available to you unless both the rights and the underlying securities to be distributed to ADS holders are either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective and we may not be able to establish a necessary exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in your holdings.

The depositary of our ADSs has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on Class A ordinary shares or other deposited securities after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of Class A ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, the depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is inequitable or impractical to make a distribution available to any holders of ADSs. For example, the depositary may determine that it is not feasible to distribute certain property through the mail. Additionally, the value of certain distributions may be less than the cost of mailing them. In those cases, the depositary may determine not to distribute such property. We have no obligation to register under U.S. securities laws any ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or other securities received through such distributions. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or anything else to holders of ADSs. This means that you may not receive the distribution we make on our Class A ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you. These restrictions may have a material adverse effect on the value of your ADSs.

You may be subject to limitations on the transfer of your ADSs.

Your ADSs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its transfer books at any time or from time to time when it deems expedient in connection with the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary deems it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other reason in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement.

You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law, we conduct substantially all of our operations in China and substantially all of our directors and officers reside outside the United States.

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands and conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs. Most of our directors and officers reside outside the United States and a substantial portion of the assets of such directors and officers are located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the Cayman Islands or in China in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands and of China may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. There is no statutory recognition in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the Cayman Islands will generally recognize and enforce a non-penal judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, and by the Companies Law and common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against us and our directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, which provides persuasive, but not binding, authority. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States and provides significantly less protection to investors. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in U.S. federal courts.

As a result, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests through actions against us, our management, our directors or our major shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States.

Our memorandum and articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could adversely affect the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs.

Our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain certain provisions that could limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company, including a provision that grants authority to our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preferred shares without action by our shareholders and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series. Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue preferred shares, the price of our ADSs may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may be materially adversely affected. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of the opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over the prevailing market price by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transaction.

We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to U.S. domestic public companies.

Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the United States that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including:

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the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K;

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the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;

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the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and

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the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material nonpublic information under Regulation FD.

We are required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. We intend to publish our results on a quarterly basis as press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the NYSE. Press releases relating to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less frequent compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information, which would be made available to you, were you investing in a United States domestic issuer.

We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company for United States federal income tax purposes, which could subject United States investors in the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares to significant adverse tax consequences.

Under United States federal income tax law, we will be classified as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) for any taxable year if either (i) at least 75% of our gross income for the taxable year is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of the value of our assets (based on the average quarterly value of our assets during the taxable year) is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income (the “asset test”). Although the law in this regard is not entirely clear, we treat our VIEs as being owned by us for United States federal income tax purposes because we control their management decisions and are entitled to substantially all of the economic benefits associated with such entities, and, as a result, we consolidate their results of operations in our consolidated U.S. GAAP financial statements. Assuming we are the owner of our VIEs for U.S. federal income tax purposes and based on our current income and assets, including goodwill and unbooked intangibles, we do not believe that we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2015 and do not anticipate becoming a PFIC in future taxable years.

While we do not believe that we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2015 and do not anticipate becoming a PFIC in the foreseeable future, no assurance can be given in this regard because the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC is a fact-intensive inquiry made on an annual basis that depends, in part, on the composition of our income and assets. Fluctuations in the market price of our ADSs may cause us to become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years because the value of assets for the purpose of the asset test may be determined by reference to the market price of our ADSs from time to time (which may be volatile). The composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets. Under circumstances where our revenue from activities that produce passive income significantly increase relative to our revenue from activities that produce non-passive income, or where we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes, our risk of becoming classified as a PFIC may substantially increase. In addition, because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules, it is possible that the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our classification of certain income and assets as non-passive or our valuation of our tangible and intangible assets, each of which may result in our becoming a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years.

If we were to be or become a PFIC, a U.S. Holder (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—General”) may incur significantly increased United States income tax on gains recognized on the sale or other disposition of the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares and on the receipt of distributions on the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares to the extent such gain or distribution is treated as an “excess distribution” under United States federal income tax rules. Further, if we were a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder held our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, we generally would continue to be treated as a PFIC as to such U.S. Holder for all succeeding years during which such U.S. Holder held our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. Alternatively, U.S. Holders of PFIC shares can sometimes avoid the rules described above by making certain elections, including a “mark-to-market” election or electing to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund.” However, U.S. Holders will not be able to make an election to treat us as a “qualified electing fund” because, even if we were to be or become a PFIC, we do not intend to comply with the requirements necessary to permit U.S. Holders to make such election. Each U.S. Holder is urged to consult its tax advisor concerning the United States federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of ADSs or Class A ordinary shares if we are or become a PFIC. For more information, see “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”

We incur increased costs as a result of being a public company.

We are a public company and expect to incur significant accounting, legal and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including Section 404 therein relating to internal control over financial reporting, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and the NYSE, have detailed requirements concerning corporate governance practices of public companies. We expect these rules and regulations applicable to public companies to increase our accounting, legal and financial compliance costs and to make certain corporate activities more time-consuming and costly. Our management is required to devote substantial time and attention to our public company reporting obligations and other compliance matters. We evaluate and monitor developments with respect to these rules and regulations, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs. Our reporting and other compliance obligations as a public company may place a significant strain on our management, operational and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future.

In the past, shareholders of a public company often brought securities class action suits against the company following periods of instability in the market price of that company’s securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and operations, which could harm our results of operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

A.	History and Development of the Company

Autohome Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands under its former name, Sequel Limited, in June 2008 and adopted its current name in October 2011. Shortly after its inception, in June 2008, Autohome acquired all of the equity interests of the following entities:

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Cheerbright International Holdings Limited, or Cheerbright, a British Virgin Islands company that operates autohome.com.cn, which was launched in 2005;

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Norstar Advertising Media Holdings Limited, or Norstar, a Cayman Islands Company that, among other businesses, operated che168.com, which was launched in 2004; and

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China Topside Limited, or China Topside, a British Virgin Islands company.

Our largest shareholder is Telstra Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation Limited, the leading diversified telecommunications company in Australia and a Fortune Global 500 company.

To sharpen our business focus on the automotive industry, we completed a corporate reorganization in 2011 by spinning off our then subsidiaries that were not involved in our core business. In March 2011, we completed the transfer of the che168.com business from Norstar to Cheerbright. In June 2011, in connection with our strategy to focus on serving the automotive industry in China, we contributed our entire equity interests in Norstar and China Topside, which serve the information technology industry, to Sequel Media, our subsidiary in the Cayman Islands. We then immediately distributed shares of Sequel Media to our shareholders. Since the spin-off, we have focused on serving the automotive industry in China through our autohome.com.cn and che168.com websites.

On March 16, 2012, we established a new wholly owned subsidiary, Autohome HK, in Hong Kong. Autohome HK has no material business operation as of the date of this annual report.

In October 2013, Autohome HK acquired Prbrownies Marketing Limited, a Hong Kong advertising and marketing company, which we renamed Autohome Media Limited, or Autohome Media, in March 2014. Autohome Media has engaged in the advertising business outside the PRC for more than three years, and is therefore qualified to directly invest in a PRC company providing advertising services in accordance with PRC law. Autohome Media has established subsidiaries in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin. We have migrated our advertising business from Guangzhou Advertising, Shanghai Advertising, Beijing Shengtuo Autohome Advertising Co., Ltd., or Autohome Advertising, Beijing Shengtuo Chengshi Advertising Co., Ltd., or Chengshi Advertising, to the subsidiaries of Autohome Media in 2015.

In December 2013, we completed our initial public offering of 8,993,000 ADSs, representing 8,993,000 Class A ordinary shares, and our ADSs were listed on the NYSE under the symbol “ATHM.”

In November 2014, we completed a public offering, or the 2014 Offering, in which we offered and sold 2,424,801 ADSs, and our selling shareholders sold 7,220,858 ADSs, representing 2,424,801 Class A ordinary shares and 7,220,858 Class A ordinary shares, respectively.

In January 2015, we established Beijing Autohome Used Car Appraisal Co., Ltd. in Beijing to conduct used car appraisal business. In May 2015, we established a new wholly owned subsidiary, Beijing Chezhiying Technology Co., Ltd., in Beijing, China. In June 2015, we established Beijing Autohome Used Car Brokerage Co., Ltd. in Beijing, China to conduct used car brokerage business. In December 2015, we established a new wholly owned subsidiary, Beijing Chezhiying Software Co., Ltd. in Beijing, China.

In February 2015, we established Autohome E-commerce Hong Kong Limited and Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited in Hong Kong and in April 2015, we established Autohome Financing Hong Kong Limited in Hong Kong. These three subsidiaries have no business operation as of the date of this annual report.

In June 2015, we established a strategic joint venture with HappiGo Home Shopping Co, a leading TV shopping business in China, to build a full-service auto sales platform. We invested RMB49 million into the joint venture, accounting for 49% of the shareholding.

In September 2015, we established a joint venture, the Financing JV, with Beijing Chehejia Information Technology Co., Ltd and two companies unaffiliated with us. Xiang Li, our director, is the founder of Beijing Chehejia Information Technology Co., Ltd. We invested a full payment of RMB75 million into the Financing JV for a 25% equity interest of the Financing JV. The Financing JV is expected to provide auto financing to car buyers and facilitate the transaction process.

Our principal executive offices are located at 10th Floor Tower B, CEC Plaza, 3 Dan Ling Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, the People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86 (10) 5985 7001. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at the office of Codan Trust Company (Cayman) Limited, Cricket Square, Hutchins Drive, P.O. Box 2681, Grand Cayman KY1-1111, Cayman Islands. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Law Debenture Corporate Services Inc., 400 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10017.

See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Capital Expenditures” for a discussion of our capital expenditures and divestitures.

B.	Business Overview

Overview

We are the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Through our two websites, autohome.com.cn and che168.com, and our mobile applications, we deliver comprehensive, independent and interactive content to automobile buyers and owners. The number of our average daily unique users who access our websites via mobile devices and the number of average daily unique users of our mobile applications amounted to approximately 7.7 million and 6.1 million, respectively, in December 2015. We have developed a strong and well-recognized brand. Our LOGO (“Autohome”) brand has been the most searched automotive-related keyword during substantially the entire period since July 2011 on Baidu.com, the leading Chinese language internet search engine.

Our ability to reach a large and engaged user base of automobile consumers has made us a preferred platform for automakers and automobile dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns. We generate a majority of our revenues from online advertising services and dealer subscription services. We have a high penetration rate in the automaker market, with 75, 85 and 87 automakers operating in China having advertised on our websites in each of 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In addition, a large and rapidly growing number of dealers are purchasing our advertising services and subscription services, through which they showcase and market their inventories on our websites.

We believe our focus on user experience, innovation and high-quality content distinguishes us from our competitors and is the foundation for our long-term success.

Our professionally produced and user generated content, comprehensive automobile library and extensive automobile listing information have attracted a large and engaged user base. This, in turn, represents a highly relevant audience that is receptive to automotive advertising. We believe that this user base, together with our nationwide advertising platform, targeted advertising solutions and value-added services, has led to our rapid growth and has laid the foundation for our continuing success in our core advertising and dealer subscription business.

We develop our business model and technology platforms to provide services for the complete consumer automobile ownership life cycle. We have built an online automotive media and transaction platform that captures critical stages of the sales funnel, starting from product awareness, to purchase desire initiation and sales leads generation. We further developed our transaction business which include direct vehicle sales and commission-based services facilitating transactions through our transaction platform. For instance, in June 2014 we launched Autohome Mall, an online transaction platform that we believe will allow us to be a transaction service provider as we develop our transaction business.

We have experienced significant revenue growth while maintaining profitability. Our net revenues increased from RMB1,216.5 million in 2013 to RMB2,132.9 million in 2014 and RMB3,464.0 million (US$534.7 million) in 2015, representing a CAGR of 68.7%. Our net income increased from RMB456.2 million in 2013 to RMB748.7 million in 2014 and RMB990.6 million (US$152.9 million) in 2015, representing a CAGR of 47.4%.

Our Business Model and Technology Platforms

We are the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Over the past several years, we have developed the largest and most active online community of automobile consumers in China. We serve three distinct groups: our large and engaged user base of our websites and mobile applications, automobile consumers on our transaction platform and customers for our advertising business and subscription business that include automakers, dealers and other auto-related products and service providers. Our business model and technology platforms seek to effectively link each stage of our users’ automobile ownership life cycle with the corresponding stage of our customers’ sales cycle.

We have built an online automotive media and transaction platform that capture critical stages of the sales funnel, starting from product awareness, to purchase desire initiation and to sales leads generation. We are further developing our business model to also include the generation of actual sales. To initiate product awareness and purchase desire, we utilize our comprehensive, independent and interactive content through our websites that are accessible through PCs and mobile devices and on our mobile applications to create strong user traffic and user engagement and stickiness. As our user traffic grows, we focus on generating sales leads through engaging our users with our promotional activities, including our dealer yellow page business which consists of dealer advertising services and dealer subscription services. We also launched several promotional initiatives such as “Group Buy” initiative to leverage our broad user base in our online social community and convert them into higher quality leads for our dealers. Finally we provide a transaction platform for automobile buyers to purchase new vehicles directly from the automakers or used vehicles from sellers on our platform. In June 2014, we launched Autohome Mall, an online transaction platform. Autohome Mall is a one-stop platform for users to review automotive-related information, purchase coupons offered by automakers or dealers for discounts and make purchases to complete the transaction. We developed a used automobile listing platform underlying our dedicated used car website che168.com, which targets the automobile replacement stage by allowing both used automobile dealers and individuals to list their used automobiles on our websites. We have completed or facilitated successful new and used vehicle transactions on our platform through various sales initiatives and other promotional campaigns. In 2014 and 2015, we conducted several online marketing events on Autohome Mall or offline promotion campaigns with our partners, such as the “Group Buy” initiative, “Singles’ Day” and “Double 12” campaigns which generated quality sales leads for our dealer customers or our transaction business. In addition, we have been leveraging our comprehensive platform to capture additional revenue opportunities in connection with the remaining stages of the automobile ownership life cycle.

Our Services for Automobile Consumers

Our service offerings for users mainly include our high performance websites and mobile applications, our professional and user generated content and our interactive online community.

Our Websites

Our user-centric approach has successfully attracted the largest user base of automobile consumers in China to our websites. According to the iResearch Public Data, autohome.com.cn had an average of 8.0 million unique visitors per day in 2015, more than any of our competitors and also maintained a moderate growth rate of 7% compared with 2014. On average, our users spent approximately 16.5 minutes per day on autohome.com.cn, approximately 2.5 times that of our closest competitor. Our users are significantly more affluent, well-educated and active than the general internet users in China. The average monthly personal income of our users was RMB9,313 according to a survey conducted by a third-party research firm in October 2015, or the User Survey, which is higher than the average monthly personal income of general internet users according to the 37th survey report issued by CNNIC in January 2016. Approximately 86% of our users held post-secondary degrees and above, according to the User Survey, compared to 20% for the general internet users in China, according to the 37th survey report issued by the CNNIC in January 2016. The average age of our users was 30 and almost were male, according to the User Survey. Our autohome.com.cn website targets a wide spectrum of automobile consumers with a focus on new automobiles. To capitalize on the growing used automobile market in China, we redesigned our che168.com website, which in the past had features and user base similar to our autohome.com.cn website, to focus on used automobiles. The re-designed che168.com website was launched in October 2011. We have started to conduct our used car business via our che168.com, such as our jiajiahaoche platform.

Most of the content on our websites is tagged by vehicle models to facilitate easy user access. We have developed and are continuing to improve our user intelligence engine to analyze user browsing behavior and prioritize content that the user is likely to find relevant and interesting. A user who searches for or navigates to a page for a specific vehicle model will be provided with links to relevant content such as vehicle specifications, photos and video clips, reviews, competing vehicle models, and listing and promotional information from local dealers. Users can easily compare competing vehicle models and brands for price and specifications to make informed purchase decisions. In addition, these user behavior data are summarized and analyzed on a regular basis to improve user experience and provide consumer intelligence to our advertisers.

To provide a superior experience to our users, we label sponsored content clearly to maintain objectivity. We do not allow our advertisers to have any influence over our content rankings, such as our “Most-Viewed Models,” which are generated solely from data relating to the number of times users navigate to the relevant pages. We do not use distracting pop-up advertisements which may adversely affect user experience.

Our Mobile Website and Applications

Our content can be accessed on our websites through PCs and mobile devices and on our mobile applications. We have made significant efforts in recent years to optimize the mobile version of our websites to display our content and develop new mobile applications to capture a greater number of users that access our services through mobile devices. For example, the numbers of average daily unique users who access our websites via mobile devices amounted to 7.7 million in December 2015. We were among the earliest in our industry in China to introduce both iOS- and Android-based applications to allow users to easily access our content. As of December 31, 2015, we had nine iOS-based applications and eight Android-based applications. Our mobile applications have generated significant user interest. In 2015, our iOS- and Android-based applications were downloaded approximately 84.2 million times, and the number of average daily unique users of our mobile applications amounted to approximately 6.1 million in December 2015. The combined number of average daily unique visitors for our mobile websites and mobile applications in December 2015 grew about 79% year-over-year. Users can conveniently enjoy features available on our websites from their mobile devices, such as reading articles, checking vehicle prices and model parameters, viewing pictures, and participating in forum discussions. In addition, through our location-based services, our users are able to obtain vehicle pricing information directly from their nearby dealers in approximately 330 cities in China.

Our Content

The foundation of our websites and mobile applications is a large amount of professionally produced content, a comprehensive automobile library and extensive automobile listing and promotional information organized around our automotive information database. In addition, our automotive information database includes a significant amount of user generated content originating from our user forums.

Professionally produced content

Our professionally produced content is created by our dedicated editorial team and includes automobile-related articles and reviews, pricing trends in various local markets, and photos and video clips. This content covers topics throughout the automobile ownership life cycle, from automobile research, selection and purchase to ownership and maintenance and to eventual replacement. Our review writers obtain first-hand experiences by test-driving many newly released vehicle models provided by various automakers. Our editorial team at our Beijing headquarters and sales offices located in 78 cities throughout China work closely with automakers, dealers and other industry participants to create automobile related articles. Although automakers may provide us with sample vehicles to test drive, we review all new automobiles independently, based upon our teams’ experience and from our users’ perspective.

We follow well-developed guidelines in creating and publishing professional content with attention to details, such as the angles of photos, image sizes and the time between industry events and the relevant article publication. These practices enable us to streamline our editorial process and quickly and efficiently make national and local content available to our users, while ensuring that we maintain high quality standards and a consistent user experience.

Automobile library

We have one of the most comprehensive automobile libraries within our industry in China with over 22,400 vehicle model configurations and approximately 3.2 million photos as of December 31, 2015. We believe our automobile library covers all passenger vehicle models released in China since 2005. It includes a broad range of specifications covering performance levels, dimensions, powertrains, vehicle bodies, interiors, safety, entertainment systems and other unique features, as well as automakers’ suggested retail prices. The scale of content in our automobile library, which we believe would require significant time, expertise and expense to replicate, makes it a valuable tool for our users in researching both new and used automobiles.

Automobile listings

Our database also includes a large amount of new and used automobile listings and promotional information. With the comprehensive and continuously updated listing information, users can conveniently search for up-to-date information of vehicle models without having to visit each individual dealer at their local showrooms.

User forums and user generated content

Our platform hosts an open and vibrant community of automobile consumers, from first-time buyers to sophisticated automobile enthusiasts. Our user community centers around our discussion forums, which are organized based on vehicle models, cities and regions, and provides users an easy and intuitive way to access various topics of interest. Registered users utilize our discussion forums to share a wide range of automotive experiences such as driving experiences and usage and maintenance tips. Users also frequently provide reviews of automobiles or automotive products and services, post questions and receive answers from fellow forum members. We continued to enhance user engagement and participation in the content generation and delivery process. For example, we expanded our user review platform by allowing users to add or modify their views and insights on a continuous basis.

We strive to ensure the credibility, appeal and usefulness of our forums by identifying verified automobile owners and empowering selected registered users as forum moderators. Our verified automobile owners are registered users whose vehicle ownership has been confirmed through various channels. Our forum moderators are generally active registered users with significant forum post counts whom we have identified as being reputable automobile enthusiasts within our online community.

Our registered users increased by more than 7.2 million in 2015 with 152.0 million additional pieces of user generated content added to our user forums during 2015. As of December 31, 2015, we had over 19.6 million registered users and 749.0 million cumulative posts in our user forums. As our user base has grown and our user engagement and forum activity has increased, our database of user generated content has expanded, which in turn has attracted more users. Furthermore, this feedback effect on our growing user base has also enhanced the effectiveness of our advertisements and therefore the value of our advertising services, allowing us to attract more advertisers and increase revenues from existing advertisers.

Our Advertising Services for Automakers and Automobile Dealers

Leveraging our large and rapidly growing user base and utilizing the user intelligence data we have collected, we provide our advertisers with a broad range of advertising solutions and tools. Our advertisers are comprised primarily of automakers and new automobile dealers. As millions of consumers visit our websites for automotive information, we have become an increasingly important medium for automakers and automobile dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns.

Automakers typically utilize our advertising services for brand promotion, new model releases and sales promotions. We believe we are well-positioned to provide solutions to meet all of these needs. Our large and growing automobile purchase- and ownership-oriented user base provides a broad reach for automakers’ marketing messages. Our automotive content delivery and advertisement management platform allows us to segment our user base in a number of different dimensions, including by users’ geographical location and specific automotive interests, and enables us to place advertisements with targeted audiences likely to be receptive to particular advertising messages.

Leveraging our large user base and extensive forum posting data, we provide automakers with more reliable and timely business insights than traditional customer surveys or other post-sales feedback channels. For instance, we analyze user posts in our forums to evaluate consumer response. In addition, we organize various types of offline national or local events for our automaker and dealer customers through our online marketing campaigns and user forum activities to complement our advertising services and dealer subscription services. For example, we help automakers increase their brand awareness and execute sales promotions by organizing large-scale test driving activities for specific vehicle models in multiple cities across China. Users can conveniently participate and interact with automaker representatives through our forums.

Our Dealer Subscription Services

Our dealer subscription services allow dealers to market their inventory and services through our websites, extending the reach of their physical showrooms to potentially millions of internet users in China and generating sales leads for them. Our dealer subscription services are delivered through our dealership information system on a fixed-fee basis, typically for a period of one year. Through the web-based interface of our dealership information system, dealers can create online showrooms hosted on our websites and upload and manage their automobile inventories, pricing and promotional information. Potential automobile purchasers can interact with our dealer subscribers online or through toll free numbers provided by us to inquire for more detailed information and schedule test drives. Our dealer subscribers can track all the interactions with their customers originating from our websites, analyze the number of sales leads and assess the effectiveness of their marketing activities.

We provide automobile consumers trend analysis services for our automaker and dealer customers that helps them analyze data in specific geographic markets such as consumer purchasing behavior characteristics and their brand strength in comparison to that of their competitors. We believe the consumer intelligence gathered from our large user base reflects the current automotive market trends in China and provides excellent market insight to our automaker and dealer customers. We continue to develop our dealer subscription services and plan to implement additional services in the future, which we believe will allow us to reach additional dealers by enabling us to offer basic and premium subscriptions at different price levels.

We also offer some basic functions of our dealer subscription services to automobile dealers for free. Registered dealers can create their online showrooms and upload inventory and pricing information on our websites. However, their listings have lower priority than those of our dealer subscribers when being displayed in response to users’ inquiries and do not have the user interaction features. We believe that these free services allow more dealers to understand and appreciate the benefits our subscription services may bring to them, which helps us convert them into dealer subscribers.

Our Transaction Business

E-commerce platform for new vehicles

In June 2014, we launched Autohome Mall, an online transaction platform. Autohome Mall is a one-stop platform for users to review automotive-related information, purchase coupons offered by automakers or dealers for discounts and make purchases to complete the transaction. In 2015, we began to provide direct vehicle sales and commission-based services facilitating transactions through our transaction platform. We have completed new vehicle transactions on our platform through various sales initiatives and other promotional campaigns. In 2014 and 2015, we conducted several online marketing events on Autohome Mall and offline promotion campaigns with our partners for our transaction business. We also partnered with automakers to sell customized or exclusive models of selected vehicles on our platform.

Used automobile listing & transactions services

We launched our used automobile listing platform in late 2009. Our used automobile listings services allow used dealers and individuals to market their automobiles for sale on our websites. Our used automobile listing database has been expanding rapidly. We had approximately 4.3 million used automobile listings in our database as of December 31, 2015.

In an effort to capitalize on the used automobile market as it matures, in October 2011, we redesigned our che168.com website as a platform dedicated to used automobiles. The redesigned website features content, listings and interactive functionality similar to our autohome.com.cn website, but focuses primarily on used automobiles. We also developed a mobile application for our used automobile services. Since 2014, we continued to develop and enhance our used automobile sales platform and began to provide advertising services, dealer subscription services and C2C transactions in selected cities.

The used automobile market still remains at a nascent stage of development and the revenue generated from our used automobile listing and transaction services was not significant for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Our Advertisers and Dealer Subscribers

The vast majority of our current end-customers for our advertising business and subscription business are automakers or new dealers. In each of 2013, 2014 and 2015, 75, 85 and 87 automakers in China, which includes independent Chinese automakers, joint ventures between Chinese and international automakers and international automakers that sell their cars made outside of China, purchased online advertisements from us. Our top five advertisers, all of whom were automakers, contributed 15.0%, 9.8% and 11.1% of our total net revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. No single automaker contributed more than 10% of our net revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In addition, a large number of dealers utilize our online advertising services to improve their brand awareness, promote their inventories and generate sales leads. We also offer dealer subscription services to enable dealers to establish and maintain online showrooms of automobiles with pricing and promotional information on autohome.com.cn.

As is customary in China, we sell our advertising services and solutions primarily through third-party advertising agencies that represent the automakers and automobile dealers. Our top ten advertising agencies accounted for 44.0%, 38.7% and 39.2% of our total net revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, our largest agency accounted for 6.7%, 5.9% and 6.9% of our total net revenues, respectively. We typically enter into individual advertising agreements with the third-party advertising agencies. Depending on the type of advertiser and content, the duration of an advertising agreement ranges from one to twelve months, with the majority being one to three months. We typically require payment be made within 90 days after the delivery of our services, but for contracts that last for three months or longer, installment payments are typically required. Our agreements with certain major advertising agencies contain a “most-favored price term” provision, through which we undertake to provide the advertising agencies with the best price we give to any other agencies or advertisers.

Although we sell our advertising services and solutions to third-party advertising agencies, we consider the automakers and automobile dealers, who are the main decision makers as to whether to place advertisements on our websites, to be our end-customers. As a result, our sales efforts focus primarily on automakers and automobile dealers. However, through direct contact between our sales team, advertisers and advertising agencies, we are able to maintain good relationships with existing advertisers and their advertising agencies, which in turn may identify and refer new advertisers to us. See “—Our Advertising Services for Automakers and Automobile Dealers.”

Technology and Product Development

Our technologies and infrastructure are critical to our success. We follow a user-centric strategy for our system architecture and have developed robust and scalable technology platforms with sufficient flexibility to support our rapid growth.

A key component of our user-centric strategy is our user intelligence engine which we have developed and are continually enhancing. Our user intelligence engine allows us to rapidly gather user intelligence by analyzing large amounts of data from many sources throughout our content production system. We can utilize such user intelligence data to personalize user interfaces, associate and understand the relationship of information from different sources and facilitate interactions among users and various elements on our websites. It also helps us recommend suitable products, services and user connections to our users. Through our user intelligence engine, we can engage our users more closely by providing them with relevant content. We are also able to provide precision marketing services to our automakers, dealers and other automotive-related customers so that they can deliver relevant advertisements to targeted users who are more receptive to such marketing information.

We distribute our web content to numerous network nodes close to our users by utilizing the content delivery networks, allowing most of our user communications to bypass internet congestion. With our technological expertise, we manage the content delivery networks to enhance our website responsiveness and improve user experience. As such, we believe our websites have a performance advantage over other automotive websites.

We invested heavily in mobile technologies and were among the earliest in our industry in China to introduce a mobile version of our websites and both Apple iOS- and Android-based applications to allow our users to easily access our content. We have built up a team of 179 research and development personnel as of December 31, 2015, to focus exclusively on the development of our mobile websites and applications and to explore new business models and opportunities through mobile technology. We plan to continue to leverage our mobile technology to develop more applications for Apple iOS and Android platforms focusing on convenience, real-time interaction and location based services.

We had an experienced product development team of 787 engineers as of December 31, 2015. Our past innovation has focused on helping users research, select and purchase suitable vehicles through our websites. We plan to develop additional products and services for our transaction business, mobile applications and media-related technology.

Sales and Marketing

Our nationwide in-house team of sales representatives sells our services to advertisers. As of December 31, 2015, we had 2,044 sales and marketing representatives operating our physical sales office network spanning 79 cities across China and visiting customers in an additional 123 satellite cities, a significant increase from December 31, 2009, when we had physical sales offices in 17 cities. We have a prudent expansion plan and we typically only open new physical sales offices in a city after we have already established a sufficient customer base in the area. In cities where we do not yet have a customer base, we provide sales coverage by telephone. Our Beijing-based telephone sales team provided sales coverage to the cities in which we did not have physical sales offices. Our sales team also provides ongoing customer support to advertisers and dealer subscribers. In the past years, we have successfully expanded our market presence in the first- and second-tier cities in China. We plan to continue to expand our sales and marketing efforts into third- and fourth-tier cities to further capture the opportunities for automobile sales growth in those markets. In 2015, we also established a dedicated sales and marketing team focusing on developing our transaction business.

Our sales team is equipped with specialized automotive industry knowledge and expertise, understands our customers’ needs and is trained to help them develop their advertising strategies. Salespeople work directly with our advertisers and advertising agencies that represent advertisers. Our sales team also maintains close relationships with our dealer customers by, among other things, providing continuing training, support and ongoing customer service for our dealer subscriptions services. Our sales team for transaction business is in charge of customer services and maintains our relationships with automakers, our dealership partners which perform order fulfillments for vehicles sold on our platform, our in-house valuers of used vehicles and business development personnel.

Compensation for our salespeople includes a base salary and incentives based on the sales revenues they generate. We provide regular in-house and external education and training to our salespeople to help them provide current and prospective customers with information on, and the advantages of using, our services. We believe that our performance-linked compensation structure and career-oriented training help to retain and motivate our salespeople.

We believe brand recognition is important to our ability to attract users. We focus our sales and marketing efforts through search engines, navigation websites and mobile platforms to retain and strengthen our leading position in terms of user reach. For example, we cooperate with application stores and mobile browsers to promote our mobile applications and our websites. In July 2014, we entered into an arrangement with Baidu for a period of 12 months to provide automotive-related information, such as model descriptions, pricing information and other useful data for potential vehicle buyers, to enhance the user experience of automotive-related searches on PCs using “Aladdin,” Baidu’s open platform initiative. And we continued our cooperation with Baidu as an exclusive supplier for automotive-related content on PCs powered by “Aladdin” for a six-month period that started from August 25, 2015. We also conduct promotional campaigns on navigation websites from time to time.

Intellectual Property

Our intellectual property includes trademarks and trademark applications related to our brands and services, software copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights and licenses. We seek to protect our intellectual property assets and brands through a combination of trademark, patent, copyright and trade secret protection laws in the PRC and other jurisdictions, as well as through confidentiality agreements and other measures.

We hold LOGO and LOGO (both mean “auto home” in English) and “AUTOHOME®” trademarks in China. In addition, as at December 31, 2015, we held 211 pending trademark applications and 93 registered trademarks in China. As at the same date, we had 45 registered domain names, including our main website domain names, autohome.com.cn and che168.com, 92 pending patent applications, and 19 registered patents.

Competition

We compete with China’s automotive websites, such as xcar.com.cn, pcauto.com.cn and bitauto.com, automotive channels of major internet portals, such as Sina and Sohu, and traditional forms of media such as television and magazines. We compete primarily on the basis of user traffic, user engagement and brand recognition, which drive the acquisition and retention of automakers and automobile dealers as advertisers and their spending on our advertising services. We may also face competition from other websites engaged in the online automobile transaction business, such as bitauto.com and tmall.com, as we develop our transaction platform. We re-designed our che168.com website in October 2011 and converted it into our dedicated used car platform. Our re-designed che168.com website faces competition from other used car websites, such as 51auto.com, taoche.com, youxinpai.com, guazi.com and renrenche.com. Competition will be centered on factors similar to those affecting our current automotive advertising and dealer subscription services, primarily centered on increasing user reach, user engagement and brand recognition, relationships with the suppliers, and attracting and retaining advertisers or customers, among other factors. For our transaction business, as online automobile transaction is a relatively new business model and consumers in China might be accustomed to make automobile purchases with traditional dealerships, we cannot guarantee that the automobile consumers in China will accept such business model. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We face significant competition, and if we fail to compete effectively, we may lose market share and our business, prospects and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.”

Seasonality

Seasonal fluctuations have affected, and are likely to continue to affect, our business. We generally generate less revenue from advertising services and dealer subscription services in the first quarter of each year due to the Chinese New Year holidays and reduced customer activities during this period. Our advertising services typically increase in the second quarter as automakers increase marketing activities in connection with China’s major auto shows, and in the fourth quarter as advertisers seek to complete year-end marketing campaigns. Our cost of revenues, sales and marketing expenses and general and administrative expenses tend to follow the trend of our business growth. See also “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Our business is subject to fluctuations, which makes our results of operations difficult to predict and may cause our quarterly results of operations to fall short of expectations.” Our transaction business has not experienced similar trends due to its limited operating history and rapid growth but seasonality may increase in the future.

Our cost of revenues, sales and marketing expenses and general and administrative expenses tend to follow the trend of our business growth. See also “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Our business is subject to fluctuations, which makes our results of operations difficult to predict and may cause our quarterly results of operations to fall short of expectations.”

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may be subject to various claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of our business. There are currently no legal proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Disclosure of Iran-related Activities under Section 13(r) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Section 219 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 added Section 13(r) to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Section 13(r) requires an issuer to disclose in its annual or quarterly reports, as applicable, whether it or any of its affiliates knowingly engaged in certain activities, transactions or dealings relating to Iran or with designated natural persons or entities involved in terrorism or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Disclosure is required even where the activities, transactions or dealings are conducted outside the United States by non-U.S. affiliates in compliance with applicable law, whether or not the activities are sanctionable under U.S. law.

As of the date of this report, we are not aware of any activity, transaction or dealing by us or any of our affiliates for the year ended December 31, 2015 that requires disclosure in this report under Section 13(r) of the Exchange Act, except as set forth below with respect to our affiliate, Telstra Corporation Limited, or Telstra.

Telstra has informed us that it is party to roaming, interconnection and wholesale voice agreements with the following telecommunication providers in Iran, some of which may be government-controlled entities: Mobile Company of Iran, Rafsanjan Industrial Complex Islamic Cooperative Company (also known as Taliya) and Telecommunication Infrastructure Company of Iran. These agreements provide Telstra’s customers with service in areas where Telstra does not own networks and our counterparties’ customers with service on Telstra’s networks. As Telstra’s fiscal year ends on June 30, Telstra does not normally prepare gross revenue or net profit on the basis of a year ended on December 31. Further, Telstra does not allocate costs on an agreement-by-agreement or country-by-country basis and therefore does not normally calculate a profit measure on such bases. However, for the year ended December 31, 2015, it is estimated that gross revenues generated by roaming, interconnection and wholesale voice agreements with Iranian entities were A$45,266 (US$32,981) and gross expenses were A$879,120 (US$640,527), in this connection. In addition, Telstra provides telecommunications services in the ordinary course of business to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Australia. Gross revenues and net profits generated by these services are estimated to be less than A$40,000 (US$29,144) for the year ended December 31, 2015.

We understand that Telstra intends to continue these activities.

The financial data in this section has been translated from Australian dollars into U.S. dollars using the noon buying rate for December 31, 2015 of AUD$1.00=US$0.7286.

PRC Regulation

This section summarizes the principal PRC laws and regulations relevant to our business and operations.

Regulations on Value-Added Telecommunications Services

On September 25, 2000, the State Council promulgated the Telecommunications Regulations, or the Telecom Regulations, which draw a distinction between “basic telecommunication services” and “value-added telecommunication services.” The Telecommunications Regulations were subsequently revised on July 29, 2014. On 25 December 2015, the MIIT published the Classification Catalogue of Telecommunications Services (the 2015 Catalogue), which will take effect on March 1, 2016. The first catalogue was published in September 2000 and was subsequently amended in 2001 and 2003, respectively. Under the 2015 Catalogue, “value-added telecommunication services” was further classified into two sub-categories and 10 items. Internet content provision services, or ICP services, is under the second subcategory of value-added telecommunications businesses. Under the Telecom Regulations, commercial operators of value-added telecommunications services must first obtain an operating license from the MIIT or its provincial level counterparts.

On September 25, 2000, the State Council issued the Administrative Measures on Internet Information Services, or the Internet Measures. The measures were subsequently revised on January 8, 2011. According to the Internet Measures, commercial ICP service operators must obtain an ICP license from the relevant government authorities before engaging in any commercial ICP operations within the PRC.

On March 1, 2009, the MIIT promulgated the Administrative Measures on Telecommunications Business Operating License, or the Telecom License Measures, which took effect on April 10, 2009. The Telecom License Measures set forth the types of licenses required to operate value-added telecommunications services and the qualifications and procedures for obtaining such licenses. For example, an ICP operator providing value-added services in multiple provinces is required to obtain an inter-regional license, whereas an ICP operator providing the same services in one province is required to obtain a local license.

To comply with these PRC laws and regulations, both of our ICP operators, Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan, hold ICP licenses. Autohome Information also holds a value-added telecommunications business operation license for provision of mobile network information services.

Restrictions on Foreign Ownership in Value-Added Telecommunications Services

According to the Provisions on Administration of Foreign Invested Telecommunications Enterprises, or the FITE Provisions, promulgated by the State Council on December 11, 2001 and amended on September 10, 2008, the ultimate foreign equity ownership in a value-added telecommunications service provider must not exceed 50%. Moreover, for a foreign investor to acquire any equity interest in a value-added telecommunication business in China, it must demonstrate a good track record and experience in operating value-added telecommunications services. Foreign investors that meet these requirements must obtain approvals from the MIIT and the Ministry of Commerce or its authorized local branches, and the relevant approval application process usually takes six to nine months.

