Operating Expenses

​

​

Total operating expenses increased by 57% in Q2 2023 compared with Q2 2022. The increase was mainly due to the сost of revenues related to E-commerce, Mobility and Delivery businesses, Plus and Entertainment services, Devices and Alice, and growth of headcount and related personnel expenses across most of our business units due to the overall expansion of the businesses.

​

TAC grew 72% in Q2 2023 compared with Q2 2022 and represented 6.9% of total revenues, 70 basis points higher than in Q2 2022. The year-on-year growth of TAC as a share of revenue was primarily driven by TAC related to our distribution partners and the growing contribution of ad revenues related to the Yandex Advertising Network.

​

​

Total SBC expenses decreased by 15% in Q2 2023 compared with Q2 2022. The decrease was primarily related to the replacement of new RSU grants during 2022 with an increase in salaries and bonuses as well as settlement of Business Unit Equity Awards in cash in Q2 2022, which led to additional cost recognized in Q2 2022; partly offset by the material appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the ruble. In light of the ongoing halt of trading in our Class A shares on Nasdaq, during 2022 and 2023, participants have received and will receive cash compensation on the vesting dates of the relevant RSU equity awards, in an amount equal to the target value of each tranche of such awards. In Q2 2023, RUB 3.0 billion of the total RUB 5.5 billion in SBC expenses related to RSU equity awards settled in cash were recorded as part of personnel expenses, which reduced consolidated adjusted EBITDA.

​

Income/(loss) from operations

​

​

Income from operations amounted to RUB 11.5 billion in Q2 2023 compared to RUB 8.7 billion in Q2 2022. This dynamic was mainly driven by the improved profitability of our Search and Portal and Plus and Entertainment segments.

​

Other income, net for Q2 2023 amounted to RUB 9,020 million, up from other loss, net of RUB 6,105 million in Q2 2022. Other income/(loss), net includes foreign exchange gains of RUB 8,954 million in Q2 2023 and foreign exchange loss of RUB 5,903 million in Q2 2022. Foreign exchange gains and losses dynamics reflect changes of USD denominated monetary assets in our Russian subsidiaries on the back of the depreciation of the Russian ruble against the US dollar by 11% during Q2 2023 and the appreciation of the Russian ruble against the US dollar by 64% during Q2 2022.

​

Income tax expense for Q2 2023 was RUB 4,909 million, up from RUB 3,732 million in Q2 2022. Our effective tax rate of 25.1% in Q2 2023 was lower than 31.7% in Q2 2022. The Group’s income tax expense for interim periods is determined based on the tax rate effective during that period. The major factors influencing changes effective tax rates in Q2 2023 and Q2 2022 were: differences in foreign tax rates of our subsidiaries (including reduced tax rate in certain Russian subsidiaries), deferred tax asset valuation allowances, non-deductible SBC expenses, statutory expenses not deductible for income tax purposes, tax on dividends and tax provision recognized and the effects on debt relief income exemption and permanent difference both related to restructuring of convertible debt in Q2 2022.

​

Net income was RUB 14.6 billion in Q2 2023, compared with RUB 8.1 billion in Q2 2022. The changes were mainly attributable to growth of operational profitability and favourable foreign exchange gains and losses dynamics described above, as well as the gain on restructuring of convertible debt in Q2 2022.

​

Cash provided by operating activities was RUB 13.6 billion and cash paid for property and equipment, intangible assets and assets to be leased was RUB 24.2 billion for Q2 2023.

​

The total number of shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2023 was 361,482,282, including 325,783,607 Class A shares, 35,698,674 Class B shares, and one Priority share and excluding 558,663 Class A shares held in treasury.

​

There were also employee share options outstanding to purchase up to an additional 2.9 million shares, at a weighted average exercise price of $44.32 per share, 2.2 million of which were fully vested; equity-settled share appreciation rights (SARs) for 0.1 million shares, at a weighted average measurement price of $32.85, all of which were fully vested; restricted share units (RSUs) covering 9.0 million shares, of which RSUs to acquire 6.2 million shares were fully vested; and performance share units (PSUs) for 0.2 million shares. In addition, we have outstanding awards in respect of our various Business Units, including options and synthetic options, for 4.9 million shares, 2.4 million of which were fully vested and are settled in equity of our Business Units, cash or Yandex Class A shares.

​

ABOUT YANDEX

​

Yandex (NASDAQ and MOEX: YNDX) is a technology company registered in the Netherlands that builds intelligent products and services powered by machine learning. Our goal is to help consumers and businesses better navigate the online and offline world. Since 1997, we have delivered world-class, locally relevant search and navigation products, while also expanding into mobility, e-commerce, online entertainment, cloud computing and other markets to assist millions of consumers in Russia and a number of international markets. More information on Yandex can be found at https://ir.yandex/.