On July 13, 2006, the MIIT issued the Notice of the MIIT on Intensifying the Administration of Foreign Investment in Value-added Telecommunications Services. This notice prohibits domestic telecommunication service providers from leasing, transferring or selling telecommunications business operating licenses to any foreign investor in any form, or providing any resources, sites or facilities to any foreign investor for their illegal operation of a telecommunications business in China. According to this notice, either the holder of a value-added telecommunication business operating license or its shareholders must legally own the domain names and trademarks used by such license holders in their provision of value-added telecommunication services. The notice further requires each license holder to have the necessary facilities, including servers, for its approved business operations and to maintain such facilities in the regions covered by its license. In addition, all value-added telecommunication service providers are required to maintain network and internet security in accordance with the standards set forth in relevant PRC regulations. If a license holder fails to comply with the requirements in the notice and cure such non-compliance, the MIIT or its local counterparts have the discretion to take measures against such license holders, including revoking their valued-added telecommunication business operating licenses.

To comply with these PRC regulations, we operate our websites through our VIEs, Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan. Autohome Information is currently 68% owned by Xiang Li, 24% owned by Zheng Fan and 8% owned by James Zhi Qin, all of whom are PRC citizens. Shengtuo Hongyuan is currently 50% owned by James Zhi Qin and 50% owned by Zheng Fan, all of whom are PRC citizens. Both Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan hold ICP licenses.

Regulations on Internet Content Services

The National People’s Congress has enacted laws with respect to maintaining the security of internet operation and internet content. According to these laws, as well as the Internet Measures, violators may be subject to penalties, including criminal sanctions, for internet content that:

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opposes the fundamental principles stated in the PRC constitution;

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compromises national security, divulges state secrets, subverts state power or damages national unity;

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harms the dignity or interests of the state;

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incites ethnic hatred or racial discrimination or damages inter-ethnic unity;

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undermines the PRC’s religious policy or propagates heretical teachings or feudal superstitions;

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disseminates rumors, disturbs social order or disrupts social stability;

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disseminates obscenity or pornography, encourages gambling, violence, murder or fear or incites the commission of a crime;

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insults or slanders a third party or infringes upon the lawful rights and interests of a third party; or

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is otherwise prohibited by law or administrative regulations.

On February 4, 2015, the China Internet Network Information Center promulgated the Administrative Provisions on Account Names of Internet Users, or the Account Names Provisions, which became effective as of March 1, 2015. The Account Name Provisions require all users of internet information service providers to authenticate their real identity information for registration of accounts and to commit to complying with the “seven basic requirements,” including observing the laws and regulations, upholding the socialist regime, protecting state interests and, among other requirements, ensuring the authenticity of any information they provide. Relevant internet information service providers are responsible for the protection of users’ privacy, consistency of user information, such as account names, avatars, the requirements contemplated in the Account Names Provisions, making reports to the competent authorities regarding any violation of the Account Names Provisions, and taking appropriate measures to stop any such violations, such as notifying the user to make corrections within a specified time and suspending or closing accounts in the event of continuing non-compliance.

ICP operators are required to monitor their websites. They may not post or disseminate any content that falls within these prohibited categories and must remove any such content from their websites. The PRC government may shut down the websites of ICP license holders that violate any of the above-mentioned content restrictions, order them to suspend their operations, or revoke their ICP licenses. These laws and regulations apply to the websites we operate through our VIEs.

Regulations on Internet Privacy

In recent years, PRC government authorities have enacted legislation on internet use to protect personal information from any unauthorized disclosure. The PRC law does not prohibit ICP operators from collecting and using personal information from their users with the users’ consent. However, the Internet Measures prohibit an ICP operator from insulting or slandering a third party or infringing the lawful rights and interests of a third party. The regulations further authorize the relevant telecommunications authorities to order ICP operators to rectify unauthorized disclosure. ICP operators are subject to legal liability if the unauthorized disclosure results in damages or losses to users. The PRC government, however, has the power and authority to order ICP operators to turn over personal information if an internet user posts any prohibited content or engages in illegal activities on the internet. On December 29, 2011, the MIIT promulgated the Several Provisions on Regulating the Market Order of Internet Information Services, effective as of March 15, 2012. It stipulates that ICP operators may not, without a user’s consent, collect the user’s information that can be used alone or in combination with other information to identify the user and may not provide any such information to third parties without the user’s prior consent. ICP operators may only collect users’ personal information that is necessary to provide their services and must expressly inform the users of the method, content and purpose of the collection and use of such personal information. In addition, an ICP operator may only use users’ personal information for the stated purposes under the ICP operator’s scope of service. ICP operators are also required to ensure the proper security of users’ personal information, and take immediate remedial measures if users’ personal information is suspected to have been inappropriately disclosed. If the consequences of any such disclosure are expected to be serious, ICP operators must immediately report the incident to the telecommunications regulatory authority and cooperate with the authorities in their investigations.

On December 28, 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the PRC issued the Decision on Strengthening the Protection of Online Information. Most requirements under this decision relevant to ICP operators are consistent with the requirements already established under the MIIT provisions discussed above, but are often stricter and broader. Under this decision, ICP operators are required to take such technical and other measures necessary to safeguard information against inappropriate disclosure. To further implement this decision and relevant rules, MIIT issued the Regulation of Protection of Telecommunication and Internet User Information on July 16, 2013, which became effective on September 1, 2013.

To comply with these laws and regulations, we require our users to accept a user terms of service whereby they agree to provide certain personal information to us, and have established information security systems to protect users’ privacy.

Regulations on Advertisements

The PRC government regulates advertising, including online advertising, principally through the SAIC, although there is no PRC law or regulation at the national level that specifically regulates the online advertising business. Prior to November 30, 2004, in order to conduct any advertising business, an enterprise was required to hold an operating license for advertising in addition to a relevant business license. On November 30, 2004, the SAIC issued the Administrative Rules for Advertising Operation Licenses, effective as of January 1, 2005, granting a general exemption to this requirement for most enterprises (other than radio stations, television stations, newspapers and magazines, non-corporate entities and entities specified in other regulations). Because our subsidiaries and VIEs which engage in advertising businesses qualify for the exemption noted above, they are not required to hold an advertising operation license.

Before we acquired Autohome Media (formerly known as Prbrownies Marketing Limited) in October 2013, we conducted our advertising business through two subsidiaries of Autohome Information, namely Autohome Advertising and Chengshi Advertising, Shanghai Advertising and Guangzhou Advertising due to the previous restrictions on foreign investors holding direct equity interests in PRC advertising companies. In October 2013, Autohome HK acquired Autohome Media, a Hong Kong advertising and marketing company. Autohome Media has established subsidiaries in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin. We have migrated our advertising business from Autohome Advertising, Chengshi Advertising, Shanghai Advertising and Guangzhou Advertising, to the subsidiaries of Autohome Media in 2015.

Advertisers, advertising operators and advertising distributors are required by PRC advertising laws and regulations to ensure that the content of the advertisements they produce or distribute are true and in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In addition, where a special government review is required for certain categories of advertisements before publishing, the advertisers, advertising operators and advertising distributors are obligated to confirm that such review has been duly performed and that the relevant approval has been obtained. Violation of these regulations may result in penalties, including fines, confiscation of advertising income, orders to cease dissemination of the advertisements and orders to publish an advertisement correcting the misleading information. In circumstances involving serious violations, the SAIC or its local branches may order the violator to terminate its advertising operation or even revoke its business license. Furthermore, advertisers, advertising operators or advertising distributors may be subject to civil liabilities if they infringe on the legal rights and interests of third parties.

On April 24, 2015 the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress issued the PRC Advertising Law or the Advertising Law, which came into effect on September 1, 2015. The Advertising Law applies to all advertising activities conducted via the internet. The Advertising Law requires that users must be able to close online pop-up ads with one click. Moreover, internet service providers are obligated to cease publishing any advertisements that they know or should know are illegal. Violation of these regulations may result in penalties, including fines, confiscation of the advertising incomes, termination of advertising operations and even suspension of the provider’s business license.

To comply with these laws and regulations, we include clauses in our advertising contracts requiring that all advertising content provided by advertisers must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Prior to website posting, our staff reviews advertising materials to ensure there is no violent, pornographic or any other improper content, and will request the advertiser to provide government approval if the advertisement is subject to special government review.

Regulations on Broadcasting Audio/Video Programs through the Internet

On July 6, 2004, the SARFT promulgated the Rules for the Administration of Broadcasting of Audio/Video Programs through the Internet and Other Information Networks, or the A/V Broadcasting Rules. The A/V Broadcasting Rules apply to the launch, broadcasting, aggregation, transmission or download of audio/video programs via televisions, mobile phones and the internet and other information networks. Anyone who wishes to engage in internet broadcasting activities must first obtain an audio/video program transmission license issued by the SARFT and operate pursuant to the scope as provided in such license. Foreign invested enterprises are not allowed to engage in the above business.

On April 13, 2005, the State Council announced Several Decisions on Investment by Non-state-owned Companies in Culture-related Business in China. These decisions encourage and support non-state-owned companies to enter certain culture-related business in China, subject to restrictions and prohibitions for investment in audio/video broadcasting, website news and certain other businesses by non-state-owned companies. These decisions authorize the SARFT, the Ministry of Culture and the General Administration of Press and Publication to adopt detailed implementation rules according to these decisions.

On December 20, 2007, the SARFT and the MIIT jointly issued the Rules for the Administration of Internet Audio and Video Program Services, commonly known as Circular 56, which came into effect as of January 31, 2008. Circular 56 reiterates the requirement set forth in the A/V Broadcasting Rules that online audio/video service providers must obtain an “internet audio/video program transmission license” from the SARFT. Furthermore, Circular 56 requires all online audio/video service providers to be either wholly state-owned or state-controlled companies. According to relevant official answers to press questions published on the SARFT’s website dated February 3, 2008, officials from the SARFT and the MIIT clarified that online audio/video service providers that already had been operating lawfully prior to the issuance of Circular 56 may re-register and continue to operate without becoming state-owned or controlled, provided that such providers have not engaged in any unlawful activities. This exemption will not be granted to online audio/video service providers established after Circular 56 was issued. These policies have been reflected in the Application Procedure for Audio/Video Program Transmission License. Failure to obtain the internet audio/video program transmission license may subject an online audio/video service provider to various penalties, including fines of up to RMB30,000, seizure of related equipment and servers used primarily for such activities and even suspension of its online audio/video services.

To comply with these laws and regulations, Autohome Information obtained an internet audio/video program transmission license on February 9, 2010, for automotive-industry-information-related audio/video programs posted on our autohome.com.cn website.

Regulations on Producing Audio/Video Programs

On July 19, 2004, the SARFT promulgated the Administrative Measures on the Production and Operation of Radio and Television Programs, effective as of August 20, 2004. These Measures provide that anyone who wishes to produce or operate radio or television programs must first obtain an operating permit. Applicants for this permit must meet several criteria, including having a minimum registered capital of RMB3.0 million. Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan hold operating licenses for the production and dissemination of radio and television programs for special topic programs, cartoons and television variety shows.

Regulations on Internet Mapping Services

According to the amended Administrative Rules of Surveying Qualification Certificates and the amended Standards for Internet Map Services issued by the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation, or NASMG, in July 2014, the provision of internet mapping services by any non-surveying and mapping enterprise is subject to the approval of the NASMG and requires a surveying and mapping qualification certificate. According to these rules, certain conditions and requirements, such as the number of technical personnel and map security verification personnel, security facilities and approval from relevant provincial or national government on the service provider’s security system, qualification management and filings management, are necessary for an enterprise applying for a Surveying and Mapping Qualification Certificate. Pursuant to the Notice on Further Strengthening the Administration of Internet Map Services Qualification issued by the NASMG in December 2011, any entity that has not yet applied for a surveying qualification certificate for internet mapping services is prohibited from providing any internet mapping services.

On November 26, 2015, the State Council enacted the Administrative Regulations on Maps, or the Maps Regulations, effective as of January 1, 2016. The Maps Regulations requires entities engaging in internet mapping services, such as geographic positioning, the uploading of geographic information or markings, and the development of a public map database, to obtain a relevant qualification certificate for surveying and mapping. The Maps Regulations require entities engaging in online map services to use mapping data approved by the relevant governmental authorities, host servers storing map data within the PRC, and establish a management system as well as protection measures for the data security of the online maps. The mapping data must not contain any content prohibited by the Maps Regulations, and no entities or individuals are allowed to upload or mark such prohibited content online. Further, entities engaging in internet mapping services shall keep confidential any information involving state secrets and trade secrets acquired during their work.

We have provided maps on our websites for the convenience of our users to locate certain services providers. Both Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan hold the Surveying and Mapping Qualification Certificate for internet mapping.

Regulations on Online Cultural Services

On February 17, 2011, the Ministry of Culture promulgated the Internet Culture Administration Tentative Measures, or the Internet Culture Measures, which became effective on April 1, 2011 and replaced the original measures promulgated in 2003 and amended in 2004. The Internet Culture Measures require ICP operators engaged in “internet culture activities” to obtain an internet cultural operating license from the provincial administration of culture. The term “internet culture activities” includes, among other things, online dissemination of internet cultural products (such as audio-video products, gaming products, performances of plays or programs, works of art and cartoons) and the production, reproduction, importation, publication and broadcasting of internet cultural products.

Autohome Information has applied for and obtained an internet culture operating license in January 2013.

Regulations on Internet Publishing

The Administrative Provisions on Online Publishing Services, or the Online Publishing Provisions, was jointly issued by the MIIT and the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television in 2016, and came into effect on March 10, 2016. The Online Publishing Provisions define “online publishing services” as providing online publications to the public through information networks. Any online publishing services provided in the territory of the PRC are subject to these provisions. The Online Publishing Provisions requires any internet publishing services provider to obtain an online publishing service license to engage in online publishing services. Under the Online Publishing Provisions, online publications refers to digital works which have publishing features such as digital work that have been edited, produced or processed and which are made available to the public through information networks, including written works, pictures, maps, games, cartoons, audio/video reading materials and other methods. Any online game shall obtain approval from SAPPRFT before it is launched online. Furthermore, Sino-foreign equity joint ventures, Sino-foreign cooperative joint ventures and wholly foreign-owned enterprises cannot engage in providing web publishing services.

Based on a consultation we had with the local press and publication administration authority, we believe we are not required to obtain the internet publishing license as the activities we engage in on our websites do not constitute “internet publishing activities,” as such term is used in the Online Publishing Provisions. We are also not aware of companies with an operation similar to ours that have obtained or been required to obtain the internet publishing license. As a result, both Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan have not applied for such internet publishing approval. However, in the event that our activities are deemed to be “internet publishing,” we may be required to obtain approval from GAPP. If we are deemed to be in breach of relevant internet publishing regulations, the PRC regulatory authorities may seize the related equipment and servers used primarily for such activities and confiscate any revenues generated from such activities. In addition, relevant PRC authorities may also impose a fine of five to ten times of any revenues exceeding RMB10,000 or a fine of not more than RMB50,000 if such related revenues are below RMB10,000.

Regulations on Internet News Information Service

In September 2005, the State Council Information Office, or SIIO, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology jointly issued the Provisions for the Administration of Internet News Information Services, or Internet News Provision. Internet news information services shall include the publishing of news via the internet, provision of electronic bulletin services on current and political events and transmission of information on current and political events to the public. Under the Internet News Provision, internet news service providers shall also include entities that are not established by the press but reproduce internet news from other sources, provide electronic bulletin services on current and political events, and transmit such information to the public. The Information Office of the State Council shall be in charge of the supervision and administration of the internet news information services throughout China. The counterparts of the Information Office of the State Council at the provincial level shall take charge of the supervision and administration of the internet news information services within their own jurisdiction. The SIIO circulated a revised draft of the Administrative Regulations for Internet News Information Services to solicit public comments on 11 January 2016.

If we release information that may be deemed by authorities as internet news, we may be required to obtain the internet news information service license. However, we have consulted the relevant government authorities and have been informed that we would not be required to obtain the internet news releasing license because the internet news posted on our website is only automotive industry related news which is not political in nature or related to macroeconomics. However, if any of the internet news posted on our website is deemed by the government to be political in nature, related to macroeconomics, or otherwise requires such license based on the sole discretion of the government authority, we would need to apply for such license. If we are deemed to be in breach of the Internet News Provision or other relevant internet news releasing regulations, the PRC regulatory authorities may suspend our information release activities and impose a fine exceeding RMB10,000 but not more than RMB30,000. In serious cases, the PRC regulatory authorities may even suspend the internet service or internet access.

Regulations on E-commerce

China’s e-commerce industry is at an early stage of development and there are few PRC laws or regulations specifically regulating the e-commerce industry. In January 2014, the SAIC promulgated the Administrative Measures for Online Trading, which strengthen the protection of consumers and impose stringent requirements and obligations on online business operators and third-party online marketplace operators. Online business operators and third-party online marketplace operators are prohibited from collecting any information on consumers and business operators or disclosing, selling or providing any such information to any third party, or sending commercial electronic messages to consumers without their consent. Fictitious transactions, deletion of adverse comments and technical attacks on competitors’ websites are prohibited as well. In addition, third-party online marketplace operators are required to examine and verify the identifications of the online business operators and set up and retain relevant records for at least two years. Moreover, any third-party online marketplace operator that simultaneously engages in online trading for products and services should clearly distinguish itself from other online business operators on the marketplace platform. We are subject to these measures as a result of our online platform services.

Foreign investors were not allowed to own more than 50% of the equity interests in e-commerce companies which is a subcategory of value-added telecommunication services, and any such foreign investor must have experience in providing value-added telecommunications services overseas and maintain a good track record, except for foreign investors in China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, subject to certain conditions. The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries in March 2015, or the Catalogue, which further relaxes market access through regulatory reforms such as allowing foreign investors to have complete ownership of equity interests in e-commerce businesses. The Catalogue took effect on April 10, 2015.

Currently, we primarily engage in the E-commerce business of automobiles through Autohome (Tianjin) Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

Regulations on Foreign Investment in the Leasing Industry

On October 28, 2015, the Ministry of Commerce enacted the Measures for the Administration of Foreign Investment in the Leasing Industry, or the Foreign Investment in the Leasing Industry Measures, effective as of October 25, 2018. Under the Measures, foreign invested enterprises in the form of Sino-foreign equity joint ventures, Sino-foreign cooperative joint ventures and wholly foreign-owned enterprises in the PRC are allowed to engage in the leasing business or financial leasing business as well as to carry out relevant business activities upon the approval of the Ministry of Commerce. Foreign-invested financial leasing companies may conduct the following businesses: (i) financial leasing business; (ii) leasing business; (iii) purchase of leased property inside and outside of PRC; (iv) maintenance of assets underlying the leases and disposal of the residual value of assets underlying the leases; (v) lease transaction consultancy and security services; and (vi) other businesses approved by the Ministry of Commerce. The leased objects include transportation equipment, such as airplanes, automobiles, ships and other personal properties.

Currently, the Financing JV primarily engages in the financial leasing business of automobiles.

Regulations on Used Automobile Trading

On August 29, 2005, SAT, SAIC, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Public Security jointly promulgated the Measures for the Administration of the Trading of Used Automobiles, or the Used Automobile Trading Measures, which became effective on October 1, 2005. Pursuant to the Used Automobile Trading Measures, only an enterprise legal person duly registered with the SAIC or its local branches may engage in used automobile trading, either as an operator of used automobiles markets, as a retailer, or as a brokerage entity. Furthermore, for a foreign invested enterprise to engage in the trading of used automobiles, it shall first obtain approval from the Ministry of Commerce and be in compliance with the requirements on the Measures for the Administration of Foreign Investment in the Commercial Sector, or the FICE Measures, which was promulgated by MOFCOM on 16 April, 2004 and revised on 28 October, 2015.

Under the Used Automobile Trading Measures, a seller of used automobiles must verify certain background information regarding to the automobiles for sale, including verification of the identity certificate of the previous owner, the number plate of the automobile, the motor vehicle registration certificate, driver’s license of the previous owner, proof that the automobile has passed the security technical examination, automobile insurance, and payment certificate of relevant taxes and fees. Used automobile retailers shall also provide quality guarantees as well as after-sale services, information about which shall be clearly indicated at its business location. Furthermore, under certain circumstances, used automobiles are prohibited from being resold, including instances where an automobile has been discarded as unusable, been required to be discarded, or been obtained by illegal means, such as through theft, robbery or fraud.

On March 24, 2006, the Ministry of Commerce promulgated the Specifications for Used Automobile Trade, which provided detailed requirements as to the responsibilities of used automobiles trading entity regarding the trading of used automobiles, including the confirmation of the identity of the seller and the legitimacy of the used automobiles, signing contract for used automobile trading, establishing transaction archives and keeping records for at least three years.

Currently, we primarily engage in the used automobile trading through Beijing Shengtuo Hongyuan Information Technology Co., Ltd.

Regulations on Automobile Sales

On February 21, 2005, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, or the NDRC, and the SAIC jointly promulgated the Implementation Measures for the Administration of Sales of Branded Automobile, or the Branded Automobile Sales Measures, which took effect on April 1, 2005. The Branded Automobile Sales Measures provide for a dealership arrangement under which one general distributor is in charge of the entire sales and after-sales service chain. According to the Branded Automobile Sales Measures, the plan for the distribution and after-sales service network for each single brand of automobile shall in general be formulated and implemented by one single enterprise in the PRC, i.e., either the automakers in the PRC itself or an authorized general distributor.

To address increasing monopoly concerns in the Chinese automotive industry, on July 31, 2013, SAIC promulgated the Announcement on Stopping Recordal of Automobile General Distributors and Authorized Branded Automobile Dealers, or the Stopping Recordal Announcement. Starting from August 20, 2014, the SAIC no longer accepts any filing for recordal of authorized dealers of branded automobiles, including general distributors, and the implementation of the recordal system of general distributor and dealers for branded automobiles has ceased. For any new general distributors or authorized dealers, their business scope will be stated as “sales of automobiles” without mentioning the brand of the automobiles for sale. For the existing ones, they may also apply to changing their business scope from “sales of brand named automobiles” to “sales of automobiles”. The Stopping Recordal Announcement also emphasizes that the SAIC will strengthen its administration and supervision of the operational activities in the automobile industry, protect the lawful rights of consumers and maintain a market with fair competition.

On January 7, 2016, the Ministry of Commerce publicized the draft of Measures on the Administrations of Sales of Automobile, or the Measures on Sales of Automobile, for public consultation. The Measures on Sales of Automobile proposed changes to the provisions on dealership arrangement under the Branded Automobile Sales Measures. Once the Measures on Sales of Automobile is promulgated by the Ministry of Commerce, it will replace the Branded Automobile Sales Measures.

Currently, we primarily engage in the automobile sales through Autohome (Tianjin) Automobile Sales Co., Ltd.

Regulations on Intellectual Property Rights

China has adopted legislation governing intellectual property rights, including trademarks, patents and copyrights. China is a signatory to the major international conventions on intellectual property rights and became a member of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights upon its accession to the World Trade Organization in December 2001.

Patent. The National People’s Congress adopted the Patent Law in 1984, and amended it in 1992, 2000 and 2008. The purpose of the Patent Law is to protect lawful interests of patent holders, encourage invention, foster applications of inventions, enhance innovative capabilities and promote the development of science and technology. To be patentable, invention or utility models must meet three conditions: novelty, inventiveness and practical applicability. Patents cannot be granted for scientific discoveries, rules and methods for intellectual activities, methods used to diagnose or treat diseases, animal and plant breeds, substances obtained by means of nuclear transformation or a design which has major marking effect on the patterns or colors of graphic print products or a combination of both patterns and colors. The Patent Office under the State Intellectual Property Office is responsible for receiving, examining and approving patent applications. A patent is valid for a term of twenty years in the case of an invention and a term of ten years in the case of utility models and designs. A third-party user must obtain consent or a proper license from the patent owner to use the patent. Otherwise, the use constitutes an infringement of patent rights. We had 92 pending patent applications and 19 registered patents as of December 31, 2015.

Copyright. The National People’s Congress adopted the Copyright Law in 1990 and amended it in 2001 and 2010, respectively. The amended Copyright Law extends copyright protection to internet activities, products disseminated over the internet and software products. In addition, there is a voluntary registration system administered by the China Copyright Protection Center. The amended Copyright Law also requires registration of a copyright pledge.

To address the problem of copyright infringement related to the content posted or transmitted over the internet, the National Copyright Administration and the MIIT jointly promulgated the Measures for Administrative Protection of Internet Copyright on April 29, 2005. This measure became effective on May 30, 2005.

On October 27, 2000, the MIIT issued the Administrative Measures on Software Products, or the Software Measures, to strengthen the regulation of software products and to encourage the development of the PRC software industry. On March 5, 2009, the MIIT issued amended Software Measures, which became effective on April 10, 2009. The Software Measures provide a registration and filing system with respect to software products made in or imported into China. These software products may be registered with the competent local authorities in charge of software industry administration. Registered software products may enjoy preferential treatment status granted by relevant software industry regulations. Software products can be registered for five years, and the registration is renewable upon expiration.

In order to further implement the Computer Software Protection Regulations promulgated by the State Council on December 20, 2001, as amended in 2013, the National Copyright Administration of the PRC issued Computer Software Copyright Registration Procedures on February 20, 2002, which apply to software copyright registration, license contract registration and transfer contract registration.

In compliance with, and in order to take advantage of, the above rules, we have registered 129 computer software copyrights as of December 31, 2015.

On May 18, 2006, the State Council promulgated the Protection of the Right of Communication through Information Networks, which became effective on July 1, 2006, as amended in 2013. Under this regulation, with respect to any information storage space, search or link services provided by an internet service provider, if the legitimate rights owner believes that the works, performance or audio or video recordings pertaining to that service infringe his or her rights of communication, the rights owner may give the internet service provider a written notice containing the relevant information along with preliminary documents supporting that an infringement has occurred, and requesting that the internet service provider delete, or disconnect the links to, such works or recordings. The rights owner will be responsible for the truthfulness of the content of the notice. Upon receipt of the notice, the internet service provider must delete or disconnect the links to the infringing content immediately and forward the notice to the user that provided the infringing works or recordings. If the user believes that the subject works or recordings have not infringed upon others’ rights, the user may submit to the internet service provider a written explanation with preliminary documents supporting non-infringement, and a request for the restoration of the deleted works or recordings. The internet service provider should then immediately restore the deleted or disconnected content and forward the user’s written statement to the rights owner.

On December 26, 2009, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress adopted the Torts Liability Law, which became effective on July 1, 2010. Under this Torts Liability Law, both internet users and internet service providers may be liable for the wrongful acts of users who infringe the lawful rights of other parties. If an internet user utilizes internet services to commit a tortious act, the party whose rights are infringed may request the internet service provider to take measures, such as removing or blocking the content, or disabling the links thereto. Failure to take necessary measures after receiving such notice will subject the internet service providers to joint liability for any further damages suffered by the rights holder. Furthermore, if an internet service provider fails to take necessary measures when it knows that an internet user utilizes its internet services to infringe the lawful rights and interests of other parties, it will be held jointly liable with the internet user for damages resulting from the infringement.

According to an interpretation by PRC Supreme People’s Court, which took effect on January 1, 2013, internet service providers will be held jointly liable if they continue their infringing activities or do not remove infringing content from their websites once they know of the infringement or receive notice from the rights holder. If an internet service provider economically benefits from the works, performances, and sound or visual recordings provided by network users, it must pay close attention to infringement of network information transmission rights by network users.

Trademark. The PRC Trademark Law, adopted in 1982 and amended in 1993, 2001 and 2013, protects registered trademarks. The Trademark Office under the SAIC handles trademark registrations and grants a term of ten years for registered trademarks. Trademark license agreements must be filed with the Trademark Office for record. We hold LOGO and LOGO (“auto home” in English) and “AUTOHOME®” trademarks in China with each registered under different categories.

Domain Names. In September 2002, the CNNIC issued the Implementing Rules for Domain Name Registration, as amended in June 2009 and May 2012, that set forth detailed rules for registration of domain names. On November 5, 2004, the MIIT promulgated the Measures for Administration of Domain Names for the Chinese Internet, or the Domain Name Measures. The Domain Name Measures regulate the registration of domain names, such as the first tier domain name “.cn.” In 2002, the CNNIC issued the Measures on Domain Name Dispute Resolution, as amended in February 2006 and 2012, pursuant to which the CNNIC can authorize a domain name dispute resolution institution to decide disputes. We have registered a number of domain names, including autohome.com.cn, autohome.com and che168.com.

Regulations on Tax

See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Taxation—PRC” and “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—People’s Republic of China Taxation.”

Regulations on Foreign Exchange

Foreign exchange activities in China are primarily governed by the following regulations:

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Foreign Currency Administration Rules (2008), or the Exchange Rules; and

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Administration Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange (1996), or the Administration Rules.

Under the Exchange Rules, if documents certifying the purposes of the conversion of RMB into foreign currency are submitted to the relevant foreign exchange conversion bank, the RMB will be convertible for current account items, including the distribution of dividends, interest and royalties payments, and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions. Conversion of RMB for capital account items, such as direct investment, loans, securities investment and repatriation of investment, however, is subject to the approval of, or registration with, SAFE or its local counterpart. Capital investments by PRC entities outside of China, after obtaining the required approvals of, or making filings with, the relevant approval authorities, such as the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission or their local counterparts, are also required to register with SAFE or its local counterpart.

Under the Administration Rules, foreign-invested enterprises may only buy, sell and/or remit foreign currencies at banks authorized to conduct foreign exchange business after providing valid commercial documents and, in the case of capital account item transactions, obtaining approval from or being registered with SAFE or its local counterpart.

In utilizing the proceeds we received from our equity offerings, as an offshore holding company with PRC subsidiaries, we may (a) make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, (b) establish new PRC subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new PRC subsidiaries, (c) make loans to our PRC subsidiaries or VIEs or (d) acquire offshore entities with business operations in China in offshore transactions. However, most of these uses are subject to PRC regulations and approvals. For example:

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capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, whether existing or newly established, must be approved by the Ministry of Commerce or its local counterparts;

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loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries, each of which is a foreign-invested enterprise, to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with SAFE or its local branches; and

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loans by us to our VIEs, which are domestic PRC entities, must be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (in the case of middle or long term loans) or be within the limits approved by SAFE (in the case of short term loans), and must also be registered with SAFE or its local branches.

On March 30, 2015, SAFE issued the SAFE Circular 19, which became effective on June 1, 2015. Pursuant to SAFE Circular 19, foreign-invested enterprises may either continue to follow the current payment-based foreign currency settlement system or choose to follow the “conversion-at-will” system for foreign currency settlement. Where a foreign-invested enterprise follows the conversion-at-will system for foreign currency settlement, it may convert part or all of the amount of the foreign currency in its capital account into Renminbi at any time. The converted Renminbi will be kept in a designated account labeled as settled but pending payment, and if the foreign-invested enterprise needs to make payment from such designated account, it still needs to go through the review process with its bank and provide necessary supporting documents. SAFE Circular 19, therefore, has substantially lifted the restrictions on the usage by a foreign-invested enterprise of its Renminbi registered capital converted from foreign currencies. According to SAFE Circular 19, such Renminbi capital may be used at the discretion of the foreign-invested enterprise and SAFE will eliminate the prior approval requirement and only examine the authenticity of the declared usage afterwards. Nevertheless, foreign-invested enterprises like our PRC subsidiaries are still not allowed to extend intercompany loans to our VIEs. In addition, as SAFE Circular 19 was promulgated recently, there remains substantial uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and implementation of this circular by relevant authorities. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from using the proceeds of our equity offerings to make loans to our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs or to make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which may materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.”

Regulations on Dividend Distribution

The principal regulations governing dividend distributions of wholly foreign-owned enterprises include:

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the Companies Law (2005, as amended in 2013);

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the Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law (2000); and

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the Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law Implementing Rules (2001).

Under these regulations, wholly foreign-owned enterprises in the PRC may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, these wholly foreign-owned enterprises are required to set aside at least 10% of their respective accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds, until the aggregate amount of such fund reaches 50% of its registered capital.

Regulations on Offshore Investment by PRC Residents

On July 4, 2014, the SAFE promulgated the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control of Domestic Residents’ Overseas Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular No. 37, which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (generally known as SAFE Circular No. 75) promulgated by the SAFE on October 21, 2005.

SAFE Circular No. 37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests, which is referred to in SAFE Circular No. 37 as a “special purpose vehicle.” SAFE Circular No. 37 further requires amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents, share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events. In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiaries. Furthermore, failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.

Currently, all of our shareholders who are PRC residents have registered with the competent local branch of the SAFE with respect to their investments in our company as required by SAFE Circular No. 75 and will update their registration filings with the SAFE under SAFE Circular No. 37 when there are any changes that should be registered under SAFE Circular No. 37.

Regulations on Employee Stock Options Plans

In December 2006, the PBOC promulgated the Administrative Measures of Foreign Exchange Matters for Individuals, setting forth the respective requirements for foreign exchange transactions by individuals (both PRC or non-PRC citizens) under either the current account or the capital account. In January 2007, SAFE issued relevant implementing rules that specified approval requirements for certain capital account transactions, such as a PRC citizen’s participation in employee stock ownership plans or share option plans of an overseas publicly listed company. In February 2012, SAFE promulgated the Stock Option Notice that supersedes the requirements and procedures for the registration of PRC resident individuals’ participation in stock incentive plans set forth by certain rules promulgated by SAFE in March 2007. The purpose of the Stock Option Notice is to regulate the foreign exchange administration of PRC resident individuals who participate in employee stock holding plans and share option plans of overseas listed companies.

According to the Stock Option Notice, if a PRC resident individual participates in any employee stock incentive plan of an overseas listed company, a PRC domestic qualified agent appointed through the PRC subsidiary of such overseas listed company must, among other things, file, on behalf of such individual, an application with SAFE or its local counterpart to obtain approval for an annual allowance with respect to the purchase of foreign exchange in connection with stock holding or share option exercises. With the approval from SAFE or its local counterpart, the PRC domestic qualified agent shall open a special foreign exchange account at a PRC domestic bank to hold the funds required in connection with the stock purchase or option exercise, any returned principal or profits upon sales of shares, any dividends issued on the stock and any other income or expenditures approved by SAFE or its local counterpart.

Under the Foreign Currency Administration Rules, as amended, the foreign exchange proceeds of domestic entities and individuals can be remitted into China or deposited abroad, subject to the terms and conditions to be issued by SAFE. However, the implementing rules in respect of depositing the foreign exchange proceeds abroad have not been issued by SAFE. The foreign exchange proceeds from the sales of shares can be converted into RMB or transferred to such individuals’ foreign exchange savings account after the proceeds have been remitted back to the special foreign exchange account opened at the PRC domestic bank. If share options are exercised in a cashless exercise, the PRC domestic individuals are required to remit the proceeds to special foreign exchange accounts.

Many issues with respect to the Stock Option Notice require further interpretation. We and our PRC employees who participate in an employee stock incentive plan are subject to the Stock Option Notice as we are an overseas listed company. We have registered with the local counterparts of SAFE for our PRC resident employees who participate in our share incentive plans, as required under the Stock Option Notice and relevant rules. If we or our PRC employees fail to comply with the Stock Option Notice, we and our PRC employees may face sanctions imposed by the PRC foreign exchange authority or any other PRC government authorities, including restrictions on foreign currency conversions and additional capital contribution to our PRC subsidiaries.

In addition, the SAT has issued circulars concerning employee share options. Under these circulars, our employees working in China who exercise share options will be subject to PRC individual income tax. Our PRC subsidiary has obligations to file documents related to employee share options with relevant tax authorities and withhold the individual income taxes of employees who exercise their share options. If our employees fail to pay and we fail to withhold their income taxes, we may face sanctions imposed by tax authorities or any other PRC government authorities. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee share ownership plans or share option plans may subject the PRC plan participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.”

Regulation on Employment

Pursuant to the PRC Labor Law and the PRC Labor Contract Law, employers must execute written labor contracts with full-time employees. All employers must compensate their employees with wages equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. All employers are required to establish a system for labor safety and sanitation, strictly abide by state rules and standards and provide employees with workplace safety training. Violations of the PRC Labor Contract Law and the PRC Labor Law may result in the imposition of fines and other administrative liabilities.

In addition, employers in China are obliged to provide employees with welfare schemes covering pension insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance and housing funds.

Regulations on Concentration in Merger and Acquisition Transactions

The M&A Rules established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. These rules require, among other things, that the Ministry of Commerce be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor will take control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings issued by the State Council on August 3, 2008 are triggered.

Complying with these requirements could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Certain regulations in the PRC may make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions.”

C.	Organizational Structure

The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure, including our principal subsidiaries and VIEs, as of the date of this annual report:

LOGO

(1)

The three individuals are James Zhi Qin, our director and chief executive officer, Xiang Li, our director, and Zheng Fan, our vice president. Each of these three individuals is also a beneficial owner of our company and a PRC citizen. James Zhi Qin, Xiang Li and Zheng Fan hold 8%, 68% and 24%, respectively, of the equity in each of Autohome Information, Shanghai Advertising and Guangzhou Advertising.

(2)	The two individuals are James Zhi Qin and Zheng Fan, who each holds 50% of the equity in Shengtuo Hongyuan.

D.	Property, Plants and Equipment

Our corporate headquarters is located in Beijing, China, where we lease office space with an area of approximately 21,562 square meters. We generally make rental payments on a monthly basis. In addition, as of December 31, 2015, we also leased office space in 78 cities for our representative offices, including regional operation centers in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin in China. We believe that our existing facilities are generally adequate to meet our current needs, but we expect to seek additional space as needed to accommodate future growth.

Our servers are primarily hosted at internet data centers owned by major domestic internet data center providers. The hosting services agreements typically have a term of one year. We believe that our current facilities are adequate and that we will be able to obtain additional facilities, principally through leasing, to accommodate any future expansion plans.

ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this annual report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results and the timing of selected events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this annual report.

A.	Operating Results

Overview

We are the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Through our two websites, autohome.com.cn and che168.com, and our mobile applications, we deliver comprehensive, independent and interactive content to automobile buyers and owners. We generate revenues from online advertising services, dealer subscription services and new vehicle transaction business. Our advertisers consist primarily of automakers and dealers, with automakers contributing a substantial majority of our total advertising services revenues. In each of 2013, 2014 and 2015, we provided advertising services to 75, 85 and 87 automakers operating in China, respectively. We also provided dealer subscription services to 10,617, 17,779 and 21,705 dealer subscribers in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Our new vehicle transaction business includes direct vehicle sales and commission-based services facilitating transactions.

Our net revenues increased from RMB1,216.5 million in 2013 to RMB2,132.9 million in 2014 and RMB3,464.0 million(US$534.7 million), representing a CAGR of 68.7%. Our net income increased from RMB456.2 million in 2013 to RMB748.7 million in 2014 and RMB990.6 million (US$152.9 million) in 2015, representing a CAGR of 47.4%.

General Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations

Our business and results of operations are significantly affected by China’s overall economic conditions and the general trends in the automotive industry, especially new automobile sales in China. Economic growth in China has contributed to an increase in household disposable income and improved the availability of financing for automobile purchases. These factors, coupled with increased production capacity and lower import tariffs, past governmental incentives designed to encourage automobile purchases and the decreasing cost of new automobiles, have contributed to the growth of the number of new automobiles sold in China. Although the automotive industry has benefited from China’s overall favorable policies, some local governments have imposed restrictions on automobile registrations to curb traffic congestion and environment pollution in urban centers. If such regulations slow the growth rate of new automobile sales in China, the demand for our services would likely reduce. If overall advertising expenditures by automakers and automobile dealers or automobile transaction volume decrease, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.

In addition, our business and results of operations may be affected by our user reach and engagement. Automaker and dealer advertisers, which contribute a substantial portion of our revenues, choose to advertise on our websites and mobile applications in significant part due to our leading market position in the online automotive advertising industry. We anticipate that our ability to continue to attract a large and growing user base and maintain a high level of user engagement will affect our ability to attract advertisers and dealer subscribers to our websites and in turn, our ability to generate sales leads. Finally, our business and results of operations may be affected by the development of e-commerce in China and consumers’ acceptance of online automobile purchases.

Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations

While our business and results of operations are generally affected by China’s overall economic conditions, the general trends in China’s automotive industry and our user reach and engagement, our results of operations are more directly affected by the specific financial factors set forth below.

Net Revenues

We primarily generate our net revenues from selling online advertising services and dealer subscription services. We sell our advertising services primarily to automakers and dealers, with automakers contributing a substantial majority of our advertising services revenues. As is customary in China, we sell our advertising services primarily through third-party advertising agencies while we consider automaker and dealer advertisers to be our end-customers. Consistent with common practice in the advertising industry in China, we offer rebates to advertising agencies. We also provide cash incentives to automakers and automobile dealers who participate in various incentive programs on our online transaction platform. Our net revenues are presented net of rebates to advertising agencies and cash incentives to automakers and automobile dealers. We sell our dealer subscription services to automobile dealers on a fixed-fee subscription basis.

We also generate an insignificant portion of our net revenues from our transaction business. We record revenues from direct sales on gross basis when vehicles are delivered and title has passed to the consumers. In addition, we earn commissions from automakers for new vehicle transactions facilitated on Autohome Mall pursuant to commission-based service arrangements with automakers.

The following table sets forth the principal components of our net revenues in absolute amounts and as percentages of our total net revenues for the years presented:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2013					2014					2015
	RMB		%			RMB		%			RMB		US$		%
	(in thousands, except percentages)
Net revenues:
Advertising services		894,937		73.6	%		1,499,516		70.3	%		2,400,023		370,500		69.3	%
Dealer subscription services		321,611		26.4			633,433		29.7			1,063,952		164,246		30.7

Total net revenues		1,216,548		100.0	%		2,132,949		100.0	%		3,463,975		534,746		100.0	%

Advertising Services Revenues

We generate advertising services revenues primarily from automakers. In each of 2013, 2014 and 2015, 75, 85 and 87 automakers operating in China purchased advertising services from us. As a result of our high penetration in the automaker market, we believe that our future automaker advertising services revenue growth will be driven primarily by automakers’ increased advertising spending on our websites and mobile applications as they continue to shift their advertising budgets from traditional media to online media.

Increased spending will be driven primarily by a combination of (i) our ability to increase advertising volume, either due to the availability of additional advertising locations as we expand our service offerings or due to higher sell-through rates, which is calculated as the percentage of advertising locations actually sold over total advertising locations available for sale in a given period and (ii) our ability to increase our pricing, as measured by price per location per day, as our user reach continues to expand, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the services we offer. As is customary in China’s online advertising market, we use a “cost per time” pricing model to price our online advertising services by charging our advertisers on a daily basis for an advertisement placed in a given location on our websites. We expect that this cost-per-time model will continue to be our primary pricing model in the near future. However, as we continue to grow our user base and enhance user engagement, we intend to explore “cost per thousands impressions,” “cost per lead” and other performance-based pricing models.

Revenues from dealer advertising services are generated from (i) advertising services sold to individual dealer advertisers, (ii) regional marketing campaigns conducted by certain automobile brands’ regional offices and (iii) our transaction business. Revenues from dealer advertising services accounted for 21.3%, 29.4% and 34.3% of our advertising services revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. We believe that our dealer advertising services revenues will continue to grow in absolute amounts in the near future, driven mainly by (i) the increase in the advertising budgets that automakers allocate to their dealers and (ii) our ability to increase our “share of wallet” relative to other online medias as we continue to expand into new geographical markets and penetrate deeper into existing markets to increase our customer base of automobile dealers. Our transaction business contribute a new growth driver as part of the dealer advertising revenues, including direct sales revenues and commission-based revenues.

Dealer Subscription Services

We generate dealer subscription services revenues through the sale of various subscription services packages at different prices, which enable dealers to market their vehicle inventories on our websites and mobile applications. All of our dealer subscription services are sold on a quarterly or annual fixed-fee basis.

We offer basic automobile listing services free of charge to all of our registered dealers. We had 26,190 registered dealers as of December 31, 2015, compared with 24,562 and 23,897 registered dealers as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Our dealer subscribers are registered dealers that have purchased subscription packages. We provide our dealer subscribers with additional tools and features to enable them to more effectively market their inventories on our websites and mobile applications. Our dealer subscribers grew from 10,617 in 2013 to 17,779 in 2014 and 21,705 in 2015. Our dealer subscription services revenues accounted for 26.4%, 29.7% and 30.7% of our net revenues in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. We believe that our dealer subscription services revenues will continue to grow in the near future, driven by our ability to subsequently convert registered dealers into dealer subscribers and command higher fees for different subscription packages by providing more value-added services to our dealer subscribers.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues refers primarily to (i) content-related costs and others, (ii) depreciation and amortization expenses, (iii) bandwidth and internet data center (“IDC”) costs and (iv) value-added tax (“VAT”) and surcharges. The following table sets forth the principal components of our cost of revenues in absolute amounts and as a percentage of our total net revenues for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2013					2014					2015
	RMB		%			RMB		%			RMB		US$		%
	(in thousands, except percentages)
Cost of revenues:
Content-related costs and others⁽¹⁾		95,987		7.9	%		127,929		6.0	%		298,160		46,027		8.6	%
Depreciation and amortization expenses		26,439		2.2			31,703		1.5			43,160		6,663		1.3
Bandwidth and IDC costs		21,047		1.7			30,713		1.4			38,893		6,004		1.1
VAT and surcharges		108,763		8.9			191,153		9.0			288,908		44,600		8.3
Total cost of revenues		252,236		20.7	%		381,498		17.9	%		669,121		103,294		19.3	%

(1)	Including share-based compensation expenses of RMB6.5 million for 2013, RMB8.0 million for 2014 and RMB6.9 million (US$1.1 million) for 2015, respectively.

Content-related Costs and Others. Content-related costs and others are costs directly related to creating and editing the professionally produced content and organizing and maintaining user generated content on our websites and mobile applications and new vehicle transaction business costs. Content-related costs mainly include salaries and benefits, toll free telephone charges, travel and office expenses of our editorial personnel, expenses we incur in the execution of the offline portion of our advertisers’ online promotions and expenses we pay to third parties for creating and publishing certain rich media content displayed on our websites. New vehicle transaction business costs primarily include cost of vehicle purchases and other directly attributable costs. Rebates relating to new vehicles purchased but still held by us as of the balance sheet date are recorded as a reduction to cost of inventories while rebates relating to new vehicles purchased and sold during the reporting period are recorded as a reduction to cost of revenues. We expect our content-related costs and others will continue to increase primarily due to our business growth. In addition, as a result of our adoption of the 2011 Share Incentive Plan and the 2013 Share Incentive Plan, our content-related costs and others in subsequent periods include share-based compensation expenses related to our editorial personnel.

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses. A substantial majority of our amortization expenses relate to the amortization of intangibles including trademarks and customer relationships that we acquired in connection with the acquisitions of Cheerbright, China Topside and Norstar in June 2008, shortly after the inception of our company. Depreciation expenses are related to servers and other equipment that are directly related to our revenue-generating business activities and leasehold improvements. We expect our amortization expenses will decrease after the end of the estimated useful lives of certain intangible assets, while depreciation expenses will increase as we continue to invest in our business.

Bandwidth and IDC Costs. Bandwidth and IDC costs consist of fees that we pay to telecommunication carriers and other service providers for telecommunication services and for hosting our servers at their internet data centers, as well as fees we pay to our content delivery network service provider for the distribution of our content. Our bandwidth and IDC costs continued to increase in subsequent periods as our user traffic continued to increase and we required more high quality bandwidth to support user traffic growth and improve our users’ experience.

VAT and Surcharges. After VAT reform in 2012, our advertising services and dealer subscription services were subject to 6% VAT rate, and advertising services also subject to the cultural construction fee. Our dealer subscription service was sold in the form of software products starting from October 2014 and subject to 17% VAT rate. Since November 2014, Beijing Prbrownies Software Co., Ltd. was entitled to a 14% VAT refund on the total VAT payable at the rate of 17% after the registration of its software resolutions with the relevant authority. Our direct sales of vehicles were subject to 17% VAT rate. As a result of the above, our overall VAT and surcharges as a percentage of our total net revenues was 8.9% in 2013, 9.0% in 2014 and decreased to 8.3% in 2015.

Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses consist of sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses and product development expenses. The following table sets forth our operating expenses in absolute amounts and as percentages of our total net revenues for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2013					2014					2015
	RMB		%			RMB		%			RMB		US$		%
	(in thousands, except percentages)
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing expenses⁽¹⁾		245,228		20.2	%		559,070		26.2	%		1,127,484		174,054		32.6	%
General and administrative expenses⁽²⁾		82,529		6.8			129,751		6.1			193,655		29,895		5.6
Product development expenses⁽³⁾		81,651		6.7			158,395		7.4			273,908		42,284		7.9

Total operating expenses		409,408		33.7	%		847,216		39.7	%		1,595,047		246,233		46.0	%

(1)	Including share-based compensation expenses of RMB4.4 million for 2013, RMB14.6 million for 2014 and RMB36.6 million (US$5.6 million) for 2015, respectively.

(2)	Including share-based compensation expenses of RMB11.7 million for 2013, RMB20.6 million for 2014 and RMB40.1 million (US$6.2 million) for 2015, respectively.

(3)	Including share-based compensation expenses of RMB3.0 million for 2013, RMB13.4 million for 2014 and RMB24.3 million (US$3.7 million) for 2015, respectively.

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses primarily consist of the marketing expenses incurred in connection with promoting our brands through search engines, mobile platforms and navigation sites, sales promotion activities and salaries and benefits and sales commissions for our sales and marketing personnel. Our sales and marketing expenses also include office and travel-related expenses and business development expenses associated with our sales and marketing activities. We expect that our sales and marketing expenses will continue to increase as we increase traffic on our websites and mobile applications, enlarge our sales force to expand our coverage and develop our transaction business initiatives to realize our value as a transaction platform.

General and Administrative Expenses. Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of personnel-related expenses for management and administrative personnel and professional service fees. We expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we expand our business.

Product Development Expenses. Our product development expenses primarily consist of personnel-related expenses associated with the development of new technologies and products as well as enhancement of our websites. We expect that our product development expenses will increase as we expand our business, develop new features and functionalities and increase the accessibility of our websites, mobile applications and the transaction platform.

Taxation

Cayman Islands

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands, we are not subject to income or capital gains tax. In addition, dividend payments are not subject to withholding tax in the Cayman Islands.

British Virgin Islands

Cheerbright is a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Under the current laws of the British Virgin Islands, Cheerbright is not subject to income or capital gains tax. In addition, dividend payments are not subject to withholding tax in the British Virgin Islands.

Hong Kong

Autohome HK, Autohome Media, Autohome E-commerce Hong Kong Limited, Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited and Autohome Financing Hong Kong Limited are incorporated in Hong Kong. Companies incorporated and registered in Hong Kong are subject to Hong Kong profits tax on the taxable income as reported in their respective statutory financial statements adjusted in accordance with relevant Hong Kong tax laws. The applicable tax rate is 16.5% in Hong Kong. For 2013, 2014 and 2015, we did not make any provisions for Hong Kong profit tax as there were no assessable profits derived from or earned in Hong Kong during these periods. Under the Hong Kong tax law, Autohome HK, Autohome Media, Autohome E-commerce Hong Kong Limited, Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited and Autohome Financing Hong Kong Limited are exempted from income tax on their foreign-derived income and there are no withholding taxes in Hong Kong on remittance of dividends.

PRC

Our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are subject to PRC enterprise income tax, or EIT, on the taxable income in accordance with the relevant PRC income tax laws.

Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, both of which became effective on January 1, 2008, a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate is generally applicable to both foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises, unless they qualify for certain exceptions.

In 2010, Autohome WFOE was recognized as an HNTE, effective 2010 and was eligible for a 15% preferential enterprise income tax rate effective from 2010 through 2012. The HNTE qualification is subject to an annual evaluation and a three-year review by the relevant authorities in China. We have obtained renewal of the HNTE qualification through 2015. However, should we lose this qualification for any reason, Autohome WFOE will no longer enjoy the 15% preferential tax rate, and the applicable enterprise income tax rate may increase to up to 25%. Beijing Autohome Technologies was recognized as an HNTE in July 2015 and therefore was eligible for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2015 to 2017 upon their filing with the relevant tax authority. Beijing Prbrownies was recognized as an HNTE on February 29, 2016, qualifying it for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2015 to 2017 upon its filing with the relevant tax authority.

Our remaining PRC subsidiaries and all the VIEs were subject to EIT at a rate of 25% for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with “de facto management bodies” located within the PRC is considered a PRC resident enterprise and therefore will be subject to a 25% EIT on its global income. The implementation rules define “de facto management bodies” as “establishments that carry out substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, etc. of an enterprise.” In addition, according to the Notice Regarding the Determination of Chinese-Controlled Offshore Incorporated Enterprises as PRC Tax Resident Enterprises on the Basis of De Facto Management Bodies issued by State Administration of Taxation, or SAT Circular 82, on April 22, 2009, a Chinese-controlled enterprise established outside of China is treated as a PRC resident enterprise with “de facto management bodies” located in the PRC for tax purposes where all of the following requirements are satisfied: (a) the senior management and core management departments in charge of its daily production or business operations are located in the PRC; (b) its financial and human resource decisions are subject to determination or approval by persons or bodies in the PRC; (c) its major assets, accounting books, company seals, and minutes and files of its board and shareholders’ meetings are located or kept in the PRC; and (d) more than half of the enterprise’s board members with voting rights or senior management habitually reside in the PRC. Despite the uncertainties resulting from limited PRC tax guidance on the issue, we do not believe that our legal entities organized outside of the PRC constitute PRC resident enterprises under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law. However, if we are considered a PRC resident enterprise and earn income other than dividends from our PRC subsidiaries, a 25% enterprise income tax on our global income could significantly increase our tax burden and materially and adversely affect our cash flow and profitability.

Further, the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and the implementation rules provide that an income tax rate of 10% may be applicable to China-sourced income of foreign enterprises, such as dividends paid by PRC subsidiaries to their overseas parent that is not a PRC resident enterprise, which (a) do not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC or (b) have an establishment or place of business in the PRC but the relevant income is not effectively connected with the establishment or place of business, unless there are applicable treaties that reduce such rate. The implementation rules of the new PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law provide that (a) if the enterprise that distributes dividends is domiciled in the PRC, or (b) if gains are realized from transferring equity interests of enterprises domiciled in the PRC, then such dividends or capital gains are treated as China-sourced income. It is not clear how “domicile” may be interpreted under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, and it may be interpreted as the jurisdiction where the enterprise is a tax resident. Therefore, if we are considered as a PRC tax resident enterprise for tax purposes, any dividends we pay to our overseas shareholders or ADS holders as well as gains realized by such shareholders or ADS holders from the transfer of our shares or ADSs may be regarded as China-sourced income and as a result become subject to PRC withholding tax at the rate of 10%, subject to reduction by an applicable treaty. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries, dividends distributed to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders, and gains recognized by such shareholders or ADS holders, may be subject to PRC taxes under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.”

Critical Accounting Policies

We prepare our financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the end of each reporting period and the reported amount of revenue and expenses during each reporting period. We evaluate these estimates and assumptions based on historical experience, knowledge and assessment of current business and other conditions and expectations that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions.

Some of our accounting policies require higher degrees of judgment than others in their application. When reviewing our consolidated financial statements, you should consider (a) our selection of critical accounting policies, (b) the judgment and other uncertainties affecting the application of such policies and (c) the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions. For further information on our significant accounting policies, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements for 2013, 2014 and 2015. We consider the policies discussed below to be critical to an understanding of our consolidated financial statements as their application places significant demands on the judgment of our management. We believe the following critical accounting policies are the most significant to the presentation of our financial statements and some of which may require the most difficult, subjective and complex judgments. They should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, the risks and uncertainties of which are described under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” and other disclosures included in this annual report.

Revenue Recognition

Our revenue is primarily derived from online advertising and dealer subscription services. Revenue is recognized only when the price is fixed or determinable, persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the service is performed and collectability of the related fee is reasonably assured based on the guidance in ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.

Contracts are signed to establish significant terms such as the price and online advertising services to be provided. We consider the price for our services to be fixed and determinable when we and our customers have signed the contracts. We assess the creditworthiness of our customers prior to signing the contracts to ensure collectability is reasonably assured. Payments received before all of the relevant criteria for revenue recognition are satisfied are recorded as deferred revenue.

Advertising services

We provide online advertising services to automakers, dealers and agency companies that represent automakers and automobile dealers. The majority of our online advertising service arrangements involve multiple deliverables such as banner advertisements, links and logos, other media insertions and promotional activities that are delivered over different periods of time. Multiple contracts with the same customers are accounted for as separate arrangements if the contracts are not linked together in a single transaction. Historically, we have not entered into multiple contracts with the same counterparty that should be combined and accounted for as a single arrangement.

In determining our best estimated selling price for each deliverable, we considered our overall pricing model and objectives, as well as market or competitive conditions that may impact the price at which we would transact if the deliverable were sold regularly on a standalone basis. We monitor the conditions that affect our determination of selling price for each deliverable and reassess such estimates periodically. Revenue is recognized ratably when the advertisements are published over the stated display period in the case of websites or when the services have been rendered in the case of promotional activities. The amount recognized is limited to the amount that is not contingent upon the delivery of additional deliverables or meeting other specified performance conditions.

New vehicle transaction business

The new vehicle transaction business launched in 2015 primarily includes direct vehicle sales and commission-based services to facilitate transactions on the Autohome Mall platform. For direct vehicle sales, we recognize revenue on a gross basis as we act as the principal, we are the primary obligor of the sales arrangements and are subject to inventory risk. Revenue from direct vehicle sales is recognized when a sales contract has been executed and the vehicle has been delivered. Under the commission-based service arrangements, the Company earns commission for the new vehicle transactions facilitated through our Autohome Mall platform. Commission revenue is recognized after the vehicles are delivered to customers. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the revenues from new vehicle transaction business accounted for 5.2% of our consolidated net revenues and therefore, were not separately disclosed as a separate line item but included in advertising services in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Dealer subscription services

We provide subscription services to automakers, dealers and agency companies that represent automakers and automobile dealers. We make available throughout the subscription period a webpage linked to our websites and mobile applications where the dealers can publish information such as the pricing of their products, locations and addresses and other related information. Revenue is recognized ratably as services are provided over the subscription period.

Rebates and cash incentives provided to customers

We provide rebates to agency companies based on cumulative annual advertising and service volume or surrounding occasional activities. We estimate our obligations under such agreements based on an evaluation of the likelihood of the agency companies’ achievement of the advertising and service volume targets, giving consideration to the actual activity during the incentive period and, as appropriate, evaluation of the agency companies’ purchase trends and history.

We also provide cash incentives to automakers and automobile dealers who participated in various incentive programs on our online transaction platform. The cash incentives are accounted for as a reduction of revenue in accordance with ASC 605-50, “Revenue Recognition: Customer Payments and Incentives”.

Therefore, rebates and cash incentives are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the period revenue is recognized in the consolidated financial statements. We have estimated and recorded rebates and cash incentives to agency companies, dealers and automakers cumulatively amounting to RMB231.1 million, RMB395.2 million and RMB578.5 million (US$89.3 million) for 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Income taxes

We account for income taxes using the liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that will be in effect in the period in which the differences are expected to reverse. We record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

We apply ASC 740, Accounting for Income Taxes, to account for uncertainty in income taxes. ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold a tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the financial statements. We have recorded unrecognized tax benefits in the other liabilities line item in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. We have elected to classify interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if and when required, as part of “income tax expense,” in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Our estimated liability for unrecognized tax benefits and the related interest and penalties are periodically assessed for adequacy and may be affected by changing interpretations of laws, rulings by tax authorities, changes and/or developments with respect to tax audits, and expiration of the statute of limitations. The actual benefits ultimately realized may differ from our estimates. As each audit is concluded, adjustments, if any, are recorded in our consolidated financial statements. Additionally, in future periods, changes in facts and circumstances, and new information may require us to adjust the recognition and measurement estimates with regard to individual tax positions. Changes in recognition and measurement estimates are recognized in the period in which they occur.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are carried at net realizable value. An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded in the period when a loss is probable based on an assessment of specific evidence indicating troubled collection, historical experience, accounts aging and other factors. An accounts receivable balance is written off after all collection efforts have ceased.

Inventories

Inventories consist of new vehicles held for sale, stated at the lower of cost or market value using the specific identification method. Amounts are removed from inventories using the specific identification method. Our purchase arrangements with certain automakers entitle us to receive a specified amount of cash rebates if certain conditions are met during the stated rebate periods. We account for these rebates in accordance with ASC sub-topic 605-50, Revenue Recognition: Customer Payments and Incentives. Rebates relating to new vehicles purchased but still held by us as of the balance sheet date are recorded as a reduction to cost of inventories while rebates relating to new vehicles purchased and sold during the reporting period are recorded as a reduction to cost of revenues.

Goodwill

Our goodwill is related to the acquisition of Cheerbright, China Topside, and Norstar, representing the excess of the purchase price over the amounts assigned to the fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. In accordance with ASC 350, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, recorded goodwill amounts are not amortized, but rather are tested for impairment annually, or more frequently if there are indicators of impairment present.

Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis (December 31 for the Company) and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. These events or circumstances include a significant change in our stock prices, business environment, legal factors, financial performances, competition, or events affecting our reporting unit. Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment, including the identification of reporting units, assignment of assets and liabilities to reporting units, assignment of goodwill to reporting units, and determination of the fair value of each reporting unit. The estimation of fair value of a reporting unit using a discounted cash flow methodology also requires significant judgments, including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the long-term rate of growth for our business, estimation of the useful life over which cash flows will occur, and determination of our weighted average cost of capital. The estimates used to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit change from year to year based on operating results and market conditions. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value and goodwill impairment for the reporting unit.

We have the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step test in accordance with ASU No. 2011-08, or ASU 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment. Determining the reporting units of the Company begins at the operating segment level, and we concluded that we have one reporting unit as of December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015. We evaluated all relevant factors, weighed all factors in their entirety and concluded that it was not more-likely-than-not the fair value was less than the carrying amount of the reporting unit, and further impairment testing on goodwill was unnecessary as of December 31, 2015. No impairment loss was recorded for any of the years presented.

If we reorganize our reporting structure in a manner that changes the composition of one or more of our reporting units, goodwill will be reassigned based on the relative fair value of each of the affected reporting units.

Share-based Compensation

We account for share-based awards granted to employees under ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, which requires that share-based awards granted to employees be measured based on the grant date fair value and recognized as compensation expense over the requisite service period (which is generally the vesting period) in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. We have elected to recognize compensation expense using the straight-line method for all share-based awards granted with service conditions that have a graded vesting schedule. ASC 718 requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from initial estimates.

Forfeiture rates are estimated based on historical and future expectations of employee turnover rates and are adjusted to reflect future changes in circumstances and facts, if any. Share-based compensation expense is recorded net of estimated forfeitures such that expense is recorded only for those share-based awards that are expected to vest. To the extent we revise these estimates in the future, the share-based payments could be materially impacted in the period of revision, as well as in following periods. We, with the assistance of an independent third-party valuation firm, determined the fair value of the stock options granted to employees. The binomial option pricing model was applied in determining the estimated fair value of the options granted to employees. Subsequent to our initial public offering, fair value of the ordinary shares will be the price of our publicly traded shares.

Results of Operations

The following table presents our results of operations in absolute amounts and as a percentage of our total net revenues for the years indicated.


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2013						2014						2015
	RMB			%			RMB			%			RMB			US$			%
	(in thousands, except percentages)
Net revenues
Advertising services		894,937			73.6	%		1,499,516			70.3	%		2,400,023			370,500			69.3	%
Dealer subscription services		321,611			26.4			633,433			29.7			1,063,952			164,246			30.7

Total net revenues		1,216,548			100.0			2,132,949			100.0			3,463,975			534,746			100.0
Cost of revenues⁽¹⁾		(252,236	)		(20.7	)		(381,498	)		(17.9	)		(669,121	)		(103,294	)		(19.3	)

Gross Profit		964,312			79.3			1,751,451			82.1			2,794,854			431,452			80.7
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing expenses⁽¹⁾		(245,228	)		(20.2	)		(559,070	)		(26.2	)		(1,127,484	)		(174,054	)		(32.6	)
General and administrative expenses⁽¹⁾		(82,529	)		(6.8	)		(129,751	)		(6.1	)		(193,655	)		(29,895	)		(5.6	)
Product development expenses⁽¹⁾		(81,651	)		(6.7	)		(158,395	)		(7.4	)		(273,908	)		(42,284	)		(7.9	)

Operating profit		554,904			45.6			904,235			42.4			1,199,807			185,219			34.6
Interest income		11,082			0.9			34,682			1.6			63,218			9,759			1.8
Interest expense		(414	)		(0.0	)		—			—			—			—			—
Earnings from equity method investments		—			—			—			—			102			16			0.0
Other income, net		2,884			0.2			2,544			0.1			13,064			2,017			0.4

Income before income taxes		568,456			46.7			941,461			44.1			1,276,191			197,011			36.8
Income tax expense		(112,294	)		(9.2	)		(192,781	)		(9.0	)		(285,542	)		(44,080	)		(8.2	)

Net income		456,162			37.5	%		748,680			35.1	%		990,649			152,931			28.6	%

(1)	Including share-based compensation expenses as follows:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2013					2014					2015
	RMB		%			RMB		%			RMB		US$		%
	(in thousands, except percentages)
Allocation of Share-Based Compensation Expenses
Cost of revenues		6,534		0.5	%		8,048		0.4	%		6,939		1,071		0.2	%
Sales and marketing expenses		4,375		0.4			14,644		0.7			36,584		5,648		1.1
General and administrative expenses		11,738		1.0			20,557		1.0			40,142		6,197		1.1
Product development expenses		2,961		0.2			13,417		0.6			24,280		3,748		0.7

Total share-based compensation expenses		25,608		2.1	%		56,666		2.7	%		107,945		16,664		3.1	%

Year Ended December 31, 2015 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2014

Net Revenues. Our net revenues increased by 62.4% from RMB2,132.9 million in 2014 to RMB3,464.0 million (US$534.7 million) in 2015. This increase was due to increases in both our advertising services revenues and our dealer subscription services revenues.

Advertising services. Our advertising services revenues increased by 60.1% from RMB1,499.5 million in 2014 to RMB2,400.0 million (US$370.5 million) in 2015. This increase was due to our increased revenues from both automaker advertisers and dealer advertisers, of which transaction business contributed a new growth driver as part of the dealer advertising revenues. Revenues from our automaker advertisers and dealer advertisers accounted for 65.7% and 34.3%, respectively, of our total advertising services revenues in 2015. Revenues from our automaker advertisers and dealer advertisers accounted for 70.6% and 29.4%, respectively, of our total advertising services revenues in 2014. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, 75, 85 and 87 automakers operating in China used our advertising services, respectively. In 2014 and 2015, dealers involving over 100 brands used our advertising services, which include the regional marketing campaigns conducted by certain automobile brands’ regional offices.

The increase in revenues from our automaker advertisers was attributable to a 45.7% increase in average revenues per automaker advertiser from RMB12.4 million in 2014 to RMB18.1 million (US$2.8 million) in 2015, as automakers continued to allocate more of their advertising budgets to Autohome’s online advertising channels. The increase in dealer advertising services revenues was mainly due to (i) the Company’s new vehicle transaction business, which is primarily composed of direct vehicle sales and commission-based services facilitating transactions through our platform; and (ii) the increase in the volume of pure advertising purchased by the Company’s growing base of paying dealers to drive better performance. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the revenue from new vehicle transaction business accounted for 7.5% of our total advertising services revenues. If we exclude this, the average revenue per vehicle brand of dealer advertiser increased by 45.4% from RMB4.1 million in 2014 to RMB6.0 million (US$0.9 million) in 2015.

Dealer subscription services. Dealer subscription services revenues increased by 68.0% from RMB633.4 million in 2014 to RMB1,064.0 million (US$164.2 million) in 2015. The increase in dealer subscription services revenues was mainly driven by (i) a 22.1% year-over-year increase in the number of paying dealers, which in turn was a result of Autohome’s expansion into new geographic markets, especially within China’s growing tier 3 and 4 cities, as well as deeper penetration into existing markets; and (ii) a 37.6% increase in average revenue per paying subscriber from RMB35.6 thousand in 2014 to RMB49.0 thousand in 2015, and rates for dealer subscription services as dealers continue to allocate a greater portion of their budgets to the Company’s subscription services. The Company sold dealer subscription services to 21,705 dealers in 2015, compared with 17,779 dealers in 2014.

Cost of Revenues. Our cost of revenues increased by 75.4% from RMB381.5 million in 2014 to RMB669.1 million (US$103.3 million) in 2015, primarily due to increases in content-related costs and others, and VAT and surcharges.

Content-related Costs and Others. Our content-related costs and others increased by 133.1% from RMB127.9 million in 2014 to RMB298.2 million (US$46.0 million) in 2015, primarily due to new vehicle transaction business costs and salaries and benefits of our editorial personnel. Our content-related costs included share-based compensation expenses, which decreased from RMB8.0 million in 2014 to RMB6.9 million (US$1.1 million) in 2015.

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses. Our depreciation and amortization expenses increased by 36.1% from RMB31.7 million in 2014 to RMB43.2 million (US$6.7 million) in 2015, primarily due to an increase in depreciation expenses related to servers purchased and leasehold improvement along with business expansion, partially offset by a decrease in amortization of acquired intangible assets, including domain names and licensing agreement.

Bandwidth and IDC Costs. Our bandwidth and IDC costs increased by 26.6% from RMB30.7 million in 2014 to RMB38.9 million (US$6.0 million) in 2015, primarily due to increased bandwidth and IDC requirements to fulfill the growth of our user traffic and new business.

VAT and Surcharges. VAT and related surcharges increased by 51.1% from RMB191.2 million for 2014 to RMB288.9 million (US$44.6 million) for 2015, as a result of increased revenues.

Operating Expenses. Our operating expenses increased by 88.3% from RMB847.2 million in 2014 to RMB1,595.0 million (US$246.2 million) in 2015, primarily due to increases in sales and marketing expenses, product development expenses and general and administrative expenses as the Company has been reinvesting for future growth opportunities. As a percentage of net revenues, operating expenses increased from 39.7% in 2014 to 46.0% in 2015.

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses increased by 101.7% from RMB559.1million in 2014 to RMB1,127.5 million (US$174.1 million) in 2015. This increase was primarily due to (i) an increase in marketing expenses in connection with the promotion of the Company’s brands through search engines, mobile platforms and navigation sites, a 10-year anniversary campaign, and offline promotional activities such as a nationwide group-buy campaign and (ii) an increase in salaries and benefits due to an increase in sales and marketing headcount, which is in line with the Company’s rapid growth. As a percentage of net revenues, sales and marketing expenses increased from 26.2% in 2014 to 32.6% in 2015. Our sales and marketing expenses in 2015 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB36.6 million (US$5.6 million), compared to RMB14.6 million in 2014.

General and Administrative Expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 49.3% from RMB129.8 million in 2014 to RMB193.7 million (US$29.9 million) in 2015. This increase was primarily attributable to an increase in salaries and benefits as a result of the growth in general and administrative headcount, which is in line with the Company’s rapid growth. As a percentage of net revenues, general and administrative expenses decreased from 6.1% in 2014 to 5.6% in 2015. Our general and administrative expenses for 2015 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB40.1 million (US$6.2 million), compared to RMB20.6 million in 2014.

Product Development Expenses. Our product development expenses increased by 72.9% from RMB158.4 million in 2014 to RMB273.9 million (US$42.3 million) in 2015. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in salaries and benefits due to the controlled increase in product development headcount. As a percentage of net revenues, product development expenses increased from 7.4% in 2014 to 7.9% in 2015. Our product development expenses for 2015 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB24.3 million (US$3.7 million), compared to RMB13.4 million in 2014.

Income before Income Taxes. Our income before income taxes increased by 35.6% from RMB941.5 million in 2014 to RMB1,276.2 million (US$197.0 million) in 2015.

Income Tax Expense. We incurred income tax expense of RMB285.5 million (US$44.1 million) in 2015, compared with RMB192.8 million in 2014, primarily due to the growth of our income before income taxes. As a percentage of our income before income taxes, our income tax expenses were 20.5% in 2014 and 22.4% in 2015.

Net Income. As a result of the foregoing, we had net income of RMB990.6 million (US$152.9 million) in 2015, compared with net income of RMB748.7 million in 2014.

Year Ended December 31, 2014 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2013

Net Revenues. Our net revenues increased by 75.3% from RMB1,216.5 million in 2013 to RMB2,132.9 million in 2014. This increase was due to increases in both our advertising services revenues and our dealer subscription services revenues.

Advertising services. Our advertising services revenues increased by 67.6% from RMB894.9 million in 2013 to RMB1,499.5 million in 2014. This increase was due to our increased revenues from both automaker advertisers and dealer advertisers. Revenues from our automaker advertisers and dealer advertisers accounted for 70.6% and 29.4%, respectively, of our total advertising services revenues in 2014. Revenues from our automaker advertisers and dealer advertisers accounted for 78.7% and 21.3%, respectively, of our total advertising services revenues in 2013.

The increase in revenues from our automaker advertisers was attributable to an increase in average revenues per automaker advertiser, as automakers continued to allocate more of their advertising budget to Autohome’s online advertising channels. The increase in dealer advertising services revenues was mainly due to an increase in the volume of advertising purchased by dealer advertisers as a result of our expansion into new geographic markets and deeper penetration into existing markets, as well as an increase in the rates for our dealer advertising services.

Dealer subscription services. Dealer subscription services revenues increased by 97.0% from RMB321.6 million in 2013 to RMB633.4 million in 2014. The increase in dealer subscription services revenues was mainly due to (i) an increase in the number of paying subscribers, which in turn was a result of our expansion into new geographic markets and deeper penetration into existing markets and (ii) an increase in average revenue per paying subscriber as dealers continue to allocate a greater portion of their budget to subscribe to our services and an increase in the rates for our dealer subscription services. We sold dealer subscription services to 17,779 dealers in 2014, compared with 10,617 dealers in 2013.

Cost of Revenues. Our cost of revenues increased by 51.2% from RMB252.2 million in 2013 to RMB381.5 million in 2014, primarily due to increases in VAT and surcharges, content-related costs and others, bandwidth and IDC costs and depreciation.

Content-related Costs. Our content-related costs increased by 33.3% from RMB96.0 million in 2013 to RMB127.9 million in 2014, primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefits of our editorial personnel and an increase in toll free telephone charges due to the increase of sales leads generated for dealer subscribers. Our content-related costs included share-based compensation expenses, which increased from RMB6.5 million in 2013 to RMB8.0 million in 2014.

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses. Our depreciation and amortization expenses increased by 19.9% from RMB26.4 million in 2013 to RMB31.7 million in 2014, primarily due to an increase in depreciation expenses related to servers that were mainly purchased in 2014, partially offset by a decrease in amortization of acquired intangible assets, including customer relationships, domain names and licensing agreement.

Bandwidth and IDC Costs. Our bandwidth and IDC costs increased by 45.9% from RMB21.0 million in 2013 to RMB30.7 million in 2014, primarily due to increased bandwidth and IDC requirements to fulfill the growth of our user traffic and improve our users’ experience.

VAT and Surcharges. VAT and related surcharges increased by 75.8% from RMB108.8 million for 2013 to RMB191.2 million for 2014, as a result of increased revenues.

Operating Expenses. Our operating expenses increased by 106.9% from RMB409.4 million in 2013 to RMB847.2 million in 2014, primarily due to increases in sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses and product development expenses. As a percentage of net revenues, operating expenses increased from 33.7% in 2013 to 39.7% in 2014.

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses increased by 128.0% from RMB245.2 million in 2013 to RMB559.1 million in 2014. This increase was primarily due to (i) an increase in marketing expenses in connection with the promotion of our brands through search engines, mobile platforms and navigation sites, including the cooperation with Baidu for enhanced auto-related content search results on PCs powered by “Aladdin,” and the cooperation with application stores and mobile browsers to promote our mobile applications and websites, and (ii) an increase in salaries and benefits, resulting from our increased sales and marketing headcount and the hiring of senior personnel to oversee our sales and marketing activities as well as more experienced sales persons to provide better service and support to our important customers. As a percentage of net revenues, sales and marketing expenses increased from 20.2% in 2013 to 26.2% in 2014. Our sales and marketing expenses in 2014 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB14.6 million, compared to RMB4.4 million in 2013.

General and Administrative Expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 57.2% from RMB82.5 million in 2013 to RMB129.8 million in 2014. This increase was primarily attributable to an increase in salaries and benefits, professional service fees and office expenses. As a percentage of net revenues, general and administrative expenses decreased from 6.8% in 2013 to 6.1% in 2014. Our general and administrative expenses for 2014 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB20.6 million, compared to RMB11.7 million in 2013.