​

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

​

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding our future financial

and business performance, our business and strategy and the impact of the current geopolitical and macroeconomic developments on our industry, business and financial results, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “guide,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “will” and similar expressions and their negatives are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted or implied by such statements, and our reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted or implied by such statements include, among others, macroeconomic and geopolitical developments affecting the Russian economy or our business, changes in the political, legal and/or regulatory environment and regulatory and business responses to that crisis, including international economic sanctions and export controls, competitive pressures, changes in advertising patterns, changes in user preferences, technological developments, and our need to expend capital to accommodate the growth of the business, as well as those risks and uncertainties included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022 and “Risk Factors” in the Shareholder Circular filed as Exhibit 99.2 to our Current Report on Form 6-K, which were filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 20, 2023 and November 18, 2019, respectively, and are available on our investor relations website at https://ir.yandex/sec-filings and on the SEC website at https://www.sec.gov/. All information in this release and in the attachments is as of July 27, 2023, and Yandex undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

​

USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

​

To supplement the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we present the following non-GAAP financial measures: ex-TAC revenues, Adjusted EBITDA/(loss), Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted net income/(loss). The presentation of these financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned “Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable U.S. GAAP measures”, included following the accompanying financial tables. We define the various non-GAAP financial measures we use as follows:

​

​

These non-GAAP financial measures are used by management for evaluating financial performance as well as decision-making. Management believes that these metrics reflect the organic, core operating performance of the company, and therefore are useful to analysts and investors in providing supplemental information that helps them understand, model and forecast the evolution of our operating business.

​

Although our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures for operational decision-making and considers these financial measures to be useful for analysts and investors, we recognize that there are a number of limitations related to such measures. In particular, it should be noted that several of these measures exclude some recurring costs, particularly share-based compensation. In addition, the components of the costs that we exclude in our calculation of the measures described above may differ from the components that our peer companies exclude when they report their results of operations.

​

Below we describe why we make particular adjustments to certain U.S. GAAP financial measures:

​

TAC

​

We believe that it may be useful for investors and analysts to review certain measures both in accordance with U.S. GAAP and net of the effect of TAC, which we view as comparable to sales bonuses but, unlike sales bonuses, are not deducted from U.S. GAAP revenues. By presenting revenue, net of TAC, we believe that investors and analysts are able to obtain a clearer picture of our business without the impact of the revenues we share with our partners.

​

SBC

​

SBC is a significant expense item, and an important part of our compensation and incentive programs. As it is highly dependent on our share price at the time of equity award grants, we believe that it is useful for investors and analysts to see certain financial measures excluding the impact of these charges in order to obtain a clearer picture of our operating performance. However, because we settled the RSU equity awards of our employees in cash during 2022 and first half of 2023, starting from Q3 2022 we no longer eliminate the relevant SBC expense corresponding to the cash payment from adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income.

​

Foreign exchange gains

​

Because we hold significant assets and liabilities in currencies other than our Russian ruble operating currency, and because foreign exchange fluctuations are outside of our operational control, we believe that it is useful to present adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and related margin measures excluding these effects, in order to provide greater clarity regarding our operating performance.

​

Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs

​

We also adjust net income/(loss) for interest expense representing amortization of the debt discount related to our convertible senior notes due 2025 issued in Q1 2020. We have eliminated this expense from adjusted net income as it is non-cash in nature and is not indicative of our ongoing operating performance. We have repurchased substantially all of the outstanding notes to date.

​

Expenses related to contingent consideration

​

We may incur expenses in connection with acquisitions that are not indicative of our recurring core operating performance. In particular, we are required under U.S. GAAP to accrue as an expense the contingent compensation that is payable to certain employees in connection with certain business combinations. We eliminate these acquisition-related expenses from adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income to provide management and investors a tool for comparing on a period-to-period basis our operating performance in the ordinary course of operations.

​

Goodwill and other intangible assets impairment

​

Adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2022 and Q2 2023 exclude a loss from goodwill and intangible assets impairment related to E-commerce, Mobility and Delivery segment of RUB 2,740 million and RUB 1,199 million, respectively and related income tax gain of RUB 548 million and nil, respectively.

​

Gain on restructuring of convertible debt

​

Adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA and related margin measures for Q2 2022 exclude gain on restructuring of our convertible debt. Adjusted net income for Q2 2022 and its margin measures also exclude income tax attributable to this gain.

In June 2022, we completed the purchase of 93.2% in aggregate principal amount of our $1.25 billion 0.75% Convertible Notes due 2025. As a result of the restructuring, a gain in the amount of RUB 9,305 million and a related income tax expense in the amount of RUB 751 million were recognized. We have repurchased substantially all of the outstanding notes to date.

​

One-off restructuring and other expenses

​

We believe that it is useful to present adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA and related margin measures excluding impacts not related to our operating activities. Adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA exclude expenses related to the corporate restructuring and other similar one-off expenses.

​

The tables at the end of this release provide detailed reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure we use from the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure.

​

​

​

*  Derived from audited consolidated financial statements

​