Product Development Expenses. Our product development expenses increased by 94.0% from RMB81.7 million in 2013 to RMB158.4 million in 2014, primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefits in line with an increase in the number of product development personnel including additional senior engineers to enhance our product development capabilities, especially in our growth initiatives, such as mobile platforms. As a percentage of net revenues, product development expenses increased from 6.7% in 2013 to 7.4% in 2014. Our product development expenses for 2014 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB13.4 million, compared to RMB3.0 million in 2013.

Income before Income Taxes. Our income before income taxes increased by 65.6% from RMB568.5 million in 2013 to RMB941.5 million in 2014.

Income Tax Expense. We incurred income tax expense of RMB192.8 million in 2014, compared with RMB112.3 million in 2013, primarily due to the growth of our income before income taxes. As a percentage of our income before income taxes, our income tax expenses were 19.8% in 2013 and 20.5% in 2014.

Net Income. As a result of the foregoing, we had net income of RMB748.7 million in 2014, compared with net income of RMB456.2 million in 2013.

Inflation

Since our inception, inflation in China has not materially impacted our results of operations. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the consumer price index in China increased by 2.6%, 2.0% and 1.4% in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and the year-over-year percent changes in the consumer price index for December 2013, 2014, and 2015 were increases of 2.5%, 1.5% and 1.6%, respectively. Although we have not in the past been materially affected by inflation since our inception, we can provide no assurance that we will not be affected in the future by higher rates of inflation in China.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (“ASU 2015-11”). The amendments in this update simplify the measurement of inventory. ASU 2015-11 states that an entity should measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The adoption of the guidance is not expected to have significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers-Deferral of the effective date (“ASU 2015-14”). The amendments in ASU 2015-14 defer the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers issued in May 2014. According to the amendments in ASU 2015-14, the new revenue guidance ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. We are in the process of evaluating contracts with our customers under the new standard and cannot currently estimate the financial statement impact of adoption.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes-Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU 2015-17”). The amendments in this update simplify the presentation of deferred income taxes. ASU 2015-17 requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The amendments in ASU 2015-17 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The adoption of the guidance is not expected to have significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

B.	Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash Flows and Working Capital

Our principal sources of liquidity are cash generated from our operating activities and our issuance of ADSs. In December 2013, we completed our initial public offering and raised net proceeds of US$142.6 million, after deducting underwriting commissions and discounts and expenses. In November 2014, we completed our 2014 Offering and raised net proceeds of US$97.3 million, after deducting underwriting commissions and discounts and expenses. Our principal uses of cash for 2013, 2014 and 2015 were operating activities, including employee compensation, tax expenses, marketing expenses, bandwidth and IDC costs and purchase of vehicles, investments and capital expenditures. As of December 31, 2015, we had RMB2,152.6 million (US$$332.3 million) in cash and cash equivalents.

We believe that our current cash and anticipated cash flow from operations, together with the net proceeds that we received from our equity offerings, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs, including our cash needs for at least the next 12 months. We may require additional cash due to unanticipated business conditions or other future developments. If our existing cash is insufficient to meet our requirements, we may seek to sell additional equity securities, debt securities or secure debt funding from financial institutions.

We expect to continue to accrue for staff welfare benefits including medical insurance, housing funds, pension benefits, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance and work-related injury insurance based on certain percentages of the employees’ respective salaries and to make cash contributions to state-sponsored plans out of the amounts accrued. The amount of such cash contributions may increase due to our expanding workforce as we grow our business or increase wage levels. However, we do not expect that any such increases will have a material effect on our liquidity.

The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the years indicated.


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
	(in thousands)
Net cash generated from operating activities		593,893			1,023,743			1,461,841			225,669
Net cash used in investing activities		(45,943	)		(1,759,517	)		(407,657	)		(62,931	)
Net cash generated from financing activities		169,298			647,396			30,200			4,662
Effect of exchange rate on cash and cash equivalents		789			4,181			13,847			2,138
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		718,037			(84,197	)		1,098,231			169,538

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		420,576			1,138,613			1,054,416			162,773

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		1,138,613			1,054,416			2,152,647			332,311

Operating Activities

Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB1,461.8 million (US$225.7 million) for 2015. This amount was primarily attributable to net income of RMB990.6 million (US$152.9 million), (a) adjusted for (i) certain non-cash expenses, primarily share-based compensation expenses of RMB107.9 million (US$16.7 million), depreciation of property and equipment of RMB51.3 million (US$7.9 million) and deferred income taxes of RMB6.5 million (US$1.0 million), and (ii) changes in operating assets and liabilities that positively affected operating cash flow, primarily an increase in deferred revenue of RMB433.7 million (US$67.0 million) and an increase in accrued expenses and other payables of RMB316.7 million (US$48.9 million), and (b) partially offset by changes in operating assets and liabilities that negatively affected operating cash flow, primarily an increase in accounts receivable of RMB340.9 million (US$52.6 million) and increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets of RMB264.4 million (US$40.8 million) and inventories of RMB111.7 (US$17.2 million). The increase in deferred revenues was mainly attributable to the growth of our dealer subscription services. The increase in accrued expenses and other payables was mainly due to the increase in accrued rebates to advertising agencies in accordance with growth of revenue and accrual for the year-end bonuses to employees during the period. The increase in accounts receivable was primarily due to the increase of our advertising services. The increase in prepaid expenses and inventories was mainly due to the advance payment for and purchase of vehicles.

Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB1,023.7 million for 2014. This amount was primarily attributable to net income of RMB748.7 million, (a) adjusted for (i) certain non-cash expenses, primarily share-based compensation expenses of RMB56.7 million, depreciation of property and equipment of RMB35.1 million and deferred income taxes of RMB5.3 million, and (ii) changes in operating assets and liabilities that positively affected operating cash flow, primarily an increase in deferred revenue of RMB225.6 million and an increase in accrued expenses and other payables of RMB201.4 million, and (b) partially offset by changes in operating assets and liabilities that negatively affected operating cash flow, primarily an increase in accounts receivable of RMB271.0 million. The increase in deferred revenues was mainly attributable to the growth of our dealer subscription services. The increase in accounts receivable was primarily due to the increase of our advertising service sales. The increase in accrued expenses and other payables was mainly due to the increase in accrued rebates to advertising agencies in accordance with growth of revenue and accrual for the year-end bonuses to employees during the period.

Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB593.9 million for 2013. This amount was primarily attributable to net income of RMB456.2 million, (a) adjusted for (i) certain non-cash expenses, primarily share-based compensation expenses of RMB25.6 million, depreciation of property and equipment of RMB25.5 million and deferred income taxes of RMB3.3 million, and (ii) changes in operating assets and liabilities that positively affected operating cash flow, primarily an increase in deferred revenue of RMB118.8 million and an increase in accrued expenses and other payables of RMB97.8 million, and (b) partially offset by changes in operating assets and liabilities that negatively affected operating cash flow, primarily an increase in accounts receivable of RMB139.9 million. The increase in deferred revenues was mainly attributable to the subscription fees we received from our growing number of dealer subscribers. The increase in accounts receivable was primarily due to the increase in our advertising services sales. The increase in accrued expenses and other payables was mainly due to accrued rebates to advertising agencies in accordance with growth of revenue and accrual for the year-end bonuses to employees during the period.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities was RMB407.7 million (US$62.9 million) in 2015, which was primarily attributable to the purchase of term deposits, the investment in our new joint ventures and the purchase of property and equipment.

Net cash used in investing activities was RMB1,759.5 million in 2014, which was primarily attributable to the purchase of term deposits.

Net cash used in investing activities amounted to RMB45.9 million in 2013, primarily attributable to the purchase of property and equipment.

Financing Activities

Net cash generated from financing activities in 2015 was RMB30.2 million (US$4.7 million), which was attributable to proceeds from exercise of share-based awards.

Net cash generated from financing activities in 2014 was RMB647.4 million, which was primarily attributable to the net proceeds from our 2014 Offering of RMB604.0 million and the decrease in restricted cash of RMB245.0 million, partially offset by the payment of the final installment for the repurchase of common stock from Mr. Jiang Lan, a former director of our company, of RMB227.0 million, pursuant to the West Crest Share Purchase. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions—Transactions with Entities Affiliated with Our Shareholders” for more information.

Net cash generated from financing activities in 2013 was RMB169.3 million, mainly attributable to the net proceeds from our initial public offering of RMB863.2 million, partially offset by the payments of dividends amounting to RMB220.9 million, net of withholding taxes paid in June and July 2013 to all of our shareholders and the payment of the first installment for the repurchase of common stock from Mr. Jiang Lan of RMB230.3 million, pursuant to for the West Crest Share Purchase. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transaction—Transactions with Entities Affiliated with Our Shareholders” for more information.

In connection with financing the first installment payable to Mr. Jiang Lan under the West Crest Share Purchase, we entered into a short-term loan facility agreement with The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Hong Kong, on November 18, 2013 in the amount of RMB230.3 million. The term of this loan was three months, with an interest rate of LIBOR plus 0.9% and a maturity of three months from the date of first drawdown. This short-term facility was secured by RMB denominated bank deposits of RMB245.0 million placed with HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited, which increased restricted cash for 2013. We repaid this loan in full in 2013 and subsequently the pledged RMB denominated bank deposits were released in early 2014.

Capital Expenditures

Cash outflow in connection with capital expenditures amounted to RMB46.5 million, RMB42.8 million and RMB89.2 million (US$13.8 million) in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. These capital expenditures were primarily used to purchase equipment for our business and leasehold improvements.

Holding Company Structure

Our ability to pay dividends is primarily dependent on our receiving distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by our PRC subsidiaries only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. The results of operations reflected in the consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP differ from those reflected in the statutory financial statements of our PRC subsidiaries.

Under PRC law, our PRC subsidiaries are required to provide for certain statutory reserves, namely a general reserve, an enterprise expansion fund and a staff welfare and bonus fund and allocate at least 10% of their after-tax profits on an individual company basis as determined under PRC accounting standards to the general reserve, and have the right to discontinue allocations to the general reserve if such reserve has reached 50% of registered capital on an individual company basis. In addition, they are also required to make appropriations to the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund at the discretion of their respective boards of directors. Our VIEs in the PRC are also subject to similar statutory reserve requirements. These reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. As of December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs had appropriated RMB7.1 million, RMB8.8 million and RMB19.2 million (US$3.0 million), respectively, of retained earnings for their statutory reserves.

As a result of these PRC laws and regulations, prior to allocations of after-tax profits to the statutory reserves, our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to us.

Foreign exchange and other regulation in the PRC may further restrict our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs from transferring funds to us in the form of dividends, loans and advances. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the amounts of the net restricted assets of our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs were RMB2,626.1 million and RMB3,740.5 million (US$577.4 million), respectively.

C.	Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, Etc.

Technology and Product Development

A key component of our user-centric strategy is our user intelligence engine which we have developed and are continually enhancing. Our user intelligence engine allows us to rapidly gather user intelligence by analyzing large amounts of data from many sources throughout our content production system. We can utilize such user intelligence data to personalize user interfaces, associate and understand the relationship of information from different sources and facilitate interactions among users and various elements on our websites and mobile applications. It also helps us recommend suitable products, services and user connections to our users. Through our user intelligence engine, we can engage our users more closely by providing them with relevant content. We are also able to provide precision marketing services to our automakers, dealers and other automotive-related customers so that they can deliver relevant advertisements to targeted users who are more receptive to such marketing information.

We distribute our web content to numerous network nodes close to our users by utilizing the content delivery networks, allowing most of our user communications to bypass internet congestion. With our technological expertise, we manage the content delivery networks to enhance our website responsiveness and to improve user experience. As such, we believe our websites have a performance advantage over other automotive websites.

We invested heavily in mobile technologies and were among the earliest in our industry in China to introduce a mobile version of our websites and both Apple iOS- and Android-based applications to allow our users to easily access our content. We have built up a team of 179 research and development personnel as of December 31, 2015, to focus exclusively on the development of our mobile websites and applications and to explore new business models and opportunities through mobile technology. We plan to continue to leverage our mobile technology to develop more applications for Apple iOS- and Android- platforms focusing on convenience, real-time interaction and location based services.

We had an experienced product development team of 787 engineers as of December 31, 2015. Our past innovation has focused on helping users research, select and purchase suitable automobiles through our websites. We plan to develop additional products and services for our transaction business, mobile applications and media-related technology. Our product development expenses were RMB81.7 million, RMB158.4 million and RMB273.9 million (US$42.3 million) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Intellectual Property

We hold LOGO and LOGO (both mean “auto home” in English) and “AUTOHOME®” trademarks in China. In addition, as at December 31, 2015, we held 211 pending trademark applications and 93 registered trademarks in China. As at the same date, we had 45 registered names, including our main website domain names, autohome.com.cn and che168.com, 92 pending patent applications and 19 registered patents.

D.	Trend Information

Other than as disclosed elsewhere in this annual report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or events since the beginning of our fiscal year 2015 that are reasonably likely to have a material effect on our net revenues, income from operations, profitability, liquidity or capital resources, or that would cause the disclosed financial information to be not necessarily indicative of future operating results or financial condition.

E.	Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have not entered into any financial guarantees or other commitments to guarantee the payment obligations of any third parties. We have not entered into any derivative contracts that are indexed to our shares and classified as shareholder’s equity, or that are not reflected in our consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, we do not have any retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to such entity. We do not have any variable interest in any unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit support to us or engages in leasing, hedging or research and development services with us.

F.	Tabular Disclosure of Contractual Obligations

The following summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2015:

Payments Due by Period

Less Than 1
Year

1 to 3 Years

3 to 5 Years

More than 5
Years

Total

(in thousands of RMB)

Operating lease obligations⁽¹⁾

66,352

51,504

—

117,856

(1)	Operating lease obligations primarily related to the lease of office space.

Rental expenses for the years ended December 31,2013, 2014 and 2015 were RMB17.9 million, RMB30.5 million and RMB49.9 million (US$7.7 million), respectively.

As of December 31, 2015, the Company had commitment to make an investment of RMB10 million in a joint venture to be established, accounting for a 20% shareholding. The joint venture is expected to provide data searching and analysis service.

G.	Safe Harbor

See “Forward-Looking Statements” on page 2 of this annual report.

ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES

A.	Directors and Senior Management

The following table sets forth information regarding our directors and executive officers as of the date of this annual report.


Directors and Executive Officers	Age	Position/Title
Timothy Y. (Tim) Chen	59	Chairman of the Board
James Zhi Qin	43	Director and Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Penn	52	Director
Xiang Li	34	Director
Nicholas Yik Kay Chong	48	Chief Financial Officer
Cynthia Whelan	46	Director
Han Willem Kotterman	50	Director
Ruey-Bin Kao	55	Director
Ted Tak-Tai Lee	65	Independent Director
Guangfu Cui	47	Independent Director
Junling Liu	51	Independent Director

Timothy Y. (Tim) Chen has served as our chairman of the board since 2012. He joined Asia Pacific Telecom as the General Manager since January 2016. He served as the president and group managing director of Telstra International Group and Advisor to Telstra CEO from November 2012 to December 2015. He is also a director of China Communications Media Group Co. Ltd., Qingdao Haier. He was a non-executive director on the board of directors of Telstra Corporation Limited between April 2012 and November 2012 and a director of Sequel Media Inc. between November 2012 and November 2014. Previously, Mr. Chen was a partner of a China Opportunities Fund within GL Capital Group. He was the CEO of National Basketball Association China from 2007 to 2010, the corporate vice president of Microsoft and the CEO of its Greater China region from 2003 to 2007, the corporate vice president of Motorola and the chairman and president of Motorola (China) Electronics from 2001 to 2003. Before Motorola, he was the CEO of 21CN Cybernet, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, from 2000 to 2001. Prior to 2000, Mr. Chen spent eight years in China with Motorola, including serving as the general manager responsible for the sales and marketing for the Greater China Cellular Infrastructure Division. He also spent nine years with AT&T Bell Laboratories in the United States. Mr. Chen holds an MBA degree from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in both computer science and mathematics from Ohio State University.

James Zhi Qin has served as our director since 2008 and chief executive officer since 2009. Mr. Qin is also a director of Sequel Media. Mr. Qin joined our company in 2007 and prior to joining us, from 2006 to 2007, Mr. Qin was the chief operating officer of 265.com, an internet company providing website directory service, which was acquired by Google in 2007. Mr. Qin worked for McKinsey & Company as an associate from 2005 to 2006 and Northern Telecom Limited as a software engineer from 1999 to 2003. Prior to that, Mr. Qin was employed at IBM Corporation from 1996 to 1998 and Hughes Network Systems from 1995 to 1996. Mr. Qin earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Tsinghua University in 1995, a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Iowa in 1999, and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 2005.

Andrew Penn has served as our director since March 2012. Andrew is the Chief Executive Officer of Telstra Corporation Limited since May 1, 2015. He joined Telstra in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer and was also appointed Group Executive International in 2014. Prior to that, Mr. Penn had a career at AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited spanning twenty years, where he served in a variety of senior finance, strategy and executive roles, including group Chief Executive Officer from 2006 to 2011. Mr. Penn holds an MBA degree from Kingston University, London and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s advanced management program. He is a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

Xiang Li has served as our director since 2008. He served as our president from May 2013 to June 2015 and executive vice president between 2008 and May 2013. Mr. Li is also a director of Sequel Media. In 2005, Mr. Li founded our autohome.com.cn website providing online advertising services to the automotive industry. In 2000, Mr. Li founded pcpop.com website, which began commercial operations in 2003. Pcpop.com focuses on providing marketing services for the information technology industry and was operated through China Topside. Pcpop.com was spun off from our company in June 2011.

Nicholas Yik Kay Chong has served as our chief financial officer since February 2014. He served as our co-chief financial officer between September 2013 and February 2014. Mr. Chong has over 22 years of experience in the fast-moving consumer goods, IT and sporting goods industries. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Chong was a director and the group chief financial officer of Li Ning Sports Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Mr. Chong served in a variety of senior finance and management roles at Dell China from 2001 to 2009 and Procter & Gamble Singapore and China from 1991 to 2001. Mr. Chong holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics and business studies from National University of Singapore.

Cynthia Whelan has served as our director since December 10, 2013. Ms. Whelan was appointed to the role of Group Executive International and New Businesses within Telstra in October 2015. In this role, Cynthia is responsible for a number of Telstra’s key growth businesses including Telstra Health, Telstra Ventures, Telstra Home and Premium Services. She is also responsible for the company’s international operations as Telstra expands in global markets. Ms. Whelan joined Telstra in August 2013 as the Group Managing Director Strategic Finance. Prior to that, she was with Barclays Bank PLC, Australia Branch where she held the role of chief executive officer, Australia/New Zealand for three years. Over her ten years at Barclays, Ms. Whelan held a variety of roles including managing director and head of Asia Pacific capital markets, based in Hong Kong. During her investment banking career spanning more than 20 years, Ms. Whelan worked in Australia for Barclays, UBS, Merrill Lynch and Westpac. Ms. Whelan was previously a director of Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and Australian Financial Markets Association. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Japanese studies) from the University of New South Wales and a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.

Han Willem Kotterman has served as our director since December 10, 2013. Mr. Kotterman is the COO of Telstra International Group, based in Hong Kong. Mr. Kotterman joined Telstra from CSL Limited where he held the position of acting chief executive officer and executive vice president, customer service and operations. Mr. Kotterman has over 20 years of experience in telecommunications, management consulting, and international corporate tax law across Europe, Asia and North America. Before joining CSL Limited, Mr. Kotterman was a senior strategy consultant in Accenture’s Wireless Communications Practice based in New York. In this role, Mr. Kotterman advised the leading U.S. wireless operators in the areas of corporate strategy and merger integration, and was involved in executing several large industry mergers in the North American wireless industry. Mr. Kotterman holds an MBA degree from Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia in finance and strategic management and a master of laws degree in international corporate taxation from Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Ruey-Bin Kao has served as our director since February 20, 2014. Dr. Kao was named CEO of Telstra Greater China in January 2014. Based in Beijing, he is responsible for developing Telstra’s integrated service capabilities and identifying strategic areas to grow the business in the rapidly evolving Greater China market. He has more than 25 years of technology and management experience in the U.S. and Asia, and has served in many senior positions, including as country president of Applied Materials China. Prior to that, he was the managing director and vice president of Enterprise Business in Hewlett Packard China and the chairman of Motorola (China) Electronics Limited and Motorola Asia Pacific Business Council. He holds directorships at China National Travel Service (HK) Group Corporation, one of the largest diversified comprehensive travel groups in China, and Want-Want China Holdings Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He is also a former director at Shenhua Group Corporation Limited, a diversified energy enterprise. Dr. Kao holds a bachelor of science degree in computer science from Tam-Kang University, a master of science degree in computer and information science from the University of Delaware and a doctorate of business administration from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Ted Tak-Tai Lee has served as our independent director since December 10, 2013. Mr. Lee is the managing director of T Plus Capital Ltd., a firm he founded in 2007 that provides strategic, financial and business development advisory services to accounting, financial valuation services and human resources firms in China. Mr. Lee is also an independent director and chairman of the audit committee of Daphne International Holding Limited, a Hong Kong listed company, and a director of Shriro Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, a privately held company established in China. From September 2007 to April 2009, he was an executive director at Prax Capital, a private equity firm specializing in China-focused investments. Mr. Lee was a senior partner at Deloitte where he worked for 31 years in the United States and Asia. Mr. Lee is an AICPA certified public accountant (inactive) and received his MBA degree from the University of Southern California in 1979 and his bachelor’s degree in accounting from California State University, Fresno in 1973.

Guangfu Cui has served as our independent director since December 9, 2014. Mr. Cui served as the Chief Executive Officer of eLong, Inc., a company listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, from October 2007 to June 2015, and as a director of eLong, Inc. from February 2011 to May 2015. Prior to joining eLong, Inc., Mr. Cui was the Managing Director for FedEx Kinko’s China for more than three years. Prior to FedEx Kinko’s, Mr. Cui worked for Procter & Gamble for over 12 years, including two and half years working in the United States. Mr. Cui holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Peking University, an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Junling Liu has served as our independent director since January 12, 2015. Mr. Liu is the co-founder and Chairman of New Peak Group, a leading digital and mobile health group in China since 2015. Before joining New Peak Group, he was the co-founder and chief executive officer of Yihaodian. Prior to that, Mr. Liu was the co-president of Dell China and Hong Kong. Prior to that, he was a managing director of Avaya China. Mr. Liu received his Master of International Business Administration from Flinders University in Australia.

B.	Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, we incurred an aggregate compensation expense of approximately RMB12.97 million (US$2.0 million) for our executive officers and directors (not including share-based compensation expenses). Our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are required by law to make contributions equal to certain percentages of each employee’s salary for his or her pension insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, housing fund and other statutory benefits. Other than the above-mentioned statutory contributions mandated by applicable PRC law, we have not set aside or accrued any amount to provide pension, retirement or other similar benefits to our executive officers and directors. For additional information on share incentive grants to our directors and executive officers, see “— Share Incentive Plans.”

Employment Agreements

We have entered into employment agreements with each of our executive officers through Autohome WFOE. Under these agreements, each of our executive officers is employed for a specified time period. We may terminate employment for cause at any time without advance notice or remuneration for certain acts of the executive officer, such as a conviction or plea of guilty to a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, negligent or dishonest acts to our detriment, or misconduct or a failure to perform agreed duties. In such case, the executive officer will not be entitled to receive payment of any severance benefits or other amounts by reason of the termination, and the executive officer’s right to all other benefits will terminate, except as required by any applicable law. We may also terminate an executive officer’s employment without cause upon one-month advance written notice. In such case of termination by us, we are required to provide compensation to the executive officer, including cash compensation equivalent to three months of the executive officer’s salary. The executive officer may terminate the employment at any time with a one-month advance written notice, if there is any significant change in the executive officer’s duties and responsibilities inconsistent in any material and adverse respect with his or her title and position, or a material reduction in the executive officer’s annual salary before the next annual salary review, or if otherwise approved by the board of directors.

Each executive officer has agreed to hold, both during and after the termination or expiry of his or her employment agreement, in strict confidence and not to use, except as required in the performance of his duties in connection with the employment, any of our confidential information or trade secrets, any confidential information or trade secrets of our clients or prospective clients, or the confidential or proprietary information of any third party received by us and for which we have confidential obligations. The executive officers have also agreed to disclose in confidence to us all inventions, designs and trade secrets which they conceive, develop or reduce to practice and to assign all right, title and interest in them to us, and assist us in obtaining patents, copyrights and other legal rights for these inventions, designs and trade secrets.

In addition, each executive officer has agreed to be bound by non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions during the term of his or her employment. Specifically, each executive officer has agreed not to (a) approach our clients, advertisers or contacts or other persons or entities introduced to the executive officer for the purpose of doing business with such persons or entities that will harm our business relationships with these persons or entities; (b) assume employment with or provide services to any of our competitors, or engage, whether as principal, partner, licensor or otherwise, any of our competitors; or (c) seek directly or indirectly, to solicit the services of any of our employees who is employed by us on or after the date of the executive officer’s termination, or in the year preceding such termination.

Share Incentive Plans

2011 Share Incentive Plan

On May 4, 2011, we adopted our 2011 Share Incentive Plan to attract and retain the best available personnel, provide additional incentives to employees, directors and consultants and promote the success of our business. The maximum aggregate number of our Class A ordinary shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the 2011 Share Incentive Plan, as currently in effect, is 7,843,100. As of February 29, 2016, options to purchase 2,570,765 Class A ordinary shares under the 2011 Share Incentive Plan at an exercise price of US$2.20 were outstanding. The following table summarizes, as of February 29, 2016, the outstanding options we had granted to our directors, officers and other individuals under our 2011 Share Incentive Plan:

Name

Options

Exercise Price
(US$/Share)

Date of Grant

Date of
Expiration

Vesting Schedule

James Zhi Qin

US$

2.20

May 6, 2011

May 5, 2021

Other individuals as a group

2,370,765

US$

2.20

May 6, 2011

August 1, 2011

October 8, 2011

December 19, 2011

July 1, 2012

May 27, 2013

October 22, 2013

January 16, 2014

Ten years after
grant date

Approximately
4 years from
each date of
grant

*	Less than one percent of our total outstanding share capital.

**	25% of the awards vested on each of January 1, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

The following paragraphs describe the principal terms of the 2011 Share Incentive Plan:

Types of awards. The Plan permits the awards of incentive and non-statutory share-based awards, share appreciation rights, restricted shares and restricted share units. The following briefly describes the principal features of the various awards that may be granted under the 2011 Share Incentive Plan.

•

Options. The administrator may grant incentive stock options, or ISOs, or non-statutory stock options, NSOs, under our 2011 Share Incentive Plan. Unless the administrator determines otherwise, the exercise price of options granted under our 2011 Share Incentive Plan must at least be equal to the fair market value of our ordinary shares on the date of grant and its term may not exceed ten years. In addition, for any participant who owns more than 10% of the total combined voting rights of all classes of our outstanding shares, or of certain of our parent or subsidiary, the term of an ISO must not exceed five years and the exercise price of such ISO must equal at least 110% of the fair market value on the grant date. The administrator determines the term of all other options.

After termination of an employee, director or consultant, he or she may exercise his or her option, to the extent vested as of such date of termination, within 60 days of termination, or such longer period of time stated in the option agreement. In the absence of a specified period of time in the option agreement, the option will remain exercisable for a period of 12 months in the event of a termination due to death or disability. However, in no event may an option be exercised later than the expiration of its term.

•

Share appreciation rights. Share appreciation rights may be granted under our 2011 Share Incentive Plan. Share appreciation rights allow the recipient to receive the appreciation in the fair market value of our ordinary shares between the exercise date and the date of grant. The exercise price of share appreciation rights granted under our 2011 Share Incentive Plan must at least be equal to the fair market value of our ordinary shares on the date of grant. The administrator determines the terms of share appreciation rights, including when such rights vest and become exercisable and whether to settle such awards in cash or with our ordinary shares, or a combination thereof. Share appreciation rights expire under the same rules that apply to options.

•

Restricted shares. Restricted shares may be granted under our 2011 Share Incentive Plan. Restricted share awards are Class A ordinary shares that are subject to various restrictions, including restrictions on transferability and forfeiture provisions. Restricted shares will vest and the restrictions on such shares will lapse, in accordance with terms and conditions established by the administrator. The administrator will determine the number of restricted shares granted to any employee. The administrator may impose whatever conditions to vesting it determines to be appropriate. For example, the administrator may set restrictions based on the achievement of specific performance goals and/or continued service to us. Holders of restricted share awards generally will have voting rights but not dividend rights, unless the administrator provides otherwise. Restricted shares that do not vest for any reason will be forfeited by the recipient and will revert to us.

•

Restricted Share Units. A restricted share unit award is the grant of the right to receive an ordinary share at a future date and may be subject to forfeiture. Our plan administrator has the discretion to set performance objectives or other vesting criteria that will determine the number or value of restricted share units to be granted. Unless otherwise determined by our plan administrator, a restricted share unit is nontransferable and may be forfeited or repurchased by us upon termination of employment or service during a restricted period. Our plan administrator, at the time of grant, specifies the dates on which the restricted share units become fully vested.

Administration. Our board of directors or the compensation committee of our board of directors administers our 2011 Share Incentive Plan. Subject to the provisions of our 2011 Share Incentive Plan, the administrator has the power to determine the terms of the awards, including the recipients, the exercise price, the number of shares subject to each such award, the vesting schedule applicable to the awards, together with any vesting acceleration, and the form of consideration payable upon exercise. The administrator also has the authority to modify or amend awards, to prescribe rules and to construe and interpret the 2011 Share Incentive Plan. Our board of directors may delegate limited authority to additional committees with respect to certain employees and consultants to reduce the burden on the board in administering the 2011 Share Incentive Plan.

Award Agreement. Options, share appreciation rights, restricted shares, or restricted share units granted under the plan are evidenced by an award agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions, and limitations for each grant.

Eligibility. We may grant awards to our employees, directors and consultants of our company. However, we may grant options that are intended to qualify as incentive share-based awards only to our employees and employees of our parent companies and subsidiaries.

Transferability. Unless the administrator provides otherwise, our 2011 Share Incentive Plan does not allow for the transfer of awards other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and only the recipient of an award may exercise an award during his or her lifetime.

Certain adjustments. In the event of certain changes in our capitalization, to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits available under the 2011 Share Incentive Plan, the administrator will make adjustments to one or more of the number and class of shares that may be delivered under the plan and/or the number, class and price of shares covered by each outstanding award and the numerical share limits contained in the plan. In the event of our proposed liquidation or dissolution, the administrator will notify participants as soon as practicable and all awards will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed transaction.

Change in control transactions. Our 2011 Share Incentive Plan provides that in the event of our merger or change in control, as defined in the 2011 Share Incentive Plan, each outstanding award will be treated as the administrator determines, except that if the successor corporation or its parent or subsidiary does not assume or substitute an equivalent award for each outstanding option or share appreciation right, then such option or share appreciation right will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the administrator in its sole discretion. The option or share appreciation right will then terminate upon the expiration of the specified period of time.

Amendment and Termination. Our board of directors has the authority to amend, suspend or terminate the 2011 Share Incentive Plan.

2013 Share Incentive Plan

We adopted the 2013 Share Incentive Plan in November 2013. The maximum aggregate number of Class A ordinary shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the 2013 Share Incentive Plan is 3,350,000. As of February 29, 2016, 1,463,915 restricted shares under the 2013 Share Incentive plan were outstanding. The following table summarizes, as of February 29, 2016, the outstanding awards we granted under the 2013 Share Incentive Plan:


Name	Restricted Shares	Date of Grant	Vesting Schedule
Nicholas Yik Kay Chong	*	November 4, 2013	**
James Zhi Qin	*	January 23, 2015	***
		October 30, 2015	***
Ted Tak-Tai Lee	*	April 30, 2015	****
Guangfu Cui	*	April 30, 2015	****
Junling Liu	*	April 30, 2015	****
Directors and officers as a group	*	November 4, 2013	**
		January 23, 2015	***
		April 30, 2015 October 30, 2015	** *
Other individuals as a group	*	May 8, 2014 October 9, 2014 January 23, 2015 April 1, 2015 August 19, 2015 October 1, 2015	Approximately 4 years from each date of grant

*	Less than one percent of our total outstanding share capital.

**	25% of the restricted shares vested on each of September 29, 2014 and September 29, 2015, and the remaining restricted shares will vest on each of September 29, 2016 and September 29, 2017.

***	25% of the restricted shares vested on January 1, 2016, and the remaining restricted shares will vest on each of January 1, 2017, January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2019.

****	25% of the restricted shares vested on various dates ranging from December 8, 2015 to January 11, 2016 and the remaining restricted shares will vest on an annual basis thereafter.

The following paragraphs summarize the terms of the 2013 Share Incentive Plan:

Types of awards. The 2013 Share Incentive Plan permits the awards of options, restricted shares and restricted share units. The following briefly describe the principal features of the various awards that may be granted under the 2013 Share Incentive Plan.

•

Options. Options provide for the right to purchase a specified number of our ordinary shares at a specified price and usually will become exercisable at the discretion of our plan administrator in one or more installments after the grant date. The option exercise price may be paid, subject to the discretion of the plan administrator, in cash or check, in our ordinary shares which have been held by the option holder for such period of time as may be required by our plan administrator, in other property with value equal to the exercise price, through a broker-assisted cashless exercise, or by any combination of the foregoing.

•

Restricted Shares. A restricted share award is the grant of our ordinary shares which are subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture. Unless otherwise determined by our plan administrator, a restricted share is nontransferable and may be forfeited or repurchased by us upon termination of employment or service during a restricted period. Our plan administrator may also impose other restrictions on the restricted shares, such as limitations on the right to vote or the right to receive dividends.

•

Restricted share units. A restricted share unit award is the grant of the right to receive an ordinary share at a future date and may be subject to forfeiture. Our plan administrator has the discretion to set performance objectives or other vesting criteria that will determine the number or value of restricted share units to be granted. Unless otherwise determined by our plan administrator, a restricted share unit is nontransferable and may be forfeited or repurchased by us upon termination of employment or service during a restricted period. Our plan administrator, at the time of grant, specifies the dates on which the restricted share units become fully vested.

Plan Administration. Our board or a committee of one or more members of our board duly authorized for the purpose of the 2013 Share Incentive Plan can act as the plan administrator.

Award Agreement. Options, restricted shares or restricted share units granted under the 2013 Share Incentive Plan are evidenced by an award agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each grant.

Exercise Price. The exercise price in respect of any option shall be determined by the plan administrator and set forth in the award agreement which may be a fixed or variable price related to the fair market value of the shares. The exercise price per share subject to an option may be amended or adjusted in the absolute discretion of the plan administrator, the determination of which shall be final, binding and conclusive.

Eligibility. We may grant awards to our directors, employees or consultants.

Term of the Options. The term of each option grant shall be no more than ten years from the date of the grant.

Vesting Schedule. In general, the plan administrator determines the vesting schedule, which is set forth in the award agreement.

Transfer Restrictions. Unless otherwise determined by the plan administrator, no awards may be transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Nevertheless, awards (other than incentive share-based awards) can be transferred to certain persons or entities related to the plan participants.

Termination. The 2013 Share Incentive Plan will expire ten years after it became effective and may be terminated earlier with the approval of our board.

2016 Share Incentive Plan

Our board of directors adopted the 2016 Share Incentive Plan in February 2016 pending ratification by our shareholders within 12 months. The maximum aggregate number of Class A ordinary shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan is 4,890,000. As of February 29, 2016, options to purchase 3,032,500 Class A ordinary shares under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan at an exercise price of US$23.97 were outstanding. No shares will be issued pursuant to awards granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan prior to the ratification of the 2016 Share Incentive Plan by our shareholders. In the event that the 2016 Share Incentive Plan is not ratified by our shareholders, all awards granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan will be null and void. The following table summarizes, as of February 29, 2016, the outstanding options we had granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan:

Name

Options⁽¹⁾

Exercise
Price
(US$/Share)

Date of Grant

Date of Expiration

Vesting Schedule

James Zhi Qin

1,500,000

US$

23.97

February 15, 2016

February 14, 2026

Nicholas Yik Kay Chong

US$

23.97

February 15, 2016

February 14, 2026

***

Directors and officers as a group

1,600,000

US$

23.97

February 15, 2016

February 14, 2026

US$

23.97

February 15, 2016

February 14, 2026

***

Other individuals as a group

1,432,500

US$

23.97

February 15, 2016

February 14, 2026

Approximately 4 years
from the date of grant

⁽¹⁾

No shares will be issued pursuant to awards granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan prior to the ratification of the 2016 Share Incentive Plan by our shareholders. In the event that the 2016 Share Incentive Plan is not ratified by our shareholders, all awards granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan will be null and void.

*	Less than one percent of our total outstanding share capital.

**	25% of the awards will vest on each of January 1, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

***	50% of the awards will vest on each of October 30, 2018 and 2019.

The following paragraphs describe the principal terms of the 2016 Share Incentive Plan:

Types of awards. The 2016 Share Incentive Plan permits the awards of options, restricted shares and restricted share units. The following briefly describe the principal features of the various awards that may be granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan.

•

Plan Administration. Our board or a committee of one or more members of our board duly authorized for the purpose of the 2016 Share Incentive Plan can act as the plan administrator.

Award Agreement. Options, restricted shares or restricted share units granted under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan are evidenced by an award agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each grant.

Eligibility. We may grant awards to our directors, employees or consultants.

Term of the Options. The term of each option grant shall be no more than ten years from the date of the grant.

Vesting Schedule. In general, the plan administrator determines the vesting schedule, which is set forth in the award agreement.

Termination. The 2016 Share Incentive Plan will expire ten years after it became effective and may be terminated earlier with the approval of our board.

C.	Board Practices

Our board of directors consists of ten directors. A director is not required to hold any shares in the company by way of qualification. A director may vote with respect to any contract, proposed contract or arrangement in which he or she is materially interested provided (a) such director, if his or her interest in such contract or arrangement is material, has declared the nature of his or her interest at the earliest meeting of the board at which it is practicable for him or her to do so, either specifically or by way of a general notice and (b) if such contract or arrangement is a transaction with a related party, such transaction has been approved by the audit committee. The directors may exercise all the powers of the company to borrow money, mortgage its undertaking, property and uncalled capital, and issue debentures or other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any obligation of the company or of any third party. None of our non-executive directors has a service contract with us that provides for benefits upon termination of service.

Committees of the Board of Directors

We have established three committees under the board of directors: the audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee. We have adopted a charter for each of the three committees. Each committee’s members and functions are described below.

Audit Committee. Our audit committee consists of Messrs. Ted Tak-Tai Lee, Guangfu Cui and Junling Liu. Mr. Ted Tak-Tai Lee is the chairman of our audit committee. We have determined that Messrs. Ted Tak-Tai Lee, Guangfu Cui and Junling Liu satisfy the “independence” requirements of Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual and Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The audit committee oversees our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company. The audit committee is responsible for, among other things:

•

appointing the independent auditors and preapproving all auditing and nonauditing services permitted to be performed by the independent auditors;

•

reviewing with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response;

•

discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditors;

•

reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and internal control policies and procedures and any steps taken to monitor and control major financial risk exposures;

•

reviewing and approving all proposed related party transactions;

•

meeting separately and periodically with management and the independent auditors; and

•

monitoring compliance with our code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our procedures to ensure proper compliance.

Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee consists of Dr. Ruey-Bin Kao, Mr. Han Willem Kotterman, Ms. Cynthia Whelan, Mr. James Zhi Qin and Mr. Guangfu Cui. Dr. Ruey-Bin Kao is the chairman of our compensation committee. We have determined that Mr. Guangfu Cui satisfies the “independence” requirements of Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The compensation committee assists the board in reviewing and approving the compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers. Our chief executive officer may not be present at any committee meeting during which his compensation is deliberated. The compensation committee is responsible for, among other things:

•

reviewing and approving, or recommending to the board for its approval, the compensation for our chief executive officer and other executive officers;

•

reviewing and recommending to the board for determination with respect to the compensation of our nonemployee directors; and

•

reviewing periodically and approving any incentive compensation or equity plans, programs or similar arrangements.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of Messrs. Tim Chen, Andrew Penn, James Zhi Qin and Ted Tak-Tai Lee. Mr. Tim Chen is the chairperson of our nominating and corporate governance committee. We have determined that Mr. Ted Tak-Tai Lee satisfies the “independence” requirements of Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The nominating and corporate governance committee assists the board of directors in selecting individuals qualified to become our directors and in determining the composition of the board and its committees. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for, among other things:

•

selecting and recommending to the board nominees for election by the shareholders or appointment by the board;

•

reviewing annually with the board the current composition of the board with regards to characteristics such as independence, knowledge, skills, experience and diversity;

•

making recommendations on the frequency and structure of board meetings and monitoring the functioning of the committees of the board; and

•

advising the board periodically with regards to significant developments in the law and practice of corporate governance as well as our compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and making recommendations to the board on all matters of corporate governance and on any remedial action to be taken.

Duties of Directors

Under Cayman Islands law, our directors have a duty of loyalty to act honestly in good faith with a view to our best interests. Our directors also owe to our company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience. However, English and Commonwealth courts have moved towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our memorandum and articles of association. Our company has the right to seek damages if a duty owed by our directors is breached.

Terms of Directors and Officers

Our officers are elected by and serve at the discretion of the board of directors. At each annual general meeting, one-third of our directors then existing, or if their number is not a multiple of three, then the number nearest to and not exceeding one-third, shall retire from office by rotation, provided that (i) the chairman of the board and/or our chief executive officer shall not, whilst holding such office, be subject to retirement by rotation or be taken into account in determining the number of directors to retire in each year, and (ii) a director appointed by the Telstra Shareholder shall not be subject to retirement by rotation and should not be taken into account in determining the number of directors who are to retire by rotation, so long as the Telstra Shareholder holds at least 51% of the voting rights represented by our issued and outstanding voting shares.

D.	Employees

We had 1,191, 1,771 and 3,292 employees as of December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The following table sets forth the number of our employees by function as of December 31, 2015:


Functional Area	Number of Employees
Sales and marketing		2,044
Content and editorial		328
Product development		787
Management and administrative		133

Total		3,292

Our sales and marketing personnel increased from 975 as of December 31, 2014 to 2,044 as of December 31, 2015, as we were expanding our transaction business and our dealership network in 2015. Through a combination of short-term performance evaluations and long-term incentive arrangements, we intend to build a competent, loyal and highly motivated workforce. We have not experienced any work stoppages due to labor disputes.

E.	Share Ownership

Class A Ordinary Shares

As of February 29, 2016, we had 51,505,946 Class A ordinary shares outstanding (excluding 632,026 Class A ordinary shares that are reserved for future grants under our share incentive plans). In addition, as of February 29, 2016, we have granted, and have outstanding, options to purchase a total of 2,570,765 Class A ordinary shares and 1,463,915 restricted shares to our employees, directors and consultants. For information regarding the Share Incentive Plans, see “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers.”

Class B Ordinary Shares

As of February 29, 2016, we had 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares outstanding.

Beneficial Ownership of Ordinary Shares

Except as specifically noted in the table, the following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of February 29, 2016:

•

each of our directors and executive officers; and

•

each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of our ordinary shares.

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, we have included shares that the person has the right to acquire within 60 days, including through the exercise of any option, warrant or other right or the conversion of any other security. These shares, however, are not included in the computation of the percentage ownership of any other person.


	Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned as of February 29, 2016
	Class A						Class B					% of Voting Rights⁽²⁾
	Number			%⁽¹⁾			Number		%⁽¹⁾
Directors and Executive Officers:
Timothy Y. (Tim) Chen⁽³⁾		—			—			—		—			—
James Zhi Qin⁽⁴⁾		3,340,025			2.9	%		—		—			2.9	%
Andrew Penn⁽⁵⁾		—			—			—		—			—
Xiang Li⁽⁶⁾		3,000,000			2.6	%		—		—			2.6	%
Nicholas Yik Kay Chong⁽⁷⁾			*			*		—		—				*
Cynthia Whelan⁽⁸⁾		—			—			—		—			—
Han Willem Kotterman⁽⁹⁾		—			—			—		—			—
Ruey-Bin Kao⁽¹⁰⁾		—			—			—		—			—
Ted Tak-Tai Lee⁽¹¹⁾			*			*		—		—				*
Guangfu Cui⁽¹²⁾			*			*		—		—				*
Junling Liu⁽¹³⁾			*			*		—		—				*
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group		6,507,302			5.7	%		—		—			5.7	%
Principal Shareholders:
Telstra Holdings Pty Limited⁽¹⁴⁾		—			—			61,824,328		54.6	%		54.6	%

*	Less than one percent of our total outstanding share capital.

(1)

For each person and group included in this column, percentage ownership is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person or group by the sum of the total number of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares outstanding, which is 113,330,274 as of February 29, 2016, and the number of shares such person or group has the right to acquire upon exercise of option, warrant or other right within 60 days after February 29, 2016.

(2)

For each person and group included in this column, the percentage of voting rights is calculated by dividing the voting rights beneficially owned by such person or group by the voting rights with respect to all of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares as a single class. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote. When the total number of ordinary shares held by Telstra Holdings Pty Limited and/or its affiliates, or the Telstra Shareholder, constitutes no less than 51% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share is entitled to one vote; when the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder, drops below 51% but is no less than 39.3% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share will carry such number of votes that would result in the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder carrying, in the aggregate, 51% of the voting rights represented by all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; when the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder drops below 39.3% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, all Class B ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares.

(3)	The business address of Mr. Chen is No. 32, Jihu Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11492, Taiwan.

(4)

Represents (i) 3,088,929 Class A ordinary shares held by Right Brain Limited, which is wholly owned by Mr. Qin, (ii) 51,096 Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs converted from restricted shares held by Mr. Qin, and (iii) 200,000 Class A ordinary shares underlying the options that are exercisable within 60 days after February 29, 2016 held by Mr. Qin. The business address of Mr. Qin is 10th Floor, Tower B, CEC Plaza, No. 3 Dan Ling Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, People’s Republic of China.

(5)	The business address of Mr. Penn is Telstra Corporation Ltd, 242 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.

(6)	Represents 3,000,000 Class A ordinary shares held by AutoLee Ltd., which is wholly owned by Mr. Li. The business address of Mr. Li is No. 339 Dongxindian, Cuigezhuang, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100103, People’s Republic of China.

(7)	Represents Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs held by Mr. Chong vested from restricted shares held by Mr. Chong. The business address of Mr. Chong is 10th Floor Tower B, CEC Plaza, No. 3 Dan Ling Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, People’s Republic of China.

(8)	The business address of Ms. Whelan is Telstra, 400 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.

(9)	The business address of Mr. Kotterman is 43/F, One Island East, 18 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong.

(10)	The business address of Dr. Kao is Unit 2428, China World Tower One, No. 1 Jianguo Men Wai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100004, People’s Republic of China.

(11)	Represents Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs vested from restricted shares held by Mr. Lee. The business address of Mr. Lee is Room 3303, No. 17, Lane 668 Xizang South Road, Shanghai 200011, Peoples’s Republic of China.

(12)	Represents Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs vested from restricted shares held by Mr. Cui. The business address of Mr. Cui is Apt 96202 Beida ZhongGuanXinYuan, 126 ZhongGuanCun North Street, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China.

(13)	Represents Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs vested from restricted shares held by Mr. Liu. The business address of Mr. Liu is Floor 3, Building 9, No. 115 Lane 572, Bibo Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China.

(14)

Represents 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares. Telstra Holdings Pty Limited is an Australian company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation Limited, which is a public company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. Telstra Holdings Pty Limited’s business address is Level 41, 242 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.

To our knowledge, as of February 29, 2016, 44,709,123 Class A ordinary shares were held by one record holder in the United States, which was Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, the depositary of our ADS program (excluding 632,026 Class A ordinary shares that are reserved for future grants under our share incentive plans). No Class B ordinary shares were held by record holders in the United States. The number of beneficial owners of our ADSs in the United States is likely to be much larger than the number of record holders of our ordinary shares in the United States.

As of February 29, 2016, Telstra beneficially owned 54.6% of the total voting rights in our company. We are not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our company.

ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

A.	Major Shareholders

Please refer to “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—E. Share Ownership.”

B.	Related Party Transactions

Contractual Agreements with our Variable Interest Entities

PRC laws and regulations currently limit foreign ownership of companies that engage in internet services. We therefore conduct our part of our operations in China primarily through contractual agreements between the following entities:

•

our wholly owned PRC subsidiary, Beijing Cheerbright Technologies Co., Ltd., or Autohome WFOE, and each of the three groups of entities and individuals—(i) Beijing Autohome Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Autohome Information, shareholders of Autohome Information and two subsidiaries of Autohome Information: Beijing Shengtuo Chengshi Advertising Co., Ltd., or Chengshi Advertising, and Beijing Shengtuo Autohome Advertising Co., Ltd., or Autohome Advertising, (ii) Shanghai You Che You Jia Advertising Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Advertising, and shareholders of Shanghai Advertising, and (iii) Guangzhou You Che You Jia Advertising Co., Ltd., or Guangzhou Advertising, and shareholders of Guangzhou Advertising; and

•

our wholly owned PRC subsidiary, Beijing Chezhiying Technology Co., Ltd., or Chezhiying WFOE, and each of the group of entities and individuals, Beijing Shengtuo Hongyuan Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Shengtuo Hongyuan, shareholders of Shengtuo Hongyuan and two subsidiaries of Shengtuo Hongyuan: Beijing Autohome Used Car Appraisal Co., Ltd., or Autohome Used Car Appraisal, and Beijing Autohome Used Car Brokerage Co., Ltd., or Autohome Used Car Brokerage.

We treat these groups of entities as our VIEs under U.S. GAAP.

In July 2015, Autohome Information, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Autohome WFOE entered into a termination agreement, pursuant to which the parties terminated all contractual agreements among themselves, which includes the equity interest pledge agreement, exclusive technology consulting and service agreement, equity option agreement and power of attorney, and Autohome Information transferred all of its equity interest in Shengtuo Hongyuan to James Zhi Qin and Zheng Fan. In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and each of its subsidiaries, and James Zhi Qin and Zheng Fan entered into contractual agreements.

The following is a summary of our current contractual arrangements among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and its subsidiaries and shareholders and among Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and its subsidiaries and shareholders. The contractual agreements among Autohome WFOE and Shanghai Advertising and its shareholders and the contractual agreements among Autohome WFOE and Guangzhou Advertising and its shareholders are substantially the same as the contractual agreements among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and its shareholders.

Agreements that Provide Effective Control over Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan

Equity Interest Pledge Agreements. Pursuant to the equity interest pledge agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information, each shareholder of Autohome Information pledges to Autohome WFOE all of his equity interests in Autohome Information to secure the performance of such shareholder’s respective obligations and Autohome Information’s obligations under the loan agreements, equity option agreements, and the exclusive technology consulting and service agreements. See “—Contractual Agreements with our Variable Interest Entities—Agreements that Transfer Economic Benefits of Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan to Us” and “—Contractual Agreements with our Variable Interest Entities—Agreements that Provide Us the Options to Purchase the Equity Interests in Autohome Information” for a brief description of these obligations. Without Autohome WFOE’s consent, shareholders of Autohome Information shall not create or permit to create any encumbrances on the pledged equities in Autohome Information. In the event of default, Autohome WFOE is entitled to request immediate repayment of the outstanding amounts payable under the loan agreements, the equity option agreements and the exclusive technology consulting and service agreements or to dispose of the pledged equity interests at Autohome WFOE’s sole discretion. The equity pledge agreements have an indefinite term and will terminate after all the secured obligations under these agreements have been satisfied in full or the pledged equity interests have been transferred to Autohome WFOE or its designee.

Pursuant to the equity interest pledge agreements between Autohome WFOE and Autohome Information, Autohome Information pledges to Autohome WFOE all of its equity interests in its two subsidiaries to secure the performance of its obligations under the exclusive technology consulting and service agreements and the equity option agreements. These equity interest pledge agreements contain substantially the same terms as the equity interest pledge agreements between Autohome WFOE and the shareholders of Autohome Information.

In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE and each of the shareholders of Shengtuo Hongyuan entered into equity interest pledge agreements. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the equity interest pledge agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information described above. In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE and Shengtuo Hongyuan entered into equity interest pledge agreements. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the equity interest pledge agreements between Autohome WFOE and Autohome Information. We are in the process of obtaining registration for these equity interest pledge agreements.

Power of Attorney. Autohome Information and each of the shareholders of Autohome Information have executed an irrevocable power of attorney appointing Autohome WFOE, or any person designated by Autohome WFOE, as their attorney-in-fact to vote on their behalf at the shareholders’ meetings of Autohome Information’s subsidiaries and Autohome Information and to exercise full voting rights as the shareholders of these companies with powers granted under PRC laws and regulations and the articles of association of each of the above companies, including the rights to appoint directors and management personnel.

In July 2015, Shengtuo Hongyuan and each of the shareholders of Shengtuo Hongyuan have executed an irrevocable power of attorney appointing Chezhiying WFOE, or any person designated by Chezhiying WFOE, as their attorney-in-fact to vote on their behalf at the shareholders’ meetings of Shengtuo Hongyuan’s subsidiaries and Shengtuo Hongyuan and to exercise full voting rights as the shareholders of these companies with powers granted under PRC laws and regulations and the articles of association of each of the above companies, including the rights to appoint directors and management personnel.

Agreements that Transfer Economic Benefits of Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan to Us

Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreements. Pursuant to the exclusive technology consulting and service agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of Autohome Information and its subsidiaries, Autohome WFOE has the exclusive right to provide each of these VIEs comprehensive technology and management consulting services. In addition, Autohome WFOE is obligated to provide financing support to each of these VIEs to ensure the cash flow requirements of the day-to-day operations of these VIEs. Each of these VIEs is obligated to pay to Autohome WFOE service fees, which are calculated based on such VIE’s revenues reduced by its business taxes and surcharges, operating expenses and an appropriate amount of retained profit that is determined pursuant to our tax planning strategies and relevant tax laws. Such service fees may be adjusted by Autohome WFOE at Autohome WFOE’s sole discretion. Autohome WFOE owns the intellectual properties arising from the performance of these agreements. These agreements have a 30-year term that can be automatically extended for another 10 years at the option of Autohome WFOE and can only be terminated by the parties’ mutual written consent or by Autohome WFOE’s prior 30-day notice at its sole discretion. During the term of these agreements, these VIEs may not enter into any agreements with third parties for the provision of any technology or management consulting services without prior consent of Autohome WFOE.

In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE and each of Shengtuo Hongyuan and its subsidiaries entered into exclusive technology consulting and service agreements. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the exclusive technology consulting and service agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of Autohome Information and its subsidiaries described above.

Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE recognized service fees from all the VIEs in the amount of RMB657.2 million in 2013, RMB980.5 million in 2014 and RMB365.5 million (US$56.4 million) in 2015 in consideration for services provided to the VIEs.

Loan Agreements. Pursuant to the loan agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information, Autohome WFOE granted interest-free loans to these three shareholders of Autohome Information. The loans are to be used solely for the purpose of making capital contributions to the registered capital of Autohome Information. The term of the loans is indefinite and must be repaid in the manner specified in the agreements upon written notice from Autohome WFOE at any time in Autohome WFOE’s sole discretion or upon an event of default by the shareholders of Autohome Information.

In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE and each of the shareholders of Shengtuo Hongyuan entered into loan agreements. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the loan agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information described above.

Agreements that Provide Us the Options to Purchase the Equity Interests in Autohome Information and Shengtuo Hongyuan

Equity Option Agreements. Pursuant to the equity option agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information, each shareholder of Autohome Information jointly and severally grants to Autohome WFOE an option to purchase all or part of his equity interests in Autohome Information at a price equivalent to the lowest price permitted by PRC law. The purchase price is to be offset against the loan repayments under the loan agreements. If there will be additional payments to be made by Autohome Information to these shareholders required by the PRC law, these shareholders must immediately return the received payments to Autohome WFOE. Autohome WFOE may exercise its option at any time or transfer the rights and obligations under the equity option agreement to any of its designated parties. The equity option agreements have an indefinite term and will terminate at the earlier of (i) the date on which the equity interests in Autohome Information have been transferred to Autohome WFOE or its designated parties, or (ii) the unilateral termination by Autohome WFOE.

Pursuant to the equity option agreements among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and each of the two subsidiaries of Autohome Information, Autohome Information granted Autohome WFOE or its designated parties an option to purchase all or part of Autohome Information’s equity interests in its subsidiaries at a price equivalent to the lowest price permitted by PRC law. Autohome WFOE may exercise its option at any time. The equity option agreements have an indefinite term and will terminate at the earlier of (i) the date on which all of Autohome Information’s equity interests in its subsidiaries have been transferred to Autohome WFOE or its designated parties, or (ii) the unilateral termination by Autohome WFOE.

In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE and each of the shareholders of Shengtuo Hongyuan entered into equity option agreements. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the equity option agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information described above. In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and each of the two subsidiaries of Shengtuo Hongyuan entered into equity option agreements. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the equity option agreements among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and each of the two subsidiaries of Autohome Information.

Transactions with Entities Affiliated with Our Shareholders

During 2013, Telstra International HK Limited provided network maintenance services amounting to RMB0.1 million to Autohome Information. In addition, Telstra International Limited provided network maintenance services amounting to RMB0.3 million, RMB0.4 million and RMB0.3 million (US$0.05 million), respectively, to Autohome Information in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. There was an outstanding balance of RMB0.4 million, RMB0.03 million and nil as of December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In October 2013, Autohome HK acquired Autohome Media with a consideration of RMB1.9 million. Autohome Media was 50% owned by the spouse of Mr. Henry Hon, one of our former directors whose resignation was effective as of March 28, 2014.

On October 30, 2013, West Crest Limited and its sole shareholder Mr. Jiang Lan, a then-director of our company, requested that we repurchase its outstanding shares in our company, namely 6,684,711 ordinary shares, for a total purchase price of US$130 million. On November 4, 2013, we and Telstra Holdings entered into a share purchase agreement with West Crest Limited, Mr. Jiang Lan and other shareholders of our company. Pursuant to the agreement, we and Telstra Holdings purchased 3,856,564 and 2,828,147 ordinary shares of our company held by West Crest Limited, or the West Crest Share Purchase, for US$75 million and US$55 million, respectively, in cash. We paid fifty percent of the purchase price on November 21 2013, and paid the remainder on January 29, 2014 using proceeds from our initial public offering.

During 2013, we and Telstra International Limited entered into an agreement whereby a Telstra executive would provide consulting services to us. Under this agreement, the amount due to Telstra for services provided during 2013 and 2014 amounted to RMB0.4 million and RMB0.3 million, respectively. All outstanding balances have been paid in full as of December 31, 2015.

During 2013, we and Beijing Australian Telecommunications Technical Consulting Limited entered into an agreement whereby a Telstra executive would provide consulting services to us. Under this agreement, the amount due to Beijing Australian Telecommunications Technical Consulting Limited for services provided during 2013 and 2014 both amounted to RMB0.2 million.

In September 2015, we established a joint venture, the Financing JV, with Beijing Chehejia Information Technology Co., Ltd. and two companies unaffiliated with us. Xiang Li, our director, is the founder of Beijing Chehejia Information Technology Co., Ltd. We invested a full payment of RMB75 million into the Financing JV for a 25% equity interest of the Financing JV.

Investors Rights Agreement

We and certain of our current shareholders, including Telstra, entered into an investors rights agreement on November 4, 2013. Under the investors rights agreement, certain shareholders are entitled to registration rights, rights of access to information and pre-emptive rights.

Registration Rights

Pursuant to our investors rights agreement, we have granted registration rights to certain of our current shareholders. Set forth below is a description of the registration rights granted under the agreement.

Demand Registration Rights. The Telstra Shareholder has the right to demand that we file a registration statement covering the offer and sale of securities it holds. Upon receipt of a request by the Telstra Shareholder, we should offer other holders of registrable securities the opportunity to register the number of registrable shares as such holders may request. We, however, are not obligated to effect a demand registration if the dollar amount of securities to be sold to the public is of an aggregate price less than US$5.0 million; and we are not obligated to effect a demand registration if, among other things, we have already filed three demand registrations and each of such registrations has been declared effective. We have the right to defer filing of a registration statement for up to 90 days if our board of directors determines in good faith that the filing of a registration statement would be materially detrimental to us, but we cannot exercise the deferral right more than three times in any 12-month period.

Piggyback Registration Rights. If we propose to file a registration statement for a public offering of our ordinary shares on a form that would be suitable for registrable securities, we must offer holders of registrable securities an opportunity to include in that registration all or any part of their registrable securities. The underwriters of any underwritten offering have the right to limit the number of shares with registration rights to be included in the registration statement if a piggyback registration is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on our behalf.

Form F-3 Registration Rights. When we are eligible for registration on Form F-3, upon a written request from the Telstra Shareholder, we shall file a registration statement on Form F-3 covering the offer and sale of the registrable securities owned and designated by them. Upon receipt of a request by the Telstra Shareholder, we should offer other holders of registrable shares the opportunity to register the number of registrable shares as such holders may request. We, however, are not obligated to effect an F-3 resignation if the dollar amount of securities to be sold to the public is of an aggregate price less than US$5.0 million. We have the right to defer filing of a registration statement for up to 90 days if our board of directors determines in good faith that the filing of a registration statement would be materially detrimental to us, but we cannot exercise the deferral right more than three times in any 12-month period.

Expenses of Registration. We will pay all expenses incurred by us in complying with any demand, Form F-3 or piggyback registration. We are not obligated to pay any underwriting discounts and selling commissions applicable to the sale of a holder’s registrable securities or any fees and expenses of any counsel representing holders of registrable securities.

Termination of Obligations. We shall have no obligation to effect any demand, Form F-3, or piggyback registration if, in the opinion of counsel to us, all such registrable securities proposed to be sold by a holder may then be sold without registration and without regard to any volume limitation requirement under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. In addition, our obligations relating to registration rights under the investors rights agreement with respect to the Telstra Shareholder shall automatically terminate if the Telstra Shareholder beneficially owns less than 5% of our issued and outstanding shares.

Pre-emptive Rights

When we propose to issue any ordinary shares or securities convertible into ordinary shares, the Telstra Shareholder (for so long as the Telstra Shareholder beneficially owns any Class B ordinary shares) is entitled to purchase such number of new securities at its election so as to enable the Telstra Shareholder to beneficially hold a pro rata portion of the new securities equal to the respective percentage of our issued and outstanding share capital owned by the Telstra Shareholder prior to the issuance. If the Telstra Shareholder does not exercise its pre-emptive rights, we are entitled to issue such number of new securities at a price no less than that offered to the Telstra Shareholder (as applicable) within 90 business days, which period of time may be extended in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations (including receipt of any applicable regulatory or shareholder approvals).

Employment Agreements

See “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers—Employee Agreements” for a description of the employment agreements we have entered into with our senior executive officers.

Share Incentive Plans

See “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers” for a description of share-based compensation awards we have granted to our directors, officers and other individuals as a group.

See footnote 12 to our financial statements for further information about our related party transactions.

C.	Interests of Experts and Counsel

Not applicable.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

A.	Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information

See “Item 18. Financial Statements.”

Legal Proceedings

Dividend Policy

Our board of directors has complete discretion, subject to approval by a duly authorized representative of the Telstra Shareholder for so long as the Telstra Shareholder holds at least 51% of our issued and outstanding shares, to declare dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to pay dividends, the form, frequency and amount will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that the board of directors may deem relevant.

Our board of directors declared dividends of RMB49.9 million and RMB249.2 million in February 2012 and May 2013, respectively, to all of our shareholders. The dividends, net of applicable withholding taxes, were paid in April 2012 and June and July 2013, respectively. We do not have any plan to pay additional cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain most, if not all, of our remaining available funds and any future earnings to operate and expand our business.

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We may rely on dividends from our subsidiaries in China for our cash requirements, including any payment of dividends to our shareholders. PRC regulations may restrict the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Dividend Distribution.”

If we pay any dividends, we will pay our ADS holders to the same extent as holders of our ordinary shares, subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, including the fees and expenses payable thereunder. See “Item 12. Description of Securities other than Equity Securities—D. American Depositary Shares.” Cash dividends on our ordinary shares, if any, will be paid in U.S. dollars.

B.	Significant Changes

Except as disclosed elsewhere in this annual report, we have not experienced any significant changes since the date of our audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report.

ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING

A.	Offering and Listing Details

See “—C. Markets.”

B.	Plan of Distribution

Not applicable.

C.	Markets

Our ADSs, each representing one Class A ordinary share, have been listed on the NYSE since December 2013 and trade under the symbol “ATHM.” The following table provides the high and low trading prices for our ADSs on the NYSE for the periods indicated.


	Trading Price
	High		Low
	US$		US$
Annual High and Low
Fiscal Year 2013 (from December 11, 2013)	US$	37.88	US$	26.51
Fiscal Year 2014	US$	57.93	US$	28.50
Fiscal Year 2015	US$	56.59	US$	28.00
Quarterly Highs and Lows
Fourth Fiscal Quarter of 2013 (from December 11, 2013)	US$	37.88	US$	26.51
First Fiscal Quarter of 2014	US$	51.98	US$	28.52
Second Fiscal Quarter of 2014	US$	42.68	US$	28.50
Third Fiscal Quarter of 2014	US$	57.93	US$	31.80
Fourth Fiscal Quarter of 2014	US$	53.56	US$	34.14
First Fiscal Quarter of 2015	US$	47.47	US$	34.50
Second Fiscal Quarter of 2015	US$	56.59	US$	43.27
Third Fiscal Quarter of 2015	US$	50.50	US$	28.00
Fourth Fiscal Quarter of 2015	US$	37.73	US$	29.18
Monthly Highs and Lows
September 2015	US$	34.19	US$	28.13
October 2015	US$	37.73	US$	31.62
November 2015	US$	37.63	US$	29.18
December 2015	US$	37.17	US$	30.20
January 2016	US$	33.70	US$	23.35
February 2016	US$	26.34	US$	21.53

D.	Selling Shareholders

Not applicable.

E.	Dilution

Not applicable.

F.	Expenses of the Issue

Not applicable.

ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A.	Share Capital

Not applicable.

B.	Memorandum and Articles of Association

We are a Cayman Islands company and our affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands, referred to as the Companies Law below. The following are summaries of certain provisions of our memorandum and articles of association in effect as of the date of this annual report insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares.

Registered Office and Objects

Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at Codan Trust Company (Cayman) Limited, Cricket Square, Hutchins Drive, P.O. Box 2681, Grand Cayman KY1-1111, Cayman Islands. The memorandum of association provides, inter alia, that the liability of the members of our company is limited to the amount, if any, for the time being unpaid on the ordinary shares. The objects for which our company is established are unrestricted (including acting as an investment company), and we shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of corporate benefit, as provided in section 27(2) of the Companies Law and in view of the fact that we are an exempted Company, we will not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of our business carried on outside the Cayman Islands.

Board of Directors

See “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—C. Board Practices—Duties of Directors” and “— Terms of Directors and Officers.”

Ordinary Shares

General

Our authorized share capital consists of (i) 99,931,211,060 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.01 each and (ii) 68,788,940 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.01 each. As of February 29, 2016, we had 51,505,946 Class A ordinary shares (excluding 632,026 Class A ordinary shares that are reserved for future grants under our share incentive plans) and 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding.

All of our outstanding ordinary shares, which consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, are fully paid and non-assessable. Certificates representing the ordinary shares are issued in registered form. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and transfer their ordinary shares.

Class Rights of our Class A and Class B Ordinary Shares

Subject to our fourth memorandum and articles of association and any resolution of the shareholders to the contrary and without prejudice to any special rights conferred thereby on the holders of any other shares or class of shares, the Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares carry equal rights and rank pari passu with one another other than as set out below.

Conversion

Subject to the provisions of our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and in compliance with all fiscal and other laws and regulations applicable thereto, a holder of Class B ordinary shares shall have the right to convert all or any of its Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis. Upon the transfer of any Class B ordinary shares by the Telstra Shareholder to any person that is not an affiliate of the Telstra Shareholder, such Class B ordinary shares will be converted into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares. When the total number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder represents less than 39.3% of all of our total issued and outstanding shares, all Class B ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares. In addition, if immediately following the transfer of any ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder to any party that is not an affiliate of the Telstra Shareholder, the Telstra Shareholder holds less than 51% of our total number of outstanding shares, all Class B ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares. Furthermore, upon a change of control event involving the Telstra Shareholder, all Class B ordinary shares shall be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares.

A holder of Class A ordinary shares has no rights of conversion in respect of each such Class A ordinary share into Class B ordinary shares.

Dividends

The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by us in general meeting or by our board of directors subject to the Companies Law and to the fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. So long as the Telstra Shareholder holds at least 51% of our issued and outstanding shares, the board may not declare any dividend unless the dividend is approved by a duly authorized representative of the Telstra Shareholder.

Voting Rights

Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares, at any general meeting every holder of Class A ordinary shares who is present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) shall have one vote on a show of hands, and on a poll every shareholder holding Class A ordinary shares present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly appointed representative) shall have one vote for each fully paid Class A ordinary share of which such shareholder is the holder.

Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares, at any general meeting every holder of Class B ordinary shares who is present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) shall have the number of votes for each fully paid Class B ordinary share calculated as described in the following paragraph.

When the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder constitutes no less than 51% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share is entitled to one vote; when the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder drops below 51% but is no less than 39.3% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share will carry such number of votes that would result in the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder carrying, in the aggregate, 51% of the voting rights represented by all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; when the total number of ordinary shares held by the Telstra Shareholder drops below 39.3% of all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, all Class B ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares.

A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of two shareholders entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative holding at least one third of the voting rights represented by the issued and outstanding ordinary shares throughout the meeting. However, if at any time the Telstra Shareholder holds at least 51% of voting rights represented by all of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, two or more members entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy or (in the case of a member being a corporation) by its duly authorized representative representing not less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting rights represented by our issued and outstanding voting shares throughout the meeting will form a quorum for all purposes. We may, but are not obligated to, hold a general meeting in each year as our annual general meeting. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the directors. Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be an extraordinary general meeting. A majority of our board of directors or our chairman may call extraordinary general meetings. Advance notice of at least ten clear days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other shareholders meetings. The agenda of any extraordinary general meeting will be set by a majority of the directors then in office.

An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast in a general meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast attaching to the outstanding ordinary shares. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

Transfer of Ordinary Shares

Subject to the restrictions of our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as applicable, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board of directors.

Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our board of directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:

•

the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

•

the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of ordinary shares;

•

the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; and

•

in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not exceed four.

If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.

The registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice required of the Designated Stock Exchange (as defined in the fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association), be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year.

Liquidation

On a return of capital on winding up or otherwise (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of ordinary shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares on a pro rata basis. The amount received by holders of Class B ordinary shares and Class A ordinary shares should be the same in any liquidation event. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders proportionately.

Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares

Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.

Redemption of Ordinary Shares

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, we may repurchase or redeem shares at our option or at the option of the holders of these shares, on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as may be determined by our board of directors.

Variations of Rights of Shares

All or any of the special rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, be varied with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.

General Meetings of Shareholders

Shareholders’ meetings may be convened by a majority of our board of directors or our chairman. Advance notice of at least ten clear days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting and any other general meeting of our shareholders. In addition, general meetings will also be convened on the requisition in writing of any shareholder or shareholders entitled to attend and vote at our general meetings holding at least one third of the voting rights represented by our issued voting shares.

Appointment of Directors

So long as the Telstra Shareholder holds at least 51% of our voting rights, it will be entitled to appoint a majority of our directors and to remove any director so appointed. Subject to the foregoing, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution elect any person to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing board.

The directors will also have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a director to fill a casual vacancy on the board or as an addition to the existing board.

Inspection of Books and Records

Holders of our ordinary shares have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, we will allow our shareholders to inspect our register of members and provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements.

Pursuant to the investors rights agreement we have with the Telstra Shareholder and other shareholders, the Telstra Shareholder has the right to access our books and records so long as it holds in aggregate at least 20% of our issued and outstanding share capital.

Issuance of Additional Preferred Shares

Our fourth amended and restated memorandum of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.

Our fourth amended and restated memorandum of association authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preferred shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:

•

the designation of the series;

•

the number of shares of the series;

•

the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights; and

•

the rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences.

Our board of directors may issue preferred shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. The issuance of preferred shares may be used as an anti takeover device without further action on the part of the shareholders. Issuance of these shares may dilute the voting rights of holders of ordinary shares.

C.	Material Contracts

We have not entered into any material contracts other than in the ordinary course of business and other than those described elsewhere in “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview,” “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions,” or elsewhere in this annual report.

100

D.	Exchange Controls

See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Foreign Exchange.”

E.	Taxation

Cayman Islands Taxation

The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains or appreciation and there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty. There are no other taxes levied by the Government of the Cayman Islands that are likely to be material to holders of ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. The Cayman Islands is not party to any double tax treaties, except for a double tax treaty entered into with the United Kingdom in 2010. There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.

Pursuant to Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Law (1999 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, we have obtained an undertaking from the Governor-in-Cabinet:

(a) that no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits or income or gains or appreciation shall apply to us or our operations; and

(b) that the aforesaid tax or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall not be payable on our shares, debentures or other obligations.

The undertaking for us is for a period of 20 years from July 22, 2008.

People’s Republic of China Taxation

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, which indirectly holds Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE and other subsidiaries in the PRC. Our business operations are principally conducted through our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs.

The PRC enterprise income tax is calculated based on the taxable income determined under the applicable Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, which became effective on January 1, 2008. The Enterprise Income Tax Law imposes a uniform enterprise income tax rate of 25% on all resident enterprises in China, including foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises, unless they qualify for certain exceptions.

The Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules permit certain “high and new technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” that hold independent ownership of core intellectual property and simultaneously meet a list of other criteria, financial or non-financial as stipulated in the implementation rules and other regulations, to enjoy a reduced 15% enterprise income tax rate subject to certain qualification criteria. On April 14, 2008, the State Administration of Taxation, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued the Administrative Rules for the Certification of High and New Technology Enterprises delineating the specific criteria and procedures for the certification of “high and new technology enterprises,” or HNTEs.

Autohome WFOE, our PRC subsidiary, was recognized by the provincial level science and technology commission, finance bureau, and state and local tax bureaus as an HNTE on September 17, 2010, which is valid for three years. Therefore, Autohome WFOE is entitled to the preferential enterprise income tax rate of 15% from 2010 through 2012. We have obtained renewal of the HNTE qualification through 2015. Beijing Autohome Technologies was recognized as an HNTE in July 2015 and therefore was eligible for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2015 to 2017 upon their filing with the relevant tax authority. Beijing Prbrownies was recognized as an HNTE on February 29, 2016, qualifying it for the preferential 15% enterprise income tax rate from 2015 to 2017 upon its filing with the relevant tax authority. However, if we lose this qualification, Autohome WFOE, Beijing Autohome Technologies and Beijing Prbrownies will no longer enjoy the 15% preferential tax rate, and the applicable enterprise income tax rate may increase to up to 25%.

101

Although we believe we are not a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, substantial uncertainty exists. In the event that our company or any of our Offshore Entities, is considered to be a PRC resident enterprise: (a) our company or our Offshore Entities, as the case may be, would be subject to the PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on worldwide income; and (b) dividend income that our company or our Offshore Entities, as the case may be, receives from our PRC subsidiaries would be exempt from the PRC withholding tax since such income is exempted under the Enterprise Income Tax Law for PRC resident enterprise; and (c) any dividends we pay to our non-PRC shareholders or ADS holders as well as gains realized by such shareholders or ADS holders from the transfer of our shares or ADSs may be regarded as China-sourced income and as a result become subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%, subject to reduction or exemption by an applicable treaty. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries, dividends distributed to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders, and gains recognized by such shareholders or ADS holders, may be subject to PRC taxes under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.”

102

Dividend Withholding Tax

We are a Cayman Islands holding company and substantially all of our income will come from dividends distributed by our subsidiaries located in the PRC through our Offshore Entities. Pursuant to the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, dividends from our PRC subsidiaries paid out of profits generated after January 1, 2008, are subject to a withholding tax of 10%, unless there is a tax treaty with China that provides for a different withholding arrangement. The British Virgin Islands currently does not have any tax treaty with China with respect to withholding tax.

Pursuant to the Arrangement between mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Tax Evasion on Income, the withholding tax rate with respect to the payment of dividends by a PRC enterprise to a Hong Kong enterprise is reduced to 5% from a standard rate of 10% if the Hong Kong enterprise directly holds at least 25% of the PRC enterprise. Distributions of profits generated before January 1, 2008 are exempt from PRC withholding tax. Our board of directors declared dividends of RMB49.9 million and RMB249.2 million in February 2012 and May 2013, respectively, to all of our shareholders. The dividends, net of applicable withholding tax, were paid in April 2012 and June and July 2013, respectively. We do not have any plan to pay additional cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. The board of Autohome WFOE has resolved to reinvest all its undistributed earnings indefinitely in Autohome WFOE. We currently intend to retain most, if not all, of our remaining available funds and any future earnings to operate and expand our business.

As uncertainties remain regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, we cannot assure you that, if we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, any dividends to be distributed by us to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders would not be subject to any PRC withholding tax. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries, dividends distributed to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders, and gains recognized by such shareholders or ADS holders, may be subject to PRC taxes under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.”

103

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

The following discussion is a summary of United States federal income tax considerations relating to the ownership and disposition of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares by U.S. Holders (as defined below) that will hold ADSs or Class A ordinary shares as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment) under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). This discussion is based upon applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury regulations (proposed, temporary and final) promulgated thereunder, pertinent judicial decisions, interpretive rulings of the Internal Revenue Service and such other authorities as we have considered relevant, which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion does not address all aspects of United States federal income taxation that may be important to particular investors in light of their individual investment circumstances, including investors subject to special tax rules (for example, certain financial institutions, insurance companies, broker-dealers, pension plans, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, cooperatives, and tax-exempt organizations (including private foundations), holders who are not U.S. Holders, holders who own (directly, indirectly, or constructively) 10% or more of our voting stock, investors that will hold their ADSs or Class A ordinary shares as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale, or other integrated transaction for United States federal income tax purposes, investors that are traders in securities that have elected the mark-to-market method of accounting, or investors that have a functional currency other than the United States dollar), all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ significantly from those discussed below. In addition, this discussion does not address United States federal estate, gift, Medicare, and alternative minimum tax considerations, or any non-United States, state, or local tax considerations. Each U.S. Holder is urged to consult its tax advisors regarding the United States federal, state, local, and non-United States income and other tax considerations of an investment in ADSs or Class A ordinary shares.

General

For purposes of this summary, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares that is, for United States federal income tax purposes, (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation, or other entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, created in, or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or treated as such for United States federal income tax purposes, (iii) an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for United States federal income tax purposes regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust (A) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) that has otherwise validly elected to be treated as a United States person under the Code.

If a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial owner of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If a U.S. Holder is a partner of a partnership holding our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder is urged to consult its tax advisors regarding an investment in our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares.

It is generally expected that a U.S. Holder of ADSs will be treated as the beneficial owner, for United States federal income tax purposes, of the underlying shares represented by the ADSs. The remainder of this discussion assumes that a U.S. Holder of our ADSs will be treated in this manner. Accordingly, deposits or withdrawals of our Class A ordinary shares for our ADSs will not be subject to United States federal income tax.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations

A non-United States corporation, such as our company, will be classified as a “passive foreign investment company” (or a “PFIC”), for United States federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the value of its assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year produce or are held for the production of passive income (the “asset test”). Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, royalties, rents, annuities, net gains from the sale or exchange of property producing such income and net foreign currency gains. For this purpose, cash is categorized as a passive asset and the company’s goodwill and other unbooked intangibles associated with active business activity are taken into account as non-passive assets. We will be treated as owning our proportionate share of the assets and earning our proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, more than 25% (by value) of the stock.

Although the law in this regard is unclear, we treat our VIEs as being owned by us for United States federal income tax purposes, not only because we exercise effective control over the operation of such entities but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we consolidate their results of operation in our consolidated financial statements. If it were determined, however, that we are not the owner of our VIEs for United States federal income tax purposes, we would likely be treated as a PFIC for our current and any subsequent taxable year.

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Furthermore, the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC will depend, in part, on the composition of our income and assets. Fluctuations in the market price of our ADSs may cause us to become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years because the value of assets for the purpose of the asset test may be determined by reference to the market price of our ADSs. The composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets. Under circumstances where our revenue from activities that produce passive income significantly increase relative to our revenue from activities that produce non-passive income, or where we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes, our risk of becoming classified as a PFIC may substantially increase. In addition, because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules, it is possible that the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our classification of certain income and assets as non-passive or our valuation of our tangible and intangible assets, each of which may result in our becoming a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years.

Assuming we are the owner of our VIEs for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we believe that we primarily operate as an active provider of online automotive advertising solutions in China. Based on our current income and assets, we do not believe that we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2015 and do not anticipate becoming a PFIC in future taxable years. While we do not believe that we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2015 and do not anticipate becoming a PFIC for the current taxable year or the foreseeable future, no assurance can be given in this regard. Because the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC is a fact-intensive inquiry made on an annual basis, the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC will depend, in part, upon the value of our goodwill and other unbooked intangibles (which will depend upon the market value of our ADSs from time to time, which may be volatile). In estimating the value of our goodwill and other unbooked intangibles, we have taken into account our current market capitalization. If our market capitalization subsequently declines, we may be or become classified as a PFIC for the current taxable year or future taxable years. It is also possible that the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our classification or valuation of our goodwill and other unbooked intangibles, which may result in our company being or becoming a PFIC for the current taxable year or foreseeable future.

If we are classified as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, the PFIC tax rules discussed below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules” generally will apply to such U.S. Holder for such taxable year and, unless the U.S. Holder makes certain elections, will apply in future years even if we cease to be a PFIC in subsequent years. The discussion below under “Dividends” and “Sale or Other Disposition of ADSs or Class A Ordinary Shares” is written on the basis that we will not be classified as a PFIC for United States federal income tax purposes.

Dividends

Any cash distributions (including the amount of any PRC tax withheld) paid on ADSs or Class A ordinary shares out of our earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal income tax principles, will generally be includible in the gross income of a U.S. Holder as dividend income on the day actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder, in the case of Class A ordinary shares, or by the depositary bank, in the case of ADSs. Because we do not intend to determine our earnings and profits on the basis of United States federal income tax principles, any distribution paid will generally be treated as a “dividend” for United States federal income tax purposes. Non-corporate U.S. Holders receiving dividend income generally will be subject to tax on such dividend income from a “qualified foreign corporation” at a lower applicable capital gains rate rather than the marginal tax rates generally applicable to ordinary income provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met. A non-United States corporation (other than a corporation that is classified as a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year) generally will be considered to be a qualified foreign corporation (i) with respect to any dividend it pays on stock (or ADSs in respect of such stock) which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, or (ii) if it is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States that the Secretary of Treasury of the United States determines is satisfactory for purposes of this provision and that includes an exchange of information program. Our ADSs are listed on the NYSE, which is an established securities market in the United States, and will be considered readily tradable on an established securities market for as long as the ADSs continue to be listed on such exchange. Thus, we believe that we will be a qualified foreign corporation with respect to dividends we pay on our ADSs, but there can be no assurance that our ADSs will continue to be considered readily tradable on an established securities market in later years.

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Since we do not expect that our Class A ordinary shares be listed on established securities markets, it is unclear whether dividends that we pay on our ordinary shares that are not backed by ADSs currently meet the requirements for the reduced tax rate. However, in the event that we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the Enterprise Income Tax Law (see “People’s Republic of China Taxation”), we may be eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax treaty, which the United States Treasury Department has determined is satisfactory for this purpose, and be treated as a qualified foreign corporation with respect to dividends paid on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. Dividends received on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations. Each U.S. Holder is advised to consult its tax advisors regarding the availability of the reduced tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income for any dividends we pay with respect to our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares.

Dividends generally will be treated as income from foreign sources for United States foreign tax credit purposes. In the event that we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, a U.S. Holder may be subject to PRC withholding taxes on dividends paid on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. A U.S. Holder may be eligible, subject to a number of complex limitations, to claim a foreign tax credit in respect of any foreign withholding taxes imposed on dividends received on ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. A U.S. Holder who does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit for foreign tax withheld may instead claim a deduction, for United States federal income tax purposes, in respect of such withholding taxes, but only for a year in which such U.S. Holder elects to do so for all creditable foreign income taxes. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are complex and U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.

Sale or Other Disposition of ADSs or Class A Ordinary Shares

A U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of ADSs or Class A ordinary shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized upon the disposition and the holder’s adjusted tax basis in such ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. Any capital gain or loss will be long-term gain or loss if the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares have been held for more than one year and will generally be United States-source gain or loss for United States foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gain of non-corporate U.S. Holders is generally eligible for reduced rates of taxation. In the event that gain from the disposition of the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares is subject to tax in the PRC, a U.S. Holder that is eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax treaty may elect to treat the gain as PRC-source income. The deductibility of a capital loss may be subject to limitations. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences if a foreign tax is imposed on a disposition of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, including the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

If we are classified as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, and unless the U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election with respect to ADSs (as described below), the U.S. Holder will generally be subject to special tax rules that have a penalizing effect, regardless of whether we remain a PFIC, on (i) any excess distribution that we make to the U.S. Holder (which generally means any distribution paid during a taxable year that is greater than 125% of the average annual distributions paid in the three preceding taxable years or, if shorter, the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares), and (ii) any gain realized on the sale or other disposition, including a pledge, under certain circumstances, of ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. Under these PFIC rules:

•

the U.S. Holder’s excess distribution or gain will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares;

•

the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable years in the U.S. Holder’s holding period prior to the first taxable year in which we are classified as a PFIC (each, a “pre-PFIC year”) will be taxable as ordinary income;

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•

the amount allocated to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year, will be subject to tax at the highest tax rate in effect applicable to individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that year;

•

an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the tax attributable to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year.

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares and any of our non-United States subsidiaries is also a PFIC (i.e., a lower-tier PFIC), such U.S. Holder would be treated as owning a proportionate amount (by value) of the shares of the lower-tier PFIC and would be subject to the rules described above on certain distributions by a lower-tier PFIC and a disposition of shares of a lower-tier PFIC even though such U.S. Holder would not receive the proceeds of those distributions or dispositions. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to any of our subsidiaries.

As an alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder of “marketable stock” in a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to our ADSs, provided that the ADSs are regularly traded on the NYSE. We anticipate that the ADSs should qualify as being regularly traded, but no assurances may be given in this regard. If a U.S. Holder makes this election, the U.S. Holder will generally (i) include as ordinary income for each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of ADSs held at the end of the taxable year over the adjusted tax basis of such ADSs and (ii) deduct as an ordinary loss the excess, if any, of the adjusted tax basis of such ADSs over the fair market value of such ADSs held at the end of the taxable year, but such deduction will be allowed only to the extent of the amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. The U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ADSs would be adjusted to reflect any income or loss resulting from the mark-to-market election. If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election in respect of a corporation classified as a PFIC and such corporation ceases to be classified as a PFIC, the U.S. Holder will not be required to take into account the gain or loss described above during any year that such corporation is not classified as a PFIC. If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election, any gain such U.S. Holder recognizes upon the sale or other disposition of our ADSs in a year when we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as ordinary loss, but such loss will only be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. In the case of a U.S. Holder who has held ADSs or Class A ordinary shares during any taxable year in respect of which we were classified as a PFIC and continues to hold such ADSs or Class A ordinary shares (or any portion thereof) and has not previously made a mark-to-market election, and if such U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election, special tax rules may apply relating to purging the PFIC taint of such ADSs or Class A ordinary shares.

Because, as a technical matter, a mark-to-market election cannot be made for any lower-tier PFICs that we may own, a U.S. Holder may continue to be subject to the PFIC rules with respect to its indirect interest in any investments held by us that are treated as an equity interest in a PFIC for United States federal income tax purposes.

We do not intend to provide information necessary for U.S. Holders to make “qualified electing fund” elections which, if available, would result in tax treatment different from the general tax treatment for PFICs described above.

Dividends that we pay on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares will not be eligible for the reduced tax rate that applies to qualified dividend income discussed above under “Dividends” if we are classified as a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year. If a U.S. Holder owns our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares during any taxable year that we are a PFIC, the U.S. Holder must generally file an annual report with the Internal Revenue Service, subject to certain limited exceptions. Each U.S. Holder is urged to consult its tax advisor concerning the United States federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares if we are or become a PFIC, including filing requirements, the possibility of making a mark-to-market election and the unavailability of the qualifying electing fund election.

Information Reporting

Certain U.S. Holders are required to report information to the Internal Revenue Service relating to an interest in “specified foreign financial assets,” including shares issued by a non-United States corporation, for any year in which the aggregate value of all specified foreign financial assets exceeds $50,000 (or a higher dollar amount prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service), subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for shares held in custodial accounts maintained with a U.S. financial institution). These rules also impose penalties if a U.S. Holder is required to submit such information to the Internal Revenue Service and fails to do so.

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In addition, dividend payments with respect to our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares and proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares may be subject to information reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the United States information reporting rules to their particular circumstances.

F.	Dividends and Paying Agents

Not applicable.

G.	Statement by Experts

Not applicable.

H.	Documents on Display

We previously filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-1 under the Securities Act with respect to our initial public offering of our Class A ordinary shares represented by ADSs.

We are subject to the periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act. Under the Exchange Act, we are required to file reports and other information with the SEC. Specifically, we are required to file annually a Form 20-F within four months after the end of each fiscal year, which is December 31. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding registrants that make electronic filings with the SEC using its EDGAR system. Copies of reports and other information, when filed, may also be inspected without charge, and may be obtained at prescribed rates at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information regarding the Washington, D.C. Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of quarterly reports and proxy statements, and officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

We will furnish Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, the depositary of our ADSs, with our annual reports, which will include a review of operations and annual audited consolidated financial statements prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP, and all notices of shareholders’ meetings and other reports and communications that are made generally available to our shareholders. The depositary will make such notices, reports and communications available to holders of ADSs and, upon our request, will mail to all record holders of ADSs the information contained in any notice of a shareholders’ meeting received by the depositary from us.

I.	Subsidiary Information

For a listing of our subsidiaries, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.”

ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Interest Rate Risk

Our exposure to interest rate risk primarily relates to the interest income generated by excess cash, which is mostly held in interest-bearing bank deposits. We have not used derivative financial instruments in our investment portfolio. Interest earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk. We have not been exposed to, nor do we anticipate being exposed to, material risks due to changes in market interest rates. However, our future interest income and interest expense may fluctuate due to changes in market interest rates.

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Foreign Exchange Risk

We earn substantially all of our revenues and incur most of our expenses in RMB, and substantially all of our sales contracts are denominated in RMB. We do not believe that we currently have any significant direct foreign exchange risk and have not used any derivative financial instruments to hedge our exposure to such risk. Although in general, our exposure to foreign exchange risks should be limited, the value of your investment in our ADSs will be affected by the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the RMB because the value of our business is effectively denominated in RMB, while the ADSs will be traded in U.S. dollars. Based on the amount of our cash and cash equivalents and term deposits as of December 31, 2015, a 1.0% change in the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar would result in an increase or decrease of approximately US$1.4 million to our cash and cash equivalents and term deposits.

Significant revaluation of RMB against U.S. dollar may materially affect our earnings and financial position, the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, is based on rates set by the People’s Bank of China. In July 2005, the PRC government changed its decades-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar, and the RMB appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the RMB has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future.

ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES

A.	Debt Securities

Not applicable.

B.	Warrants and Rights

Not applicable.

C.	Other Securities

Not applicable.

D.	American Depositary Shares

Fees and Charges Our ADS Holders May Have to Pay

As an ADS holder, you will be required to pay the following service fees to the depositary bank:


Service		Fees

•	Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property	Up to US$0.05 per ADS issued

•	Cancellation of ADSs, including in the case of termination of the deposit agreement	Up to US$0.05 per ADS cancelled

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•	Distribution of cash dividends or other cash distributions	Up to US$0.05 per ADS held

•	Distribution of ADSs pursuant to share dividends, free share distributions or exercise of rights	Up to US$0.05 per ADS held

•	Distribution of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs	A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been Class A ordinary shares and the Class A ordinary shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs

•	Depositary services	Up to US$0.05 per ADS held on the applicable record date(s) established by the depositary bank

•	Transfer of ADRs	US$1.50 per certificate presented for transfer

As an ADS holder, you will also be responsible for paying certain fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental charges (in addition to any applicable fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges payable on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs) such as:

•

Fees for the transfer and registration of Class A ordinary shares charged by the registrar and transfer agent for the Class A ordinary shares in the Cayman Islands (i.e., upon deposit and withdrawal of Class A ordinary shares).

•

Expenses incurred for converting foreign currency into U.S. dollars.

•

Expenses for cable, telex and fax transmissions and for delivery of securities.

•

Taxes and duties upon the transfer of securities, including any applicable stamp duties, any stock transfer charges or withholding taxes (i.e., when Class A ordinary shares are deposited or withdrawn from deposit).

•

Fees and expenses incurred in connection with the delivery or servicing of Class A ordinary shares on deposit.

•

Fees and expenses incurred in connection with complying with exchange control regulations and other regulatory requirements applicable to Class A ordinary shares, deposited securities, ADSs and ADRs.

•

Any applicable fees and penalties thereon.

The depositary fees payable upon the issuance and cancellation of ADSs are typically paid to the depositary bank by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) receiving the newly issued ADSs from the depositary bank and by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) delivering the ADSs to the depositary bank for cancellation. The brokers in turn charge these fees to their clients. Depositary fees payable in connection with distributions of cash or securities to ADS holders and the depositary services fee are charged by the depositary bank to the holders of record of ADSs as of the applicable ADS record date.

The depositary fees payable for cash distributions are generally deducted from the cash being distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. In the case of distributions other than cash (i.e., share dividends, rights), the depositary bank charges the applicable fee to the ADS record date holders concurrent with the distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in the name of the investor (whether certificated or uncertificated in direct registration), the depositary bank sends invoices to the applicable record date ADS holders. In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary bank generally collects its fees through the systems provided by DTC (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held in DTC) from the brokers and custodians holding ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients’ ADSs in DTC accounts in turn charge their clients’ accounts the amount of the fees paid to the depositary banks.

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In the event of refusal to pay the depositary fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested service until payment is received or may set off the amount of the depositary fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.

Fees and Other Payments Made by the Depositary to Us

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, has agreed to reimburse us for a portion of certain expenses we incur that are related to establishment and maintenance of the ADR program, including investor relations expenses. There are limits on the amount of expenses for which the depositary will reimburse us, but the amount of reimbursement available to us is not related to the amounts of fees the depositary collects from investors. Further, the depositary has agreed to reimburse us certain fees payable to the depositary by holders of ADSs. Neither we nor the depositary can determine the exact amount to be made available to us because (i) the number of ADSs that will be issued and outstanding, (ii) the level of service fees to be charged to holders of ADSs and (iii) our reimbursable expenses related to the program are not known at this time. In our most recent fiscal year, we have received from the depositary a reimbursement of approximately US$63,000.

PART II

ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES

None.

ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS

See “Item 10. Additional Information” for a description of the rights of securities holders, which remain unchanged.

The following “Use of Proceeds” information relates to:

•

the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File Number 333-192085) for our initial public offering of 8,993,000 ADSs (reflecting the full exercise of the over-allotment option by the underwriters to purchase an additional 1,173,000 ADSs), representing 8,993,000 Class A ordinary shares, which registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on December 10, 2013. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. acted as the representatives of the underwriters in our initial public offering; and

•

the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File Number 333-199862) for our 2014 Offering of 9,645,659 ADSs (reflecting the partial exercise of the over-allotment option by the underwriters to purchase an additional 1,145,659 ADSs), representing 9,645,659 Class A ordinary shares, which registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on November 19, 2014. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. acted as the representatives of the underwriters in our 2014 Offering.

We incurred expenses and paid to others US$12.8 million for underwriting discounts and commissions in connection with our initial public offering from the effective date of the registration statement for the initial public offering to December 31, 2014. We incurred expenses and paid to others US$5.0 million for underwriting discounts and commissions in connection with our 2014 Offering from the effective date of the registration statement for the 2014 Offering to December 31, 2014. We received net proceeds of approximately US$142.6 million and US$97.3 million from our initial public offering and 2014 Offering (together, the “Offerings”), respectively.

In 2015, we used approximately US$21 million of the net proceeds from the Offerings for payment of establishment of new subsidiaries, investment in joint venture, professional fees, insurance fees, compensation to directors and general corporate purposes.

We intend to use the remainder of the proceeds from the Offerings for general corporate purposes, including funding potential investments and acquisitions of complementary businesses, assets and technologies.

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ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, has performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report, as required by Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based on that evaluation, our management has concluded that, as of December 31, 2015, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of a company’s assets, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that a company’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of a company’s management and directors, and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of a company’s assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements. Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based on this evaluation, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2015.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, any evaluation of effectiveness as to future periods is subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, audited the effectiveness of our company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 and has issued an attestation report set forth below.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Autohome Inc.

We have audited Autohome Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the “COSO criteria”). Autohome Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

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A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, Autohome Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of Autohome Inc. as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015 of Autohome Inc. and our report dated March 17, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP

Beijing, the People’s Republic of China

March 17, 2016

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2015 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT

Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Ted Tak-Tai Lee is our audit committee financial expert, who is an independent director under the standards set forth in Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act. Mr. Lee is the chairman of our audit committee.

ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS

Our board of directors has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers, employees and agents, including certain provisions that specifically apply to our chairman, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, controller, vice presidents and any other persons who perform similar functions for us. We filed our code of business conduct and ethics as Exhibit 99.1 to our registration statement on Form F-1, as amended, which was originally filed with the SEC on November 4, 2013 and subsequently amended and filed with this annual report. We have posted a copy of our code of business conduct and ethics on our website at http://ir.autohome.com.cn.

ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees by categories specified below in connection with certain professional services rendered by Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, for the periods indicated. We did not pay any other fees to our independent registered public accounting firm during the periods other than those indicated below.


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2015
	(in RMB thousands)
Audit fees⁽¹⁾		8,138		7,853
Audit-related fees⁽²⁾		2,168		—

113

(1)

“Audit fees” means the aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firm for the audit of our annual financial statements, the audit of our internal control over financial reporting and the review of our comparative interim financial information.

(2)	“Audit-related fees” represents aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by our principal auditor for the assurance and related services, which were not included under “Audit Fees” above.

The policy of our audit committee is to preapprove all audit and nonaudit services provided by Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, including audit services and audit-related services as described above, other than those for de minimis services which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit. Our audit committee has approved all of our audit fees for the year ended December 31, 2015.

ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES

Not applicable.

ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS

None.

ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT

Not applicable.

ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

We have followed and intend to follow the applicable NYSE corporate governance listing standards.

ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

PART III

ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We have elected to provide financial statements pursuant to Item 18.

ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The consolidated financial statements of Autohome Inc. are included at the end of this annual report.

114

ITEM 19. EXHIBITS


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

1.1		Fourth Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant, adopted on November 27, 2013 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

2.1		Registrant’s Specimen American Depositary Receipt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

2.2		Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

2.3		Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and holders of the American Depositary Receipts dated as of December 10, 2013 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-196006), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 16, 2014)

2.4		Investors Rights Agreement among the Registrant, Telstra Holdings Pty Limited and certain minority shareholders of the Registrant dated November 4, 2013 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.63 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.1		2011 Share Incentive Plan of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.2		2013 Share Incentive Plan of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.3		Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its directors and officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.4		English Translation of Form of Employment Agreement between Autohome WFOE and an executive officer of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.5		Restated Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Autohome Information dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.6		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Chengshi Advertising dated November 12, 2010 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.7 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.7		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Autohome Advertising dated September 21, 2010 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.8 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

115


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

4.8		Restated Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.9		Restated Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.10 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.10		Restated Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.11 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.11		Restated Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and Zhi Qin dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.12		Restated Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and Zheng Fan dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.13 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.13		Restated Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and Xiang Li dated June 7, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.14 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.14		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and Chengshi Advertising dated November 12, 2010 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.16 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.15		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Autohome Information and Autohome Advertising dated September 21, 2010 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.17 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.16		Restated Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated August 23, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.18 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.17		Restated Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated August 23, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.19 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.18		Restated Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated August 23, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.20 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

116


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

4.19		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Autohome Information dated November 12, 2010 regarding Chengshi Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.22 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.20		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Autohome Information dated September 21, 2010 regarding Autohome Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.23 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.21		Power of Attorney issued by Zhi Qin dated April 3, 2013 regarding Autohome Information (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.24 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.22		Power of Attorney issued by Zheng Fan dated April 3, 2013 regarding Autohome Information (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.25 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.23		Power of Attorney issued by Xiang Li dated April 3, 2013 regarding Autohome Information (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.26 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.24		Power of Attorney issued by Autohome Information dated April 3, 2013 regarding Chengshi Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.28 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.25		Power of Attorney issued by Autohome Information dated April 3, 2013 regarding Autohome Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.29 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.26		Supplementary Agreement to Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Chengshi Advertising dated July 22, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.31 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.27		Supplementary Agreement to Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome Advertising and Autohome WFOE dated July 22, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.32 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.28		Supplementary Agreement to Restated Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome Information and Autohome WFOE dated July 22, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.33 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.29		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Shanghai Advertising dated December 31, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.34 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

117


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

4.30		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated December 31, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.35 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.31		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated December 31, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.36 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.32		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated December 31, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.37 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.33		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Shanghai Advertising and Zhi Qin dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.38 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.34		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Shanghai Advertising and Zheng Fan dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.39 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.35		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Shanghai Advertising and Xiang Li dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.40 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.36		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.41 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.37		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.42 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.38		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.43 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.39		Power of Attorney issued by Zhi Qin dated April 3, 2013 regarding Shanghai Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.44 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.40		Power of Attorney issued by Zheng Fan dated April 3, 2013 regarding Shanghai Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.45 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

118


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

4.41		Power of Attorney issued by Xiang Li dated April 3, 2013 regarding Shanghai Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.46 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.42		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.47 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.43		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.48 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.44		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated July 2, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.49 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.45		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Guangzhou Advertising dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.50 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.46		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.51 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.47		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.52 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.48		Loan Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.53 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.49		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Guangzhou Advertising and Zhi Qin dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.54 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.50		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Guangzhou Advertising and Zheng Fan dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.55 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.51		Equity Option Agreement among Autohome WFOE, Guangzhou Advertising and Xiang Li dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.56 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.52		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zhi Qin dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.57 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

119


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

4.53		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Zheng Fan dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.58 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.54		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Autohome WFOE and Xiang Li dated May 8, 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.59 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.55		Power of Attorney issued by Zhi Qin dated April 3, 2013 regarding Guangzhou Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.60 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.56		Power of Attorney issued by Zheng Fan dated April 3, 2013 regarding Guangzhou Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.61 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.57		Power of Attorney issued by Xiang Li dated April 3, 2013 regarding Guangzhou Advertising (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.62 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-192085), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2013)

4.58*		Termination Agreement among Autohome Information, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Autohome WFOE dated July 8, 2015

4.59*		English Translation of Equity Interest Transfer Agreement between Autohome Information and Zhi Qin dated July 8, 2015

4.60*		English Translation of Equity Interest Transfer Agreement between Autohome Information and Zheng Fan dated July 8, 2015

4.61*		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Shengtuo Hongyuan dated July 8, 2015

4.62*		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Autohome Used Car Appraisal dated July 8, 2015

4.63*		Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Autohome Used Car Brokerage dated July 8, 2015

4.64*		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Shengtuo Hongyuan pledging equity interest in Autohome Used Car Appraisal dated July 8, 2015

4.65*		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Shengtuo Hongyuan pledging equity interest in Autohome Used Car Brokerage, dated July 8, 2015

4.66*		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Zhi Qin dated July 8, 2015

4.67*		Equity Interest Pledge Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Zheng Fan dated July 8, 2015

4.68*		Power of Attorney issued by Shengtuo Hongyuan dated July 8, 2015 regarding Autohome Used Car Appraisal.

4.69*		Power of Attorney issued by Shengtuo Hongyuan dated July 8, 2015 regarding Autohome Used Car Brokerage

4.70*		Power of Attorney issued by Zhi Qin dated July 8, 2015 regarding Shengtuo Hongyuan

4.71*		Power of Attorney issued by Zheng Fan dated July 8, 2015 regarding Shengtuo Hongyuan

120


Exhibit Number		Description of Document

4.72*		Loan Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Zhi Qin dated July 8, 2015

4.73*		Loan Agreement between Chezhiying WFOE and Zheng Fan dated July 8, 2015

4.74*		Equity Option Agreement among Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Autohome Used Car Appraisal dated July 8, 2015

4.75*		Equity Option Agreement among Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Autohome Used Car Brokerage dated July 8, 2015

4.76*		Equity Option Agreement among Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Zhi Qin dated July 8, 2015

4.77*		Equity Option Agreement among Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Zheng Fan dated July 8, 2015

4.78*		2016 Share Incentive Plan of the Registrant

8.1*		List of Principal Subsidiaries

11.1		Amended and Restated Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 11.1 to the Form 20-F (File No. 001-36222), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2014)

12.1*		Certification by Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

12.2*		Certification by Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

13.1**		Certification by Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

13.2**		Certification by Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

15.1*		Consent of Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, independent registered public accounting firm

15.2*		Consent of TransAsia Lawyers

101.INS*		XBRL Instance Document

101.SCH*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

101.CAL*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

101.DEF*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

101.LAB*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

101.PRE*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

*	Filed with this annual report on Form 20-F.

**	Furnished with this annual report on Form 20-F.

121

SIGNATURES

The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.


AUTOHOME INC.

By:	/s/ James Zhi Qin
	Name:	James Zhi Qin
	Title:	Director and Chief Executive Officer

Date: March 17, 2016

122

AUTOHOME INC.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


	Page
Report of independent registered public accounting firm		F-2

Consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2014 and 2015		F-3-4

Consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015		F-5

Consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015		F-6

Consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015		F-7

Notes to the consolidated financial statements		F-8-43

F-1

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Autohome Inc.

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Autohome Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Autohome Inc. at December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Autohome Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated March 17, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP

Beijing, the People’s Republic of China

March 17, 2016

F-2

AUTOHOME INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2015

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)


	Note		2014		2015
			RMB		RMB		US$
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents				1,054,416		2,152,647		332,311
Restricted cash				—		61,091		9,431
Term deposits				1,717,775		1,955,315		301,849
Accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of RMB335 and RMB2,315 (US$357) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		3		736,695		1,075,456		166,022
Inventories		4		—		111,667		17,238
Amount due from a related party		12		—		1,645		254
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		5		73,911		338,677		52,283
Deferred tax assets, current		6		57,969		45,977		7,098

Total current assets				3,640,766		5,742,475		886,486
Non-current assets:
Property and equipment, net		7		74,882		103,554		15,986
Intangible assets, net		8		39,400		34,155		5,273
Goodwill		10		1,504,278		1,504,278		232,221
Long-term investments		9		—		124,102		19,158
Other non-current assets				19,189		21,512		3,321

Total non-current assets				1,637,749		1,787,601		275,959

Total assets				5,278,515		7,530,076		1,162,445

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses and other payables (including accrued expenses and other payables of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB53,106 and RMB111,610 (US$17,230) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		11		524,534		833,473		128,667
Advance from customers (including advance from customers of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB17,650 and RMB10,942 (US$1,689) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				42,530		27,214		4,201
Deferred revenue (including deferred revenue of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB138,921 and RMB6,063 (US$936) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				438,797		872,487		134,689
Notes payable (including notes payable of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of nil and nil as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				—		174,943		27,007
Income tax payable (including income tax payable of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB13,930 and RMB6,408 (US$989) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				74,763		224,973		34,730
Amount due to a related party (including amount due to a related party of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB33 and RMB2,910 (US$449) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		12		33		23,444		3,619

Total current liabilities (including current liabilities of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB223,640 and RMB137,933 (US$21,293) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				1,080,657		2,156,534		332,913

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-3

AUTOHOME INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2015

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)


	Note		2014		2015
			RMB		RMB		US$
Non-current liabilities:
Other liabilities (including other liabilities of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB17,212 and RMB19,906 (US$3,073) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				24,058		32,596		5,032
Deferred tax liabilities (including deferred tax liabilities of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB9,677 and RMB8,539 (US$1,318) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		6		508,377		489,910		75,629

Total non-current liabilities (including non-current liabilities of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB26,889 and RMB28,445 (US$4,391) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				532,435		522,506		80,661

Total liabilities (including total liabilities of consolidated VIEs without recourse to Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE of RMB250,529 and RMB166,378 (US$25,684) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)				1,613,092		2,679,040		413,574

Commitments and contingencies		13
Shareholders’ equity:
Class A ordinary shares (par value of US$0.01 per share; 99,931,211,060 shares authorized; 48,777,835 and 51,230,242 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		15		3,301		3,452		533
Class B ordinary shares (par value US$0.01 per share; 68,788,940 shares authorized; 61,824,328 and 61,824,328 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		15		4,183		4,183		646
Additional paid-in capital		15		2,649,111		2,787,103		430,255
Accumulated other comprehensive income				5,932		62,753		9,687
Retained earnings				1,002,896		1,993,545		307,750

Total shareholders’ equity				3,665,423		4,851,036		748,871

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity				5,278,515		7,530,076		1,162,445

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-4

AUTOHOME INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013, 2014 AND 2015

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)


	Note		2013			2014			2015
			RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
Net revenues:
Advertising services				894,937			1,499,516			2,400,023			370,500
Dealer subscription services				321,611			633,433			1,063,952			164,246

Total net revenues				1,216,548			2,132,949			3,463,975			534,746
Cost of revenues		14		(252,236	)		(381,498	)		(669,121	)		(103,294	)

Gross profit				964,312			1,751,451			2,794,854			431,452
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing expenses				(245,228	)		(559,070	)		(1,127,484	)		(174,054	)
General and administrative expenses				(82,529	)		(129,751	)		(193,655	)		(29,895	)
Product development expenses				(81,651	)		(158,395	)		(273,908	)		(42,284	)

Operating profit				554,904			904,235			1,199,807			185,219
Interest income				11,082			34,682			63,218			9,759
Interest expense				(414	)		—			—			—
Earnings from equity method investments				—			—			102			16
Other income, net				2,884			2,544			13,064			2,017

Income before income taxes				568,456			941,461			1,276,191			197,011
Income tax expense		6		(112,294	)		(192,781	)		(285,542	)		(44,080	)

Net income				456,162			748,680			990,649			152,931

Earnings per share for ordinary shares:
Basic		17		4.57			7.01			8.83			1.36
Diluted		17		4.37			6.64			8.57			1.32
Weighted average number of shares used to compute earnings per share attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders:
Basic		17		99,898,154			106,735,303			112,227,405			112,227,405
Diluted		17		104,329,226			112,831,585			115,646,826			115,646,826
Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil
Foreign currency translation adjustments				1,403			3,946			56,821			8,772

Comprehensive income				457,565			752,626			1,047,470			161,703

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-5

AUTOHOME INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013, 2014 AND 2015

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)


	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income		456,162			748,680			990,649			152,931
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation of property and equipment		25,548			35,084			51,337			7,925
Amortization of intangible assets		6,250			6,053			5,247			810
Loss on disposal of property and equipment		90			163			570			88
Provision for doubtful accounts		251			42			2,179			336
Earnings from equity method investments		—			—			(102	)		(16	)
Share-based compensation		25,608			56,666			107,945			16,664
Deferred income taxes		3,327			5,334			(6,475	)		(1,000	)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		(139,901	)		(271,025	)		(340,940	)		(52,632	)
Amount due from a related party		—			—			(1,645	)		(254	)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(855	)		(60,528	)		(264,391	)		(40,816	)
Inventories		—			—			(111,667	)		(17,238	)
Restricted cash		—			—			(61,091	)		(9,431	)
Other non-current assets		(6,149	)		(12,936	)		(1,965	)		(303	)
Accrued expenses and other payables		97,803			201,421			316,714			48,892
Advance from customers		2,340			40,190			(15,316	)		(2,364	)
Notes payable		—			—			174,943			27,007
Deferred revenue		118,848			225,557			433,690			66,950
Income tax payable		(8,469	)		54,559			150,210			23,188
Amount due to a related party		567			(534	)		23,411			3,614
Other liabilities		12,473			(4,983	)		8,538			1,318

Net cash generated from operating activities		593,893			1,023,743			1,461,841			225,669

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of property and equipment		(44,212	)		(42,718	)		(89,161	)		(13,764	)
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment		535			1,084			595			92
Acquisition of intangible assets		(2,266	)		(108	)		—			—
Long-term investments		—			—			(124,000	)		(19,142	)
Purchase of term deposits		—			(2,155,360	)		(3,715,074	)		(573,509	)
Maturity of term deposits		—			437,585			3,519,983			543,392

Net cash used in investing activities		(45,943	)		(1,759,517	)		(407,657	)		(62,931	)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
(Increase)/decrease in restricted cash		(245,000	)		245,000			—			—
Proceeds from short-term debt		232,398			—			—			—
Repayment of short-term debt		(230,040	)		(2,358	)		—			—
Net proceeds from the initial public offering (“IPO”) and follow-on offering of ADSs		863,200			603,980			—			—
Payments of offering cost for IPO		—			(11,998	)		—			—
Payments for repurchase of common stock (Note 15)		(230,335	)		(227,015	)		—			—
Proceeds from exercise of share options		—			39,787			30,200			4,662
Payments of dividends		(220,925	)		—			—			—

Net cash generated from financing activities		169,298			647,396			30,200			4,662

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		789			4,181			13,847			2,138

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		718,037			(84,197	)		1,098,231			169,538
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		420,576			1,138,613			1,054,416			162,773

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		1,138,613			1,054,416			2,152,647			332,311

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Income taxes paid		107,134			137,826			133,265			20,573
Payable for repurchase of common stock (Note 15)		227,015			—			—			—
Capitalized IPO costs included in accrued expenses and other payables		13,079			—			—			—
Purchase of fixed assets included in accrued expenses and other payables		—			10,598			2,612			403

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-6

AUTOHOME INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013, 2014 AND 2015

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)


	Ordinary shares, Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares						Additional paid-in capital			Accumulated other comprehensive income		Retained Earnings			Total Shareholders’ Equity
	Shares			Amount			Additional paid-in capital			Accumulated other comprehensive income		Retained Earnings			Total Shareholders’ Equity
	Number			RMB			RMB			RMB		RMB			RMB
Balance as of January 1, 2013		100,000,000			6,867			1,128,314			583		422,211			1,557,975
Net income		—			—			—			—		456,162			456,162
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments		—			—			—			1,403		—			1,403
Payments of dividends		—			—			—			—		(220,925	)		(220,925	)
Repurchase and retirement of treasury stock (Note 1, Note 15)		(3,856,564	)		(265	)		(53,853	)		—		(403,232	)		(457,350	)
Issuance of Class A ordinary shares upon completion of the IPO, net of offering costs (Note 15)		8,993,000			547			848,944			—		—			849,491
Share-based compensation		—			—			25,608			—		—			25,608

Balance as of December 31, 2013		105,136,436			7,149			1,949,013			1,986		254,216			2,212,364
Net income		—			—			—			—		748,680			748,680
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments		—			—			—			3,946		—			3,946
Issuance of Class A ordinary shares upon completion of follow-on offering of ADSs in November, 2014, net of offering costs (Note 15)		2,424,801			149			603,831			—		—			603,980
Exercise and vesting of share-based awards		3,040,926			186			39,601			—		—			39,787
Share-based compensation		—			—			56,666			—		—			56,666

Balance as of December 31, 2014		110,602,163			7,484			2,649,111			5,932		1,002,896			3,665,423
Net income		—			—			—					990,649			990,649
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments		—			—			—			56,821		—			56,821
Exercise and vesting of share-based awards		2,452,407			151			30,047			—		—			30,198
Share-based compensation		—			—			107,945			—		—			107,945

Balance as of December 31, 2015		113,054,570			7,635			2,787,103			62,753		1,993,545			4,851,036

Balance as of December 31, 2015, in US$					1,179			430,255			9,687		307,750			748,871

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-7

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION

Autohome Inc., formerly known as Sequel Limited (the “Company”), was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on June 23, 2008. Upon incorporation, the Company was 100% owned by Telstra Holdings Pty Ltd. (“Telstra”). On June 27, 2008 (the “Acquisition date”), the Company acquired Cheerbright International Holdings Limited (“Cheerbright”), China Topside Co., Ltd. (“China Topside”), and Norstar Advertising Media Holdings Co., Ltd. (“Norstar”), and their respective wholly foreign-owned enterprises and variable interest entities (“VIEs”). Subsequent to the acquisition, the Company was owned 55% by Telstra, and 45% by the selling shareholders of Cheerbright, China Topside and Norstar. The Company, through its subsidiaries and VIEs (as disclosed in the table below), is principally engaged in the provision of online advertising and dealer subscription services in the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”). In May 2012, Telstra acquired additional ordinary shares of the Company from other shareholders.

On June 14, 2011, the Company incorporated, under the laws of the Cayman Islands, a wholly-owned subsidiary, Sequel Media Inc. (“Sequel Media”). On June 30, 2011, the Company contributed all the shares of the entities that provided online advertising services to manufacturers and retailers in the information technology industry (collectively the “Distributed Entities”) to Sequel Media. On June 30, 2011, the Company distributed all the shares of Sequel Media to its shareholders. Accordingly, pursuant to ASC 205-20, Discontinued Operations, the Distributed Entities have been accounted for as a discontinued operation whereby the results of operations of these businesses have been eliminated from the results of continuing operations.

On October 8, 2011, the Shijiazhuang Industry and Commercial Bureau approved the termination of the business license of Shijiazhuang XinFeng Advertising Co., Ltd., formally dissolving the legal entity.

On November 4, 2013, the Company and Telstra entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with West Crest Limited, its sole shareholder and the other shareholders of the Company. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company and Telstra purchased 3,856,564 and 2,828,147 ordinary shares of the Company held by West Crest Limited for US$75 million and US$55 million, respectively, in cash to be paid in two instalments (“West Crest Limited Share Purchase”). The selling shareholder has resigned from the board of directors upon signing of the agreement. On November 15, 2013, the Company decided to retire the treasury stock purchased from West Crest.

The Company successfully completed its IPO and listing of 8,993,000 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) on the New York Stock Exchange in December, 2013, and raised net proceeds of US$142,590 from the offering. Each ADS represents one ordinary share. Upon the completion of IPO in December, 2013, the Company’s dual-class ordinary share structure came into effect (Note 15). Upon the completion of follow-on offering in November 2014, 2,424,801 ADSs were issued by the Company and 6,964,612 Class B ordinary shares were converted into Class A ordinary shares. The net proceeds from the follow-on offering amounted to US$97,344 net of issuance cost. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had ordinary shares outstanding, comprised of 51,230,242 Class A ordinary shares and 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares. Telstra remains the Company’s controlling shareholder holding 54.7% of the total equity interest and voting rights, respectively in the Company as of December 31, 2015.

F-8

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s principal subsidiaries and VIEs where Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE are the primary beneficiaries include the following entities:


Entity	Date of incorporation or acquisition	Place of incorporation	Percentage of direct ownership by the Company			Principal activities
Subsidiaries
Cheerbright International Holdings, Limited (“Cheerbright”)	June 13, 2006	British Virgin Islands		100	%	Investment holding
Autohome E-commerce Inc.	February 6, 2015	Cayman Islands		100	%	Investment holding
Autohome Link Inc.	January 29, 2015	Cayman Islands		100	%	Investment holding
Autohome Financing Limited	March 23, 2015	Cayman Islands		100	%	Investment holding
Autohome (Hong Kong) Limited (“Autohome HK”)	March 16, 2012	Hong Kong		100	%	Provision of online advertising services
Autohome Media Limited (“Autohome Media”, formerly known as Prbrownies Marketing Limited)	October 18, 2013	Hong Kong		100	%	Provision of online advertising services
Autohome E-commerce Hong Kong Limited	February 18, 2015	Hong Kong		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited	February 16, 2015	Hong Kong		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Autohome Financing Hong Kong Limited	April 15, 2015	Hong Kong		100	%	Provision of financial services
Beijing Cheerbright Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Autohome WFOE”)	September 1, 2006	PRC		100	%	Provision of technical and consulting services
Autohome Shanghai Advertising Co., Ltd.	September 29, 2013	PRC		100	%	Provision of online advertising services
Beijing Prbrownies Software Co., Ltd. (formerly known as “Beijing Autohome Software Co., Ltd.”)	November 12, 2013	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Beijing Autohome Technologies Co., Ltd.	November 12, 2013	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Beijing Autohome Advertising Co., Ltd.	November 13, 2013	PRC		100	%	Provision of online advertising services
Guangzhou Autohome Advertising Co., Ltd.	November 25, 2013	PRC		100	%	Provision of online advertising services
Tianjin Autohome Technologies Co., Ltd.	October 20, 2014	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Autohome (Tianjin) Automobile Sales Co., Ltd.	October 20, 2014	PRC		100	%	Provision of automobile and component parts sales service

F-9

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)


Entity	Date of incorporation or acquisition	Place of incorporation	Percentage of direct ownership by the Company			Principal activities
Beijing Chezhiying Technology Co., Ltd.(“Chezhiying WFOE”)	May 26, 2015	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Beijing Chezhiying Software Co., Ltd.(“Chezhiying Software”)	December 9, 2015	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Beijing Kemoshijie Technology Co., Ltd.	September 11, 2015	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
Shanghai Baiche Julian Information Technology Co., Ltd.	December 29, 2014	PRC		100	%	Provision of information technology services
VIEs
Beijing Autohome Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“Autohome Information”)	August 28, 2006	PRC		—		Provision of online advertising and dealer subscription services
Beijing Shengtuo Autohome Advertising Co., Ltd.	September 21, 2010	PRC		—		Provision of online advertising services
Beijing Shengtuo Hongyuan Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“Shengtuo Hongyuan”)	November 8, 2010	PRC		—		Provision of online advertising and dealer subscription services
Beijing Shengtuo Chengshi Advertising Co., Ltd.	November 12, 2010	PRC		—		Provision of online advertising services
Shanghai You Che You Jia Advertising Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Advertising”)	December 31, 2011	PRC		—		Provision of online advertising services
Guangzhou You Che You Jia Advertising Co., Ltd. (“Guangzhou Advertising”)	May 8, 2012	PRC		—		Provision of online advertising services
Beijing Autohome Used Car Appraisal Co., Ltd.	January 30, 2015	PRC		—		Provision of used car sales and evaluating service
Beijing Autohome Used Car Brokerage Co., Ltd.	June 10, 2015	PRC		—		Provision of used car brokerage service

F-10

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

The Company, its subsidiaries and VIEs are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Group”. The Group provides online advertising and dealer subscription services through its websites and mobile applications. These services are offered to automakers and dealers, and advertising agencies that represent automakers and dealers in the automobile industry. In 2015, the Group further developed transaction business which includes direct vehicle sales and commission-based services facilitating transactions through the transaction platform. The Group’s principal geographic market is in the PRC. The Company does not conduct any substantive operations of its own but conducts its primary business operations through its wholly-owned subsidiaries and VIEs in the PRC.

PRC laws and regulations prohibit or restrict foreign ownership of internet content and online advertising businesses. To comply with these foreign ownership restrictions, the Company and its subsidiaries operate websites and provide online advertising services and dealer subscription services in the PRC through VIEs. The paid-in capital of the VIEs was funded by the Company’s PRC subsidiaries, Autohome WFOE and Chezhiying WFOE, through loans extended to the VIEs’ shareholders (“Nominee Shareholders”). The effective control of the VIEs is held by WFOEs, through a series of contractual agreements (the “Contractual Agreements”). As a result of the Contractual Agreements, the WFOEs maintain the ability to control the VIEs, are entitled to substantially all of the economic benefits from the VIEs and are obligated to absorb all of the VIE’s expected losses.

In July 2015, Autohome Information, Shengtuo Hongyuan and Autohome WFOE entered into a termination agreement, pursuant to which the parties terminated the contractual agreements among themselves and Autohome Information transferred all of its equity interest in Shengtuo Hongyuan to James Zhi Qin and Zheng Fan. In July 2015, Chezhiying WFOE, Shengtuo Hongyuan and each of its subsidiaries, and James Zhi Qin and Zheng Fan entered into contractual agreements to effect the Company’s control over Shengtuo Hongyuan. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the contractual agreements between Autohome WFOE and each of the three shareholders of Autohome Information described below. This termination of contractual agreements and transfer of equity interest in Shengtuo Hongyuan from Autohome WFOE to Chezhiying WFOE had no impact on the Company’s operations and consolidated financial statements.

Despite the lack of technical majority ownership, there exists a parent-subsidiary relationship between the Company and the VIEs through the irrevocable power of attorney agreement, whereby the Nominee Shareholders effectively assigned all of their voting rights underlying their equity interest in the VIEs to the WFOEs. In addition, through the Contractual Agreements the Company demonstrates its ability and intention to continue to exercise the ability to absorb substantially all of the expected losses and majority of the profits of the VIEs through the WFOEs.

Thus, the Company is also considered the primary beneficiary of the VIEs through the WFOEs. As a result of the above, the Company consolidates the VIEs in accordance with SEC Regulation SX-3A-02 and Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810-10 (“ASC 810-10”) Consolidation: Overall.

The following is a summary of the Contractual Agreements:

Exclusive technical consulting and service agreements

Pursuant to the exclusive technical consulting and service agreements that have been entered into by the WFOEs and the VIEs, the VIEs have engaged the WFOEs as their exclusive provider of technical support and management consulting services. The VIEs shall pay to the WFOEs service fees determined based on the revenues of the VIEs. The service fees can be adjusted by the WFOEs unilaterally. The WFOEs shall exclusively own any intellectual property arising from the performance of this agreement. This agreement has a 30 year term that can be automatically extended for another 10 years at the option of the WFOEs. The agreement can only be terminated mutually by the parties in writing. During the term of the agreement, the VIEs may not enter into any agreement with third parties for the provision of any technical or management consulting services without prior consent of the WFOEs.

Loan agreements

Pursuant to the loan agreements between the Nominee Shareholders of the VIEs and the WFOEs, the WFOEs granted interest-free loans for the Nominee Shareholders’ contributions to the VIEs. The term of the loan is indefinite until the WFOEs requests repayment. The manner and timing of the repayment shall be at the sole discretion of the WFOEs and at the WFOEs’ option may be in the form of transferring the VIEs’ equity interest to the WFOEs or their designated persons.

F-11

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

Exclusive equity option agreements

Pursuant to the exclusive option agreements, entered into between the Nominee Shareholders of the VIEs and the WFOEs, the Nominee Shareholders jointly and severally granted to the WFOEs an option to purchase their equity interests in the VIEs. The purchase price will be offset against the loan repayments under the loan agreements. If the transfer price of the equity interest is greater than the loan amount, the Nominee Shareholders are required to immediately return the received transfer price in excess of the loan amount to the

WFOEs or any person designated by the WFOEs. The WFOEs may exercise such option at any time until it has acquired all equity interests of the VIEs or freely transfer the option to any third party and such third party may assume the right and obligations of the option agreement. The exclusive equity option agreements have an indefinite term and will terminate at the earlier of i) the date on which all of the equity interests have been transferred to the WFOEs or any person designated by the WFOEs; or ii) the unilateral termination by the WFOEs.

Equity interest pledge agreements

Pursuant to the equity interest pledge agreements entered into between the Nominee Shareholders of the VIEs and the WFOEs, the Nominee Shareholders pledged all of their equity interests in the VIEs to the WFOEs as collateral for all of their payments due to the WFOEs and to secure their obligations under the above agreements. The Nominee Shareholders may not transfer or assign the shares, the rights and obligations in the share pledge agreement or create or permit to create any pledges which may have an adverse effect on the rights or benefits of the VIEs without the WFOE’s preapproval. The WFOE is entitled to transfer or assign in full or in part the shares pledged. In the event of default, the WFOE as the pledgee will be entitled to request immediate repayment of the loan or to dispose of the pledged equity interests through transfer or assignment. There have been no dividends or distributions from inception to date. The equity interest pledge agreements have an indefinite term and will terminate after all the obligations under these agreements have been satisfied in full or the pledged equity interests have been transferred to the WFOEs or their designees.

Power of attorney agreements

Pursuant to the power of attorney agreements signed between the Nominee Shareholders of the VIEs and the WFOEs, the Nominee Shareholders have given the WFOEs an irrevocable proxy to act on their behalf on all matters pertaining to the VIEs and to exercise all of their rights as shareholders of the VIEs, including the right to attend shareholders meetings, to exercise voting rights and to transfer all or a part of his equity interests in the VIEs.

In June 2011, the Contractual Agreements were supplemented with the following terms:

•

With respect to the exclusive equity option agreements, in the event of liquidation or dissolution of the VIEs, all assets shall be sold to the WFOEs at the lowest selling price permitted by applicable PRC law, and any proceeds from the transfer and any residual interests in the VIEs shall be remitted to the WFOEs immediately;

•

With respect to the exclusive equity option agreements, dividends and distributions are not permitted without the prior consent of the WFOEs, to the extent there is a dividend or distribution, the Nominee Shareholders will remit the amounts in full to the WFOEs immediately;

•

With respect to the exclusive technical consulting and service agreements and loan agreements, the WFOEs shall provide the necessary financial support to the VIEs whether or not the VIEs incur any losses, and not request for repayment if the VIEs are unable to do so.

F-12

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

Risk in relation to the VIE Structure

Internet and advertising related businesses are subject to significant restrictions under current PRC laws and regulations. Specifically, foreign investors are not allowed to own more than a 50% equity interest in any Internet Content Provider (“ICP”) business. In addition, PRC regulations require any foreign entities that invest in the advertising services industry to have at least a two-year track record with a principal business in the advertising industry outside of China.

The Group conducts its operations in China through Contractual Agreements entered into between the WFOEs and VIEs. In 2014, the Group began gradually migrating the advertising service business from the VIEs to the subsidiaries of Autohome Media, a transition that was completed to a substantial extent. The relevant regulatory authorities may find the current contractual agreements and businesses to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations. If the Company or any of its current or future VIEs or subsidiaries are found in violation of any existing or future laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required permits or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including levying fines, confiscating the income of Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE, Shanghai Advertising, Guangzhou Advertising, Autohome Information and its subsidiaries, revoking the business licenses or operating licenses of Autohome WFOE, Chezhiying WFOE, Shanghai Advertising, Guangzhou Advertising, Autohome Information and its subsidiaries, shutting down the Group’s servers or blocking the Group’s websites, discontinuing or placing restrictions or onerous conditions on the Group’s operations, requiring the Group to undergo a costly and disruptive restructuring, restricting the Group’s rights to use the proceeds from this offering to finance the Group’s business and operations in China, or enforcement actions that could be harmful to the Group’s business. Any of these actions could cause significant disruption to the Group’s business operations and severely damage the Group’s reputation, which would in turn materially and adversely affect the Group’s business and results of operations. In addition, if the imposition of any of these penalties causes the Company to lose the rights to direct the actives of VIEs or the Company’s right to receive their economic benefits, the Company would no longer be able to consolidate the VIEs.

In addition, if Shanghai Advertising, Guangzhou Advertising, Autohome Information and its subsidiaries or their shareholders fail to perform their obligations under the Contractual Agreements, the Company may have to incur substantial costs and expend resources to enforce the Company’s rights under the contracts. The Company may have to rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief and claiming damages, which may not be effective. All of these Contractual Agreements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in the PRC. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal system in PRC is not as developed as in other jurisdictions, such as United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit the Company’s ability to enforce these Contractual Agreements. Under PRC law, rulings by arbitrators are final, parties cannot appeal the arbitration results in courts, and prevailing parties may only enforce the arbitration awards in PRC courts through arbitration award recognition proceedings, which would incur additional expenses and delay. In the event the Company is unable to enforce these Contractual Agreements, the Company may not be able to exert effective control over its VIEs, and the Company’s ability to conduct its business may be negatively affected.

Based on the advice of the Company’s PRC legal counsel, the corporate structure and Contractual Agreements of the Company’s VIEs and WFOEs in China are in compliance with all existing PRC laws and regulations. Therefore, in the opinion of management, (i) the ownership structure of the Company and the VIEs are in compliance with existing PRC laws and regulations; (ii) the Contractual Agreements with VIEs and their nominee shareholder are valid and binding, and will not result in any violation of PRC laws or regulations currently in effect; and (iii) the Group’s business operations are in compliance with existing PRC law and regulations in all material respects.

VIEs contributed an aggregate of 100.0%, 69.1% and 7.8% of the consolidated net revenues for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively after elimination of inter-company transactions. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the VIEs accounted for an aggregate of 37.4% and 24.1%, respectively, of the consolidated total assets, and 15.6% and 6.2%, respectively, of the consolidated total liabilities after elimination of inter-company balances.

Relevant PRC laws and regulations restrict the VIE from transferring a portion of its net assets, equivalent to the balance of its statutory reserve and its share capital, to the company in the form of loans and advances or cash dividends. Please refer to Note 16 for disclosure of restricted net assets.

F-13

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

1.	ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

The following table sets forth the assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows of the VIEs included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of comprehensive income and consolidated statements of cash flows:

December 31,

2014

2015

RMB

US$

Current assets

639,347

502,938

77,640

Non-current assets

1,612,276

1,618,469

249,849

Total assets

2,251,623

2,121,407

327,489

Current liabilities

498,209

412,994

63,755

Non-current liabilities

26,889

28,445

4,391

Total liabilities

525,098

441,439

68,146

Net assets

1,726,525

1,679,968

259,343


	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
Net revenues		1,216,410			1,473,401			271,198			41,866
Net income/(loss)		28,170			57,358			(68,272	)		(10,539	)

	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			RMB
Net cash generated from/(used in ) operating activities		29,925			102,403			(23,630	)		(3,648	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(38,100	)		(33,773	)		(73,318	)		(11,318	)
Net cash generated from financing activities		—			—			—			—

The revenue-producing assets that are held by the VIEs comprise of customer relationships, trademarks, websites, domain names and servers.

The current assets of the VIEs included amounts due from PRC subsidiaries of RMB280,857 and RMB310,096(US$47,871), for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively, which were eliminated upon consolidation by the Company. The current liabilities of the VIEs included amounts due to PRC subsidiaries of RMB274,569 and RMB275,061(US$42,462), for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively, which were eliminated upon consolidation by the Company. There was no pledge or collateralization of the VIEs’ assets and the WFOEs have not provided any financial support that they were not previously contractually required to provide to the VIEs. There were no assets of the VIEs that can only be used to settle their own obligations. Creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of the WFOEs, which are the primary beneficiary of the VIEs.

F-14

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(a)

Basis of accounting

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”).

(b)

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries, and the VIEs for which the Company or subsidiaries of the Company are the primary beneficiaries. All significant inter-company transactions and balances between the Company, its subsidiaries, and the VIEs are eliminated upon consolidation. Results of acquired subsidiaries and VIEs are consolidated from the date on which control is transferred to the Company.

(c)

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the year. Areas where management uses subjective judgment include, but are not limited to, estimating the useful lives of long-lived assets and intangible assets, identifying separate accounting units and estimating rebates related to revenue transactions, assessing the initial valuation of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination and the subsequent impairment assessment of long-lived assets, intangible assets and goodwill, long-term investments, determining the provision for accounts receivable and inventories, determining the value-added tax (“VAT”) receivables, accounting for deferred income taxes and accounting for the share-based compensation. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and as such, differences may be material to the consolidated financial statements.

(d)

Foreign Currency

The functional currency of the Company, its Cayman subsidiaries and Cheerbright, is the United States dollar (“US$”), whereas the functional currency of Hong Kong subsidiaries is the Hong Kong dollar (“HK$”), and the functional currency of the PRC subsidiaries and VIEs is the Chinese Renminbi (“RMB”) as determined based on the criteria of ASC 830, Foreign Currency Matters. The Company uses the RMB as its reporting currency. Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are re-measured into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing on the transaction dates. Foreign currency denominated financial assets and liabilities are re-measured at the balance sheet date exchange rate. Exchange gains and losses are included in other income, net in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Assets and liabilities of the Company, its Cayman subsidiaries, Cheerbright and Hong Kong subsidiaries are translated into RMB at fiscal year-end exchange rates. Income and expense items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the fiscal year.

(e)

Convenience Translation

Amounts in United States dollars (“US$”) are presented for the convenience of the reader and are translated at the noon buying rate of US$1.00 to RMB6.4778 on December 31, 2015 in the City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at such rate.

(f)

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, demand deposits and time deposits placed with banks or other financial institutions which are unrestricted as to withdrawal and use and have original maturities less than three months.

F-15

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

(g)

Term deposits

All bank deposits with original maturities of greater than 3 months but less than 1 year are classified as term deposits which are stated at their approximate fair value.

(h)

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash represents cash pledged to the bank as collateral for the Company’s notes payable.

(i)

Deferred Offering Costs

Direct costs incurred by the Company attributable to its IPO of ordinary shares in December, 2013 and follow-on offering of ADSs in November, 2014 in the United States have been deferred and charged against the gross proceeds received from such offerings.

(j)

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Financial instruments of the Group primarily comprise of cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, accounts receivable, amount due from a related party, prepaid expenses and other current assets, notes payable, accrued expenses and other payables, and amount due to a related party. The carrying values of these financial instruments approximated their fair values due to the short-term maturity of these instruments.

(k)

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

(l)

Inventories

Inventories consist of new vehicles held for sale, stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined using the specific identification method. Amounts are removed from inventories using the specific identification method. The Company’s purchase arrangements with certain automakers entitle the Company to receive a specified amount of cash rebates if certain conditions are met during the stated rebate periods. The Company accounts for these rebates in accordance with ASC 605-50, Revenue Recognition: Customer Payments and Incentives. Rebates relating to new vehicles purchased but still held by the Company as of the balance sheet date are recorded as a reduction to cost of inventories while rebates relating to new vehicles purchased and sold during the reporting period are recorded as a reduction to cost of revenues.

(m)

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, as follows:


Category		Estimated useful life
Electronic equipment		3 – 5 years
Office equipment		3 – 5 years
Motor vehicles		4 – 5 years
Purchased and internally-developed software		3–5 years
Leasehold improvements		Shorter of lease term or the estimated useful lives of the assets

F-16

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

Repair and maintenance costs are charged to expense as incurred, whereas the costs of betterments that extend the useful life of property and equipment are capitalized as additions to the related assets. Retirements, sale and disposals of assets are recorded by removing the cost and accumulated depreciation with any resulting gain or loss reflected in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

(n)

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets are carried at cost less accumulated amortization and any recorded impairment. Intangible assets acquired in a business combination were recognized initially at fair value at the date of acquisition. Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized using a straight-line method of amortization that reflects the estimated pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are to be consumed. The estimated useful life for the intangible assets is as follows:


Category		Estimated useful life
Trademark		15 years
Customer relationship		5 years
Websites		4 years
Domain names		4 years
Licensing agreements		1.75 years

(o)

Long-term Investments

The Company’s long-term investments consist of equity method investments. Investments in entities in which the Company can exercise significant influence but does not own a majority equity interest or control are accounted for using the equity method of accounting in accordance with ASC topic 323 (“ASC 323”), Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures. Under the equity method, the Company initially records its investments at cost. The Company subsequently adjusts the carrying amount of the investments to recognize the Company’s proportionate share of each equity investee’s net income or loss into earnings after the date of investments. The Company evaluates the equity method investments for impairment under ASC 323. An impairment loss on the equity method investments is recognized in earnings when the decline in value is determined to be other-than-temporary.

(p)

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the amounts assigned to the fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed of an acquired business. The Group’s goodwill at December 31, 2014 and 2015 were related to its acquisition of Cheerbright, China Topside and Norstar. In accordance with ASC 350, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, recorded goodwill amounts are not amortized, but rather are tested for impairment annually or more frequently if there are indicators of impairment present.

Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis (December 31 for the Company) and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. These events or circumstances include a significant change in stock prices, business environment, legal factors, financial performances, competition, or events affecting the reporting unit. Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment, including the identification of reporting units, assignment of assets and liabilities to reporting units, assignment of goodwill to reporting units, and determination of the fair value of each reporting unit. The estimation of fair value of reporting unit using a discounted cash flow methodology also requires significant judgments, including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the long-term rate of growth for the Company’s business, estimation of the useful life over which cash flows will occur, and determination of the Company’s weighted average cost of capital. The estimates used to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit change from year to year based on operating results and market conditions. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value and goodwill impairment for the reporting unit.

F-17

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

Management has determined that the Group represents the lowest level within the entity at which goodwill is monitored for internal management purposes. Management evaluated the recoverability of goodwill by performing a qualitative assessment before using a two-step impairment test approach at the reporting unit level. Based on an assessment of the qualitative factors, management determined that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the reporting unit is in excess of its carrying amount. Therefore, management concluded that it was not necessary to proceed to the two-step goodwill impairment test. No impairment loss was recorded for any of the years presented.

If the Group reorganizes its reporting structure in a manner that changes the composition of one or more of its reporting units, goodwill is reassigned based on the relative fair value of each of the affected reporting units.

(q)

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Intangibles

The Group evaluates its long-lived assets or asset group, including intangible assets with finite lives, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances (such as a significant adverse change to market conditions that will impact the future use of the assets) indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or a group of long-lived assets may not be recoverable. When these events occur, the Group evaluates impairment by comparing the carrying amount of the assets to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to result from the use of the assets and their eventual disposition. If the sum of the expected undiscounted cash flow is less than the carrying amount of the assets, the Group would recognize an impairment loss based on the excess of the carrying amount of the asset group over its fair value. No impairment charge was recorded for any of the years presented.

(r)

Revenue Recognition

The Group’s revenue is primarily derived from online advertising and dealer subscription services. Revenue is recognized only when the price is fixed or determinable, persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the service is performed and collectability of the related fee is reasonably assured based on the guidance in ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.

Contracts are signed to establish significant terms such as the price and online advertising services to be provided. The Group considers the price for its services to be fixed and determinable when the Group and its customers have signed the contracts. The Group assesses the creditworthiness of its customers prior to signing the contracts to ensure collectability is reasonably assured. Non-refundable payments received before all of the relevant criteria for revenue recognition are satisfied are recorded as deferred revenue.

Advertising services

The Group provides online advertising services to automakers, dealers and agency companies that represent automakers and dealers. The majority of the Group’s online advertising service arrangements involve multiple deliverables such as banner advertisements, links and logos, other media insertions and promotional activities that are delivered over different periods of time. Multiple contracts with the same customers are accounted for as separate arrangements if the contracts are not linked together in a single transaction. Historically, the Company has not entered into multiple contracts with the same counterparty that should be combined and accounted for as a single arrangement.

In determining its best estimated selling price for each deliverable, the Group considered its overall pricing model and objectives, as well as market or competitive conditions that may impact the price at which the Group would transact if the deliverable were sold regularly on a standalone basis. The Group monitors the conditions that affect its determination of selling price for each deliverable and reassesses such estimates periodically. Revenue is recognized ratably when the advertisements are published over the stated display period in the case of websites or when the services have been rendered in the case of promotional activities. The amount recognized is limited to the amount that is not contingent upon the delivery of additional deliverables or meeting other specified performance conditions.

F-18

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

New vehicle transaction business

The new vehicle transaction business launched in mid- 2015 primarily includes direct vehicle sales and commission-based services to facilitate transactions on the Autohome Mall platform. For direct vehicle sales, the Company recognizes revenue on a gross basis as it acts as the principal, is the primary obligor of the sales arrangements and is subject to inventory risk. Revenue from direct vehicle sales are recognized when a sales contract has been executed and the vehicle has been delivered. Under the commission-based service arrangements, the Company earns commission for the new vehicle transactions facilitated through the Autohome Mall platform. Commission revenue is recognized after the vehicles are delivered to customers. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the revenues from new vehicle transaction business accounted for 5.2% of the consolidated net revenues of the Company and therefore, were not separately disclosed as a separate line item but included in advertising services in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Dealer subscription services

The Group provides subscription services to automakers, dealers and agency companies that represent automakers and dealers. The Group makes available throughout the subscription period a webpage linked to its websites where the dealers can publish information such as the pricing of their products, locations and addresses and other related information. Revenue is recognized ratably as services are provided over the subscription period.

Rebates and cash incentives provided to customers

The Group provides rebates to agency companies based on cumulative annual advertising and service volume or surrounding occasional activities. The Group estimates its obligations under such agreements based on an evaluation of the likelihood of the agency companies’ achievement of the advertising and service volume targets, giving consideration to the actual activity during the incentive period and, as appropriate, evaluation of the agency companies’ purchase trends and history.

The Group also provides cash incentives to automakers and dealers who participated in various incentive programs on the Group’s online transaction platform. The cash incentives are accounted for as a reduction of revenue in accordance with ASC 605-50, “Revenue Recognition: Customer Payments and Incentives”.

Therefore, rebates and cash incentives are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the period revenue is recognized in the Group’s consolidated financial statements. The Group has estimated and recorded rebates and cash incentives to agency companies, dealers and automakers cumulatively amounting to RMB231,136, RMB395,175 and RMB578,548 (US$89,312) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

F-19

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

(s)

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues consist primarily of bandwidth and internet data center fees, depreciation of the Group’s long-lived assets, amortization of acquired intangible assets, VAT and surcharges, content-related costs and others. Content-related costs and others primarily comprise of salaries and benefits for employees directly involved in revenue generation activities and other overhead expenses directly attributable to the provision of the online advertising and dealer subscription services and new vehicle transaction business costs. New vehicle transaction business costs include vehicle purchase cost and other directly attributable costs. Rebates relating to new vehicles purchased and sold during the reporting period are recorded as a reduction to cost of revenues.

The Group’s business is subject to VAT, surcharges and cultural construction fees levied on advertising related sales in China. Pursuant to ASC 605-45, Revenue Recognition—Principal Agent Considerations, the group elected to present VAT, surcharges and cultural construction fees as cost of revenues on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and its VIEs are subject to a 6% VAT for the service provided and 17% for the new vehicles delivered under transaction business. Since November 2014, Beijing Prbrownies Software Co., Ltd. was entitled to a 14% VAT refund on the total VAT payable at the rate of 17% after registration of its software resolutions with the relevant authority.

(t)

Advertising Expenditures

Advertising expenditures which amounted to RMB86,198, RMB266,942 and RMB533,632 (US$82,379) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively, are expensed as incurred and are included in sales and marketing expenses.

(u)

Product Development Expenses

Product development expenses consist primarily of employee costs related to personnel involved in the development and enhancement of the Group’s service offerings on its websites, mobile application and related software. The Group recognizes these costs as expenses when incurred, unless they result in significant additional functionality, in which case they are capitalized.

(v)

Leases

Leases are classified at the inception date as either a capital lease or an operating lease. The Group assesses a lease to be a capital lease if any of the following conditions exist: a) ownership is transferred to the lessee by the end of the lease term, b) there is a bargain purchase option, c) the lease term is at least 75% of the property’s estimated remaining economic life or d) the present value of the minimum lease payments at the beginning of the lease term is 90% or more of the fair value of the leased property to the lessor at the inception date. A capital lease is accounted for as if there was an acquisition of an asset and an incurrence of an obligation at the inception of the lease. The Group has no capital leases for the years presented.

All other leases are accounted for as operating leases wherein rental payments are expensed on a straight-line basis over the periods of their respective lease terms. The Group leases office space and employee accommodation under operating lease agreements. Certain of the lease agreements contain rent holidays. Rent holidays are considered in determining the straight-line rental expense to be recorded over the lease term. The lease term begins on the date of initial possession of the lease property for purposes of recognizing lease expense on straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

(w)

Notes payable

Notes payable represents short-term bank acceptance notes issued by financial institutions that entitle the holder to receive the stated amount from the financial institutions at the maturity date of the notes. The Group has utilized notes payable to settle amounts owed to the automakers.

F-20

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

(x)

Income Taxes

The Group accounts for income taxes using the liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that will be in effect in the period in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Group records a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Group applies ASC 740, Accounting for Income Taxes, to account for uncertainty in income taxes. ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold a tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the financial statements. The Group has recorded unrecognized tax benefits in the other liabilities line item in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Group has elected to classify interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if and when required, as part of “income tax expense”, in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

The Group’s estimated liability for unrecognized tax benefits and the related interest and penalties are periodically assessed for adequacy and may be affected by changing interpretations of laws, rulings by tax authorities, changes and/or developments with respect to tax audits, and expiration of the statute of limitations. The actual benefits ultimately realized may differ from the Group’s estimates. As each audit is concluded, adjustments, if any, are recorded in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Additionally, in future periods, changes in facts and circumstances, and new information may require the Group to adjust the recognition and measurement estimates with regard to individual tax positions. Changes in recognition and measurement estimates are recognized in the period in which they occur.

(y)

Treasury Stock

The Company accounts for treasury stock repurchases at cost in accordance with ASC 505-30, Treasury Stock. When a corporation’s stock is retired, an excess of repurchase price over par value may be allocated between additional paid-in capital and retained earnings.

(z)

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share are calculated in accordance with ASC 260-10, Earnings per Share: Overall. Basic earnings per share are computed by dividing net income attributable to holders of ordinary shares by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year using the two-class method. Under the two-class method, net income is allocated between the Class A and Class B ordinary shares based on their participating rights in undistributed earnings as if all the earnings for the reporting period had been distributed.

Diluted earnings per ordinary share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities to issue ordinary shares were exercised. The dilutive effect of outstanding share-based awards is reflected in the diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. The computation of the dilutive net income per share of Class A ordinary share assumes the conversion of Class B ordinary shares, while the diluted income per share of Class B ordinary share does not assume the conversion of those shares.

The participating rights (liquidation and dividend rights) of the holders of the Company’s Class A and Class B ordinary shares are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion. As a result, and in accordance with ASC 260, the undistributed income for each year is allocated based on the contractual participating rights of the Class A and Class B ordinary shares as if the income for the year had been distributed. As the participating rights are identical, the undistributed income is allocated on a proportionate basis.

F-21

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

(aa)

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is defined to include all changes in shareholders’ equity except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Among other disclosures, ASC 220-10, Comprehensive Income: Overall requires that all items that are required to be recognized under current accounting standards as components of comprehensive income be reported in a financial statement that is displayed with the same prominence as other financial statements. For each of the periods presented, the Company’s comprehensive income includes foreign currency translation adjustments and is presented in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. There have been no reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income to net income for the periods presented.

(bb)

Segment Reporting

In accordance with ASC 280-10, Segment Reporting: Overall, the Group’s chief operating decision maker has been identified as the Chief Executive Officer who reviews the consolidated results of operations when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of the Group as a whole; hence, the Group has only one operating segment. The Group does not distinguish between markets or segments for the purpose of internal reporting. As the Group’s long-lived assets and revenue are substantially located in and derived from the PRC, no geographical segments are presented.

(cc)

Employee Benefits

The full-time employees of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are entitled to staff welfare benefits including medical care, housing fund, pension benefits and unemployment insurance, which are governmental mandated defined contribution plans. These entities are required to accrue for these benefits based on certain percentages of the employees’ respective salaries, subject to certain ceilings, in accordance with the relevant PRC regulations, and make cash contributions to the state-sponsored plans out of the amounts accrued. The total expenses for the employee benefits plans were RMB23,410, RMB61,532 and RMB134,125 (US$20,705) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

(dd)

Share-based Compensation

Share-based awards granted to employees are accounted for under ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, which requires that share-based awards granted to employees be measured based on the grant date fair value and recognized as compensation expense over the requisite service period (which is generally the vesting period) in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The Company has elected to recognize compensation expense using the straight-line method for all share-based awards granted with service conditions that have a graded vesting schedule. ASC 718 requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from initial estimates.

Forfeiture rates are estimated based on historical and future expectations of employee turnover rates and are adjusted to reflect future changes in circumstances and facts, if any. Share-based compensation expense is recorded net of estimated forfeitures such that expense is recorded only for those share-based awards that are expected to vest. To the extent the Company revises these estimates in the future, the share-based payments could be materially impacted in the period of revision, as well as in following periods. The Company, with the assistance of an independent third-party valuation firm, determined the fair value of the stock options granted to employees. The binomial option pricing model was applied in determining the estimated fair value of the options granted to employees. Subsequent to the IPO, fair value of the ordinary shares will be the price of the Company’s publicly traded shares.

(ee)

Government Grants

Government grants primarily represent tax refunds for operating a business in certain jurisdictions and fulfilment of specified tax payment obligations, and subsidies. These grants are not subject to any specific requirements and are recorded when received in “other income, net” in the Company’s consolidated statements of comprehensive income. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, RMB3,567, RMB2,984 and RMB11,281 (US$1,741) of government grants were recorded as other income, net.

F-22

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

(ff)

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements—Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. The guidance requires an entity to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued and to provide related footnote disclosures in certain circumstances. The guidance is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Early application is permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (“ASU 2015-11”). The amendments in this update simplify the measurement of inventory. ASU 2015-11 states that an entity should measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The adoption of the guidance is not expected to have significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers-Deferral of the effective date (“ASU 2015-14”). The amendments in ASU 2015-14 defer the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers issued in May 2014. According to the amendments in ASU 2015-14, the new revenue guidance ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Company is in the process of evaluating its contracts with customers under the new standard and cannot currently estimate the financial statement impact of adoption.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes-Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU 2015-17”). The amendments in this update simplify the presentation of deferred income taxes. ASU 2015-17 requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The amendments in ASU 2015-17 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 including interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The adoption of the guidance is not expected to have significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

(gg)

Concentration of Risk

Credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Group to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, term deposits and accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and term deposits altogether amounting to RMB2,772,191 and RMB4,169,053 (US$643,591), respectively, were deposited with various major reputable financial institutions located in the PRC and international financial institutions outside of the PRC. Management believes that these financial institutions are of high credit quality and continually monitors the creditworthiness of these financial institutions. Historically, deposits in Chinese banks are secure due to the state policy on protecting depositors’ interests. However, China promulgated a new Bankruptcy Law in August 2006 that came into effect on June 1, 2007, which contains a separate article expressly stating that the State Council may promulgate implementation measures for the bankruptcy of Chinese banks based on the Bankruptcy Law. Under the new Bankruptcy Law, a Chinese bank may go into bankruptcy. In the event of bankruptcy of one of the banks which holds the Group’s deposits, it is unlikely to claim its deposits back in full since it is unlikely to be classified as a secured creditor based on PRC laws. The Group continues to monitor the financial strength of these financial institutions.

F-23

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

2.	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

Accounts receivable are typically unsecured and derived from revenue earned from customers in the PRC, which are exposed to credit risk. The risk is mitigated by the Group’s assessment of its customers’ creditworthiness and its ongoing monitoring process of outstanding balances. The Group maintains reserves for estimated credit losses and these losses have generally been within expectations. There was one customer and two customers that individually represented greater than 10% of the total accounts receivable as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Business, customer, political, social and economic risks

The Group participates in a dynamic high technology industry and believes that changes in any of the following areas could have a material adverse effect on the Group’s future financial position, results of operations or cash flows; changes in the overall demand for services and products; changes in business offerings; competitive pressures due to new entrants; acceptance of the Internet as an effective marketing platform by China’s automotive industry; changes in certain strategic relationships or customer relationships; growth in China’s automotive industry, regulatory considerations; and risks associated with the Group’s ability to attract and retain employees necessary to support its growth.

There were no customers that individually represented greater than 10% of the total net revenue for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Currency convertibility risk

The Group transacts substantially all its business in RMB, which is not freely convertible into foreign currencies. On January 1, 1994, the PRC government abolished the dual-rate system and introduced a single rate of exchange as quoted daily by the People’s Bank of China (the “PBOC”). However, the unification of the exchange rates does not imply that the RMB may be readily convertible into US$ or other foreign currencies. All foreign exchange transactions continue to take place either through the PBOC or other banks authorized to buy and sell foreign currencies at the exchange rates quoted by the PBOC. Approval of foreign currency payments by the PBOC or other institutions requires submitting a payment application form together with suppliers’ invoices, shipping documents and signed contracts.

As of December 31, 2015, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and term deposits in PRC were held by PRC subsidiaries and the VIEs. Cash and cash equivalents , restricted cash and term deposits of PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are all denominated in RMB and altogether amounted to RMB3,177,830(US$490,572) and RMB70,989(US$10,959), respectively. Cash distributed outside of the PRC by PRC subsidiaries and the VIEs may be subject to PRC dividend withholding tax.

Foreign Currency exchange rate risk

Since July 21, 2005, the RMB was permitted to fluctuate within a narrow and managed band against a basket of certain foreign currencies. There was appreciation of RMB against US$ of approximately 2.9% in the years ended December 31, 2013 and depreciation of 2.4% and 4.2% in the year ended December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the RMB would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to the Company. In addition, a significant depreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar may significantly reduce the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Company’s earnings, which in turn could adversely affect the price of the Company’s ADSs.

F-24

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

3.	ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts consist of the following:


	December 31,
	2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			US$
Accounts receivable		737,030			1,077,771			166,379
Allowance for doubtful accounts		(335	)		(2,315	)		(357	)

Total		736,695			1,075,456			166,022

As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, all accounts receivable were due from third party customers.

An analysis of the allowance for doubtful accounts is as follows:


	December 31,
	2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			US$
Beginning balance		1,253			335			52
Additions charged to bad debt expense		348			2,621			404
Reversal		(306	)		(442	)		(68	)
Write off		(960	)		(199	)		(31	)

Ending balance		335			2,315			357

The Group recognized additions to allowance for doubtful accounts amounting to RMB251, RMB42 and RMB2,179 (US$336) within general and administrative expenses, for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

4.	INVENTORIES

Inventories consist of new vehicles held for sale amounting to nil and RMB111,667 (US$17,238) as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

No inventory obsolescence provision, or net losses on firm purchase commitments, measured based upon the lower of cost or market were recorded during any of the years presented.

5.	PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following:


	December 31,
	2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		US$
Prepayments		42,120		272,859		42,122
Rental deposits		843		10,051		1,552
Staff advances		2,435		6,529		1,008
Interest receivable		12,040		9,944		1,535
Receivables from third-party payment platform		12,283		4,598		710
Other receivables		4,190		34,696		5,356

		73,911		338,677		52,283

Prepayments primarily include prepaid purchase cost for new vehicles, prepaid marketing expenses and prepaid VAT and surcharges. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, prepaid purchase cost for new vehicles were nil and RMB191,341 (US$29,538), respectively.

F-25

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

6.	TAXATION

Enterprise income tax

Cayman Islands

The Company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and conducts substantially all of its business through its PRC subsidiaries and VIEs. Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands, the Company is not subject to tax on income or capital gains. In addition, upon payments of dividends by these entities to their shareholders, no Cayman Islands withholding tax will be imposed.

British Virgin Islands

Cheerbright is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and conducts substantially all of its businesses through its PRC subsidiary and VIEs. Under the current laws of the British Virgin Islands, Cheerbright is not subject to tax on income or capital gains. In addition, upon payments of dividends by these entities to their shareholders, no British Virgin Islands withholding tax will be imposed.

Hong Kong

Autohome HK is incorporated in Hong Kong on March 16, 2012. In October 2013, Autohome HK acquired Autohome Media, a Hong Kong advertising and marketing company. Also in 2015, three new entities are established in Hong Kong. Companies registered in Hong Kong are subject to Hong Kong Profits Tax on the taxable income as reported in their respective statutory financial statements adjusted in accordance with relevant Hong Kong tax laws. The applicable tax rate is 16.5% in Hong Kong. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Company did not make any provisions for Hong Kong profit tax as there were no assessable profits derived from or earned in Hong Kong during this period. Under the Hong Kong tax law, Autohome HK, Autohome Media, Autohome E-commerce Hong Kong Limited, Autohome Link Hong Kong Limited and Autohome Financing Hong Kong Limited are exempted from income tax on its foreign-derived income and there are no withholding taxes in Hong Kong on remittance of dividends.

The PRC

In September 2010, Autohome WFOE was recognized as a “High-New Technology Enterprise” (“HNTE”), and is eligible for a 15% preferential tax rate effective from 2010 to 2012 and thereafter for an additional three years through an administrative renewal process if it qualifies. Autohome WFOE met the HNTE requirements and completed the administrative renewal process in November 2013, qualifying for a 15% preferential tax rate for three years from 2013 to 2015. In July 2015, Beijing Autohome Technologies Co., Ltd obtained the certificate of HNTE and is eligible for a 15% preferential tax rate from 2015 to 2017. The aggregate effects of the preferential tax rate were RMB49,551, RMB89,394 and RMB56,389 (US$8,705) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The basic earnings per share effects related to the preferential tax rate were RMB0.50, RMB0.84 and RMB0.50 (US$0.08) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

The Company’s remaining PRC subsidiaries and all the VIEs were subject to Enterprise Income Tax (“EIT”) at a rate of 25% for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Under the New EIT Law, dividends paid by PRC enterprises out of profits earned post-2007 to non-PRC tax resident investors are subject to PRC withholding tax of 10%. A lower withholding tax rate may be applied based on applicable tax treaty with certain countries.

F-26

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

6.	TAXATION(CONTINUED)

The New EIT Law also provides that enterprises established under the laws of foreign countries or regions and whose “place of effective management” is located within the PRC are considered PRC tax resident enterprises and subject to PRC income tax at the rate of 25% on worldwide income. The definition of “place of effective management” refers to an establishment that exercises, in substance, overall management and control over the production and business, personnel, accounting, properties, and other aspects of an enterprise. As of December 31, 2015, no detailed interpretation or guidance has been issued to define “place of effective management”. Furthermore, as of December 31, 2015, the administrative practice associated with interpreting and applying the concept of “place of effective management” is unclear. If the Company is deemed as a PRC tax resident, it would be subject to PRC tax under the New EIT Law. The Company has analyzed the applicability of this law and will continue to monitor the related development and application.

The Company had minimal operations in jurisdictions other than the PRC. Income before income tax expense consists of:


	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
PRC		570,659			946,261			1,292,104			199,468
Non PRC		(2,203	)		(4,800	)		(15,913	)		(2,457	)

		568,456			941,461			1,276,191			197,011

The income tax expense is comprised of:


	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014		2015
	RMB			RMB		RMB			US$
Current		136,047			187,447		292,017			45,080
Deferred		(23,753	)		5,334		(6,475	)		(1,000	)

		112,294			192,781		285,542			44,080

The reconciliation of income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 is as follows:


	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
Income before income tax expense		568,456			941,461			1,276,191			197,011
Income tax expense computed at applicable tax rates (25%)		142,114			235,365			319,047			49,252
Non-deductible expenses		697			8,344			16,372			2,528
Change in valuation allowances		2,114			5,493			16,054			2,478
Outside basis difference		14,254			27,789			(17,329	)		(2,675	)
Effect of international tax rate difference		551			1,200			3,978			614
Interest expense relating to unrecognized tax benefits		2,115			3,984			3,809			588
Effect of preferential tax rate		(49,551	)		(89,394	)		(56,389	)		(8,705	)

Income tax expense		112,294			192,781			285,542			44,080

F-27

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

6.	TAXATION(CONTINUED)

Deferred tax

The significant components of deferred taxes are as follows:


	December 31,
	2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			US$
Deferred tax assets
Current
Allowance for doubtful accounts		84			937			144
Accrued staff cost		31,463			3,396			524
Accrued expenses		7,802			8,972			1,385
Revenue recognition		17,941			30,912			4,772
Tax losses		2,962			4,071			629
VAT refund		—			4,111			635
Less: Valuation allowances		(2,283	)		(6,422	)		(991	)

Net current deferred tax assets		57,969			45,977			7,098

Non-current
Tax losses		5,324			17,239			2,661
Less: Valuation allowances		(5,324	)		(17,239	)		(2,661	)

Net non-current deferred tax assets		—			—			—

Total deferred tax assets		57,969			45,977			7,098

Deferred tax liabilities
Non-current
Intangible assets		9,677			8,539			1,318
Outside basis difference		498,700			481,371			74,311

Total non-current deferred tax liabilities		508,377			489,910			75,629

Total deferred tax liabilities		508,377			489,910			75,629

In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Group has considered whether it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. The Group records a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to a net amount that management believes is more-likely-than-not of being realizable based on the weight of all available evidence. The Company recorded valuation allowances against the deferred tax assets of five VIEs as of December 31, 2014 and eleven PRC subsidiaries and VIEs as of December 31, 2015, respectively, due to the cumulative tax loss positions and insufficient forecasted future taxable income.

As of December 31, 2015, the Group had net operating losses of approximately RMB85,244 (US$13,159), which can be carried forward to offset taxable income. The net operating loss will start to expire in 2017 if not utilized.

As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the Company intended to indefinitely reinvest the undistributed earnings of its PRC subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the total amount of undistributed earnings from the Company’s PRC subsidiaries that are considered to be permanently reinvested was RMB1,265,273 and RMB2,330,698 (US$359,798), respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, determination of the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liability related to the earnings that are indefinitely reinvested is not practical.

F-28

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

6.	TAXATION(CONTINUED)

Unrecognized tax benefits

As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the Company recorded an unrecognized tax benefit of RMB24,058 and RMB32,596 (US$5,032), respectively, of which nil and nil, respectively, are presented on a net basis against the deferred tax assets related to tax loss carry forwards on the consolidated balance sheets. This primarily represents the estimated income tax expense the Group would pay should its income tax returns have been prepared in accordance with the current PRC tax laws and regulations. It is possible that the amount of uncertain tax position will change in the next twelve months, however, an estimate of the range of the possible outcomes cannot be made at this time. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, unrecognized tax benefits of RMB15,222 and RMB19,951 (US$3,080), respectively, if ultimately recognized, will impact the effective tax rate.

A roll-forward of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:


	December 31,
	2014			2015
	RMB			RMB		US$
Beginning balance		26,659			17,274		2,667
Additions based on tax positions related to current year		4,662			4,729		730
Decreases based on tax positions related to prior years		(14,047	)		—		—

Ending balance		17,274			22,003		3,397

During the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Company recorded late payment interest expense of RMB2,115, RMB3,984 and RMB3,809 (US$588), and penalties of nil, nil and nil, respectively, as part of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the Company recorded RMB6,784 and RMB10,593 (US$1,635) for late payment interest expense, and nil and nil for penalties.

The tax years ended December 31, 2010 through 2015 for the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs remain subject to examination by the PRC tax authorities.

7.	PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

Property and equipment consist of the following:


	December 31,
	2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			US$
At cost:
Electronic equipment		120,872			177,862			27,458
Office equipment		792			851			131
Motor vehicles		2,729			2,511			388
Purchased software		9,440			16,629			2,567
Leasehold improvements		14,749			29,872			4,611

		148,582			227,725			35,155
Less: Accumulated depreciation		(73,700	)		(124,171	)		(19,169	)

		74,882			103,554			15,986

Depreciation expense was RMB25,548, RMB35,084 and RMB51,337 (US$7,925) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

F-29

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

8.	INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET

The following tables present the Group’s intangible assets with definite lives as of the respective balance sheet dates:


	December 31, 2015
	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Value
	RMB		RMB			RMB		US$
Trademarks		68,310		(34,155	)		34,155		5,273
Customer relationship		9,050		(9,050	)		—		—
Websites		27,000		(27,000	)		—		—
Domain names		1,870		(1,870	)		—		—
Licensing agreements		2,498		(2,498	)		—		—

		108,728		(74,573	)		34,155		5,273


	December 31, 2014
	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Value
	RMB		RMB			RMB
Trademarks		68,310		(29,601	)		38,709
Customer relationship		9,050		(9,050	)		—
Websites		27,000		(27,000	)		—
Domain names		1,870		(1,870	)		—
Licensing agreements		2,352		(1,661	)		691

		108,582		(69,182	)		39,400

The intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method, which is the Group’s best estimate of how these assets will be economically consumed over their respective estimated useful lives ranging from approximately 1.75 to 15 years. Amortization expense was RMB6,250, RMB6,053 and RMB5,247 (US$810) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

The annual estimated amortization expenses for the acquired intangible assets for each of the next five years are as follows:

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

RMB

Trademarks

4,554

9.	LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS

The Company’s long-term investments consist of equity method investments.

Hunan Mango Autohome Automobile Sales Co., Ltd. (“Mango JV”)

In May, 2015, the Group entered into a shareholder agreement with HappiGo Home Shopping Co. (“HappiGo”) to establish a strategic joint venture, Mango JV, with total capital contribution of RMB100,000, of which the Company subscribed for RMB49,000 or 49% of the ordinary shares. As of December 31, 2015, the carrying value of the long-term investment was RMB49,102 (US$7,580).

F-30

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

9.	LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS(CONTINUED)

Shanghai Youcheyoujia Financing Co., Ltd. (“Financing JV”)

In September 2015, the Group signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint venture with three parties, one of which is Beijing Chehejia Information Technology Co., Ltd. that was founded by a director of the Company. As of December 31, 2015, the Group made a full payment of RMB75, 000, for a 25% equity interest of the Financing JV and the carrying value of the long-term investment was RMB75,000 (US$11,578).

No impairment charges associated with the equity method investments were recognized during any of the years presented.

10.

GOODWILL

At December 31, 2014 and 2015, goodwill was RMB1,504,278 and RMB1,504,278 (US$232,221), respectively.

Goodwill was assessed for impairment as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, and no impairment loss was recognized in any of the years presented.

11.

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER PAYABLES

The components of accrued expenses and other payables are as follows:


	December 31,
	2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		US$
VAT and surcharges payable		22,535		38,037		5,872
Payroll and welfare payable		160,404		239,945		37,041
Accrued rebates and cash incentives		283,025		410,893		63,431
Deposit from customers		13,289		19,458		3,004
Accrued expenses		15,565		71,961		11,109
Payable for purchase of fixed assets		10,598		2,612		403
Professional service fees		3,798		17,262		2,666
Others		15,320		33,305		5,141

		524,534		833,473		128,667

F-31

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

12.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS


Name of related parties		Relationship with the Group
Telstra International Limited		A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company’s major shareholder

Beijing Australian Telecommunications Technical Consulting Limited		A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company’s major shareholder

Mango JV		A equity-method investee of the Company’s subsidiary

During the year ended December 31, 2014, Telstra International Limited provided network maintenance services amounting to RMB384 to Autohome Information.

During the year ended December 31, 2014, an executive of Telstra International Limited provided consulting services amounting to RMB266 to the Group. The outstanding balance has been paid in full as of December 31, 2014.

During the year ended December 31, 2014, an executive of Beijing Australian Telecommunications Technical Consulting Limited provided consulting services amounting to RMB218 to the Group. The outstanding balance has been paid in full as of December 31, 2014.

During the year ended December 31, 2015, Telstra International Limited provided network services amounting to RMB261 (US$40) to Autohome Information. The outstanding balance has been paid in full as of December 31, 2015.

During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Group facilitated the sales of Mango JV’s vehicles through the Autohome Mall platform and charged commission fee amounting to RMB1,645 (US$254). The outstanding receivable has not been settled as of December 31, 2015.

As of December 31, 2015, the outstanding payable of RMB23,444 (US$3,619) to Mango JV represents the proceeds from vehicle sales on the Autohome Mall platform collected by the Group on behalf of Mango JV.

The Group had the following related party receivables outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2015:

December 31,

2014

2015

RMB

US$

Mango JV

—

1,645

254

F-32

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

12.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS(CONTINUED)

The Group had the following related party payables outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2015:


	December 31,
	2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		US$
Telstra International Limited		33		—		—
Mango JV		—		23,444		3,619

		33		23,444		3,619

13.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating lease commitments

The Group leases office space and employee accommodation in the PRC under non-cancellable operating leases expiring on various dates. Payments under operating leases are expensed on a straight-line basis, after considering rent holidays, over the periods of the respective lease terms. The terms of the leases do not contain rent escalation or contingent rents for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, total rental expenses for all operating leases amounted to RMB17,898, RMB30,461 and RMB49,892 (US$7,702) respectively.

As of December 31, 2015, the Group has future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, with initial terms in excess of one year, for office premises consisting of the following:


	RMB		US$
2016		66,352		10,243
2017		30,594		4,723
2018		20,910		3,228
2019 and thereafter		—		—

		117,856		18,194

Capital commitments

As of December 31, 2015, the Company had commitment to make an investment of RMB10,000 in a joint venture to be established, accounting for a 20% shareholding. The joint venture is expected to provide data searching and analysis service.

Taxation

As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, the Group has recognized liabilities of RMB24,058 and RMB32,596 (US$5,032), respectively, related to unrecognized tax benefits (Note 6). The final outcome of the tax uncertainty is dependent upon various matters including tax examinations, interpretation of tax laws or expiration of statutes of limitation. However, due to the uncertainties associated with the status of examinations, including the protocols of finalizing audits by the relevant tax authorities, there is a high degree of uncertainty regarding the future cash outflows associated with these tax uncertainties. The Group classified the accrual for unrecognized tax benefits as a non-current liability.

With respect to display advertising services, consistent with industry practice in the PRC, the Company regularly provides such services at a discount to its standard rates. These discounts are in the form of free advertising elements, of which the duration and other terms of services are specified as part of the revenue contract. The VAT pilot program replaced the business tax rules for advertising services in Beijing effective from September 1, 2012. There are uncertainties under the current VAT rules as to whether these free elements should constitute deemed services in addition to the chargeable elements rather than discounts to the overall revenue arrangements for tax purposes and thus be subject to VAT at the standard rates of services. The Company currently considers that such free elements do not give rise to deemed services for VAT purposes and the value-added tax for a revenue contract is calculated based on the contract price for the overall arrangements. The rules related to the VAT pilot program are still evolving and the timing of the promulgation of the final tax rules or related interpretation is uncertain. The estimated amount of this contingency as of December 31, 2015 is not determinable.

F-33

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

14.

COST OF REVENUES


	Year ended December 31,
	2013		2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		RMB		US$
Content-related costs and others		95,987		127,929		298,160		46,027
Depreciation and amortization		26,439		31,703		43,160		6,663
Bandwidth and internet data center		21,047		30,713		38,893		6,004
VAT and surcharges		108,763		191,153		288,908		44,600

		252,236		381,498		669,121		103,294

15.

ORDINARY SHARES

On November 4, 2013, the Company entered into the West Crest Limited Share Purchase agreement and repurchased 3,856,564 treasury stock. On November 15, 2013, the Company decided to retire the treasury stocks repurchased. As of December 31, 2013, there was an outstanding payable of RMB 227,015 due to West Crest Limited, which was fully repaid in 2014.

Upon the effectiveness of the IPO registration statement, the Company’s ordinary shares were redeemed and cancelled in consideration for the issuance of an equivalent number of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares to the holders of former ordinary shares, respectively. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights except for conversion and voting rights. Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time, while Class A ordinary shares cannot be converted into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote. When the total number of ordinary shares held by Telstra constitutes no less than 51% of all of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share is entitled to one vote; when the total number of ordinary shares held by Telstra drops below 51% but is no less than 39.3% of all of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares, each Class B ordinary share will carry such number of votes that would result in the total number of ordinary shares held by Telstra carrying, in the aggregate, 51% of the voting rights represented by all of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares; when the total number of ordinary shares held by Telstra drops below 39.3% of all of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares, all Class B ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares.

Immediately prior to the completion of the IPO in December 2013, the Company had 27,354,496 Class A ordinary shares and 68,788,940 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. During the IPO, the Company issued 8,993,000 Class A ordinary shares. As of December 31, 2013, the Company had ordinary shares outstanding comprised of 36,347,496 Class A ordinary shares and 68,788,940 Class B ordinary shares.

Upon the completion of follow-on offering in November, 2014, 2,424,801 ADSs were issued by the Company and the net proceeds from the follow-on offering amounts to US$97,344 net of issuance costs. There were nil, 6,964,612 and nil class B ordinary shares converted into Class A ordinary shares for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had ordinary shares outstanding, comprised of 51,230,242 Class A ordinary shares and 61,824,328 Class B ordinary shares.

F-34

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

16.

RESTRICTED NET ASSETS

The Company’s ability to pay dividends is primarily dependent on the Company receiving distributions of funds from its subsidiaries. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by the Company’s PRC subsidiaries only out of its retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. The results of operations reflected in the consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S.GAAP differ from those reflected in the statutory financial statements of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries.

Under PRC law, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries are required to provide for certain statutory reserves, namely a general reserve, an enterprise expansion fund and a staff welfare and bonus fund. The subsidiary is required to allocate at least 10% of their after tax profits on an individual company basis as determined under PRC accounting standards to the general reserve and has the right to discontinue allocations to the general reserve if such reserve has reached 50% of registered capital on an individual company basis. In addition, the registered capital of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs is also restricted.

Appropriations to the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund are at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the subsidiary. The Company’s VIEs in the PRC are also subject to similar statutory reserve requirements. These reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not transferable to the Group in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. As of December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs had appropriated RMB7,113, RMB8,836 and RMB19,175 (US$2,960), respectively, of retained earnings for its statutory reserves.

As a result of these PRC laws and regulations subject to the limit discussed above that require annual appropriations of 10% of after-tax income to be set aside, prior to payment of dividends as general reserve fund, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to the Company. Foreign exchange and other regulations in the PRC may further restrict the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs from transferring funds to the Company in the form of dividends, loans and advances. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, amounts restricted are the net assets of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs, which amounted to RMB2,626,141 and RMB3,740,507 (US$577,435), respectively.

F-35

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

17.

EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic and diluted earnings per share for each of the years presented are calculated as follows:


	Year ended December 31,
	2013				2014				2015
	Class A		Class B		Class A		Class B		Class A		Class A		Class B		Class B
	RMB		RMB		RMB		RMB		RMB		US$		RMB		US$
Basic earnings per share:
*Numerator:*
Net income		142,053		314,109		270,988		477,692		444,916		68,684		545,733		84,247
*Denominator:*
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding		31,109,214		68,788,940		38,633,284		68,102,019		50,403,077		50,403,077		61,824,328		61,824,328

Basic earnings per share		4.57		4.57		7.01		7.01		8.83		1.36		8.83		1.36

Diluted earnings per share:
*Numerator:*
Net income		155,394		300,768		296,797		451,883		461,052		71,174		529,597		81,757
Reallocation of net income as a result of conversion of Class B into Class A ordinary shares (Note 15)		300,768		—		451,883		—		529,597		81,757		—		—

Net income		456,162		300,768		748,680		451,883		990,649		152,931		529,597		81,757

*Denominator:*
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding		31,109,214		68,788,940		38,633,284		68,102,019		50,403,077		50,403,077		61,824,328		61,824,328
Conversion of Class B into Class A ordinary shares (Note 15)		68,788,940		—		68,102,019		—		61,824,328		61,824,328		—		—
Dilutive effect of share-based awards		4,431,072		—		6,096,282		—		3,419,421		3,419,421		—		—

Weighted-average number of shares outstanding- diluted		104,329,226		68,788,940		112,831,585		68,102,019		115,646,826		115,646,826		61,824,328		61,824,328

Diluted earnings per share		4.37		4.37		6.64		6.64		8.57		1.32		8.57		1.32

The effects of 43,846, nil and nil stock options were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share as their effect would have been anti-dilutive during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The effects of 62,637, 300,185 and 256,165 restricted shares were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share as their effect would have been anti-dilutive during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

F-36

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

18.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

In order to provide additional incentives to employees and to promote the success of the Company’s business, the Company adopted a share incentive plan in 2011 (the “2011 Plan”) and a share incentive plan in 2013 (the “2013 Plan”), (collectively “the Plans). The Company may grant share-based awards to its employees, directors and consultants to purchase an aggregate of no more than 7,843,100 and 3,350,000 ordinary shares of the Company under the 2011 Plan and 2013 Plan, respectively. The Plans were approved by the Board of Directors and shareholders of the Company on May 4, 2011 and November 4, 2013, respectively. The Plans are administered by the Board of Directors or any of its committees as set forth in the Plans.

Share options

The following table summarizes the options granted to employees and directors during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Grant Date

Contractual
Terms

Number
of
Awards

Exercise
Price
(US$)

Vesting
Schedule

May 27, 2013

10 years

560,000

2.20

(a)

October 22, 2013

10 years

78,000

2.20

(a)

October 22, 2013

10 years

150,000

2.20

(b)

January 16, 2014

10 years

57,600

2.20

(c)

January 16, 2014

10 years

120,000

2.20

(d)

As of December 31, 2015, share-based awards to purchase 4,338,634 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding and share-based awards to purchase 1,361,133 Class A ordinary shares were available for future grant under the 2011 Plan and 2013 Plan, respectively.

(a)	25% of the awards have vested on each of January 1, 2014 and 2015 and the remainder of the awards will vest on an annual basis each January 1, thereafter, until January 1, 2017.

(b)	25% of the awards have vested on each of July 1, 2014 and 2015 and the remainder of the awards will vest on an annual basis each July 1, thereafter, until July 1, 2017.

(c)	25% of the awards have vested on each of January 16, 2014 and 2015 and the remainder of the awards will vest on an annual basis each January 16, thereafter, until January 16, 2017.

(d)	25% of the awards have vested on January 1, 2015 and the remainder of the awards will vest on an annual basis each January 1, thereafter, until January 1, 2018.

The following table summarizes the Company’s employee share option activity under the share option plans:


	Number of options			Weighted average exercise price		Weighted average grant date fair value		Weighted average remaining contractual term		Aggregate intrinsic value
				US$		US$		Years		US$
Outstanding, January 1, 2015		4,868,237			2.20		3.77		6.89		166,299
Granted		—
Exercised		(2,228,172	)		2.20						96,268
Forfeited		(45,000	)		2.20

Outstanding, December 31, 2015		2,595,065			2.20		5.00		6.21		84,911

Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2015		2,579,525			2.20		4.95		6.20		84,402

Exercisable as of December 31, 2015		1,669,765			2.20		3.55		5.84		54,635

F-37

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

18.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (CONTINUED)

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying awards and US$34.92, the closing stock price of the Company’s ordinary shares on December 31, 2015. The weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was US$4.95, US$34.57 and nil, respectively. The total grant date fair value of options vested during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was RMB25,173, RMB29,968 and RMB37,582(US$5,802). Total intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was nil, RMB693,878 and RMB623,605(US$96,268), respectively.

The aggregate fair value of the outstanding options at the grant dates were determined to be RMB84,043(US$12,974) and such amount shall be recognized as compensation expenses using the straight-line method for all employee share options granted with graded vesting. As of December 31, 2015, there was RMB25,697(US$3,967) of total unrecognized share-based compensation expenses, net of estimated forfeitures, related to unvested share-based awards which are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.60 years. Total unrecognized compensation expenses may be adjusted for future changes in estimated forfeitures.

Restricted shares

The following table summarizes the restricted shares granted till December 31, 2015.


Grant Date	Vesting Schedule	Number of Awards		Fair Value per Share at the Grant date (US$)
November 4, 2013	(a)		400,000		12.38
May 8, 2014	(b)		100,000		29.00
October 9, 2014	(c)		406,000		39.35
December 9, 2014	(d)		1,063		36.71
January 23, 2015	(e)		781,000		35.00
April 1, 2015	(f)		68,000		44.03
April 30, 2015	(g)		7,054		51.04
August 19, 2015	(h)		248,500		31.49
October 1, 2015	(i)		136,000		32.32
October 30, 2015	(j)		100,000		36.14

(a)	25% of the awards vested on each of September 29, 2014 and 2015 and the remainder of the awards will vest on an annual basis each September 29, thereafter, until September 29, 2017.

(b)	25% of the awards having vested on various dates ranging from March 14, 2015 to May 13, 2015, and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis thereafter, until 2018.

(c)	25% of the awards having vested on various dates ranging from January 1, 2015 to October 1, 2015, and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis thereafter, until 2018.

(d)	The restricted shares granted on December 9, 2014 were fully vested on the grant date.

(e)	25% of the awards having vested on January 1, 2016, and the remainder of the awards will vest on an annual basis each January 1, thereafter, until January 1, 2019.

(f)	25% of the awards vesting on April 1, 2016, and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis each April 1, thereafter, until April 1, 2019.

(g)	25% of the awards vesting on various dates ranging from December 8, 2015 to January 11, 2016 and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis thereafter.

(h)	25% of the awards vesting on July 1, 2016, and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis each July 1, thereafter, until July 1, 2019

(i)	25% of the awards vesting on dates of January 1, 2016 and October 1, 2016, and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis thereafter, until 2019.

(j)	25% of the awards vesting on January 1, 2016, and the remainder of the awards vesting on an annual basis thereafter, until 2019.

F-38

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

18.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (CONTINUED)

Restricted shares activity for the year ended December 31, 2015 was as follows:


	Number of shares			Weighted average grant date fair value
				US$
Outstanding, January 1, 2015		795,000			27.87
Granted		1,340,554			34.70
Vested		(224,235	)		26.23
Forfeited		(167,750	)		36.12

Outstanding, December 31, 2015		1,743,569			32.54

Expected to vest, December 31, 2015		1,697,350			32.48

The weighted average grant-date fair value of restricted shares granted during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was US$12.38, US$37.30 and US$34.70, respectively, which was derived from the fair value of the underlying ordinary shares. The total grant date fair value of restricted shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was nil, RMB7,925 and RMB38,104 (US$5,882). The aggregate fair value of the outstanding restricted shares at the grant dates were determined to be RMB367,550 (US$56,740) and such amount shall be recognized as compensation expense using the straight-line method for all restricted shares granted with graded vesting. As of December 31, 2015, there was RMB297,344 (US$45,902) of total unrecognized share-based compensation expenses, net of estimated forfeitures, related to unvested restricted shares which are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.89 years. Total unrecognized compensation expenses may be adjusted for future changes in estimated forfeitures.

The binomial option pricing model was applied in determining the estimated fair value of the options granted to employees. The model requires the input of highly subjective assumptions including the estimated expected stock price volatility and the exercise multiple for which employees are likely to exercise share options. For expected volatilities, the Company has made reference to the historical price volatilities of ordinary shares of several comparable companies in the same industry as the Company. For the exercise multiple, the Company has no historical exercise patterns as reference, thus the exercise multiple is based on management’s estimation, which the Company believes is representative of the future exercise pattern of the options. The risk-free rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury Bills yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The estimated fair value of the ordinary shares, at the option grant dates prior to the IPO, was determined with assistance from an independent third party valuation firm. The Company’s management is ultimately responsible for the determination of the estimated fair value of its ordinary shares. Subsequent to the IPO, fair value of the ordinary shares was the price of the Company’s publicly traded shares.

The Company calculated the estimated fair value of the share-based awards on the respective grant dates using the binomial option pricing model with the following assumptions:


	2013	2014
Fair value of ordinary share	US$4.58-US$11.64	US$36.62
Risk-free interest rates	2.07%-2.60%	2.909%
Expected exercise multiple	2.2	2.2
Expected volatility	53.70%-55.49%	53.5%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%
Weighted average fair value per option granted	US$3.03-US$9.69	US$34.52-US$34.59

F-39

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

18.

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (CONTINUED)

Share-based compensation expenses relating to options and restricted shares granted to employees recognized for the year ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 is as follows:


	Year ended December 31,
	2013		2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		RMB		US$
Cost of revenues		6,534		8,048		6,939		1,071
Sales and marketing expenses		4,375		14,644		36,584		5,648
General and administrative expenses		11,738		20,557		40,142		6,197
Product development expenses		2,961		13,417		24,280		3,748

		25,608		56,666		107,945		16,664

F-40

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

19.

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE PARENT COMPANY

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS


	December 31,
	2014		2015
	RMB		RMB		US$
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		234,034		136,810		21,120
Term deposits		685,633		667,911		103,108
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		7,591		10,397		1,605

Total current assets		927,258		815,118		125,833
Non-current assets:
Other non-current assets		8,421		7,173		1,107
Investment in subsidiaries		2,737,009		4,047,714		624,859

Total non-current assets		2,745,430		4,054,887		625,966

Total assets		3,672,688		4,870,005		751,799

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses and other payables		4,772		16,327		2,520
Due to subsidiaries		2,493		2,642		408

Total current liabilities		7,265		18,969		2,928

Total liabilities		7,265		18,969		2,928

Commitments and Contingencies
Shareholders’ equity:
Class A ordinary shares(par value of US$0.01 per share; 99,931,211,060 shares authorized; 48,777,835 and 51,230,242 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		3,301		3,452		533
Class B ordinary shares(par value US$0.01 per share; 68,788,940 shares authorized; 61,824,328 and 61,824,328 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively)		4,183		4,183		646
Additional paid-in capital		2,649,111		2,787,103		430,255
Accumulated other comprehensive income		5,932		62,753		9,687
Retained earnings		1,002,896		1,993,545		307,750

Total shareholders’ equity		3,665,423		4,851,036		748,871

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		3,672,688		4,870,005		751,799

F-41

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

19.

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE PARENT COMPANY (CONTINUED)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME


	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
Operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses		(1,125	)		(9,178	)		(24,235	)		(3,741	)

Operating losses		(1,125	)		(9,178	)		(24,235	)		(3,741	)
Interest income		—			4,973			11,526			1,779
Equity in income of subsidiaries		457,287			752,885			1,003,358			154,893

Income before income taxes		456,162			748,680			990,649			152,931
Income tax expense		—			—			—			—

Net income		456,162			748,680			990,649			152,931

Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil
Foreign currency translation adjustments		1,734			3,946			56,821			8,772

Comprehensive income		457,896			752,626			1,047,470			161,703

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS


	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	RMB			RMB			RMB			US$
Net cash used in operating activities		(3,294	)		(8,908	)		(2,017	)		(311	)

Net cash used in investing activities		—			(796,209	)		(132,976	)		(20,528	)

Net cash generated from financing activities		632,865			404,754			30,200			4,662

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		1,099			3,727			7,569			1,168

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		630,670			(396,636	)		(97,224	)		(15,009	)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		—			630,670			234,034			36,129

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		630,670			234,034			136,810			21,120

(a)

Basis of accounting

For the Company only condensed financial information, the Company records its investment in its subsidiaries and VIEs under the equity method of accounting as prescribed in ASC 323-10, Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures: Overall. Such investment is presented on the condensed balance sheets as “Investment in subsidiaries” and share of their income as “Equity in income of subsidiaries” on the condensed statements of comprehensive income. The parent company’s condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

(b)

Commitments

The Company does not have any significant commitments or long-term obligations as of any of the years presented.

F-42

AUTOHOME INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data)

20.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

In February 2016, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted the 2016 Share Incentive Plan (“2016 Plan”) to attract and retain the best available personnel, provide additional incentives to employees, directors and consultants and promote the success of the Company’s business. As of the date of this report, 2016 Plan is pending for ratification by the shareholders of the Company.

On February 29, 2016, Beijing Prbrownies Software Co., Ltd. was recognized as an HNTE, qualifying for a preferential tax rate of 15% for three years from 2015 to 2017. This change in the enacted tax rate will result in a decrease in income tax expense of RMB69,422 (US$10,717), which will be recorded in the first quarter of 2016.

F-43