51job, Inc. announced unaudited consolidated earnings results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017. For the quarter, the company reported total revenues of RMB 872.1 million against RMB 694.2 million for the same quarter in 2016, an increase of 25.6%. Income from operations was RMB 317.3 million against RMB 209.7 million a year ago, increased by 51.3%. Net income attributable to the company was RMB 305.4 million compared with RMB 203.4 million for the same quarter in 2016. Fully diluted earnings per share were RMB 4.42 compared with RMB 3.45 for the same quarter in 2016. Excluding share-based compensation expense, gain from foreign currency translation and change in fair value of convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect of these items, non-GAAP adjusted net income attributable to the company increased by 48.4% to RMB 323.4 million compared with RMB 217.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. Non-GAAP adjusted fully diluted earnings per share were RMB 5.01 compared with RMB 3.61 in the fourth quarter of 2016.

For the year, the company reported total revenues of RMB 2,881.2 million against RMB 2,372.7 million in 2016, an increase of 21.4%. Income from operations increased 42.3% to RMB 870.8 million from RMB 611.8 million in 2016. Net income attributable to the company was RMB 371.9 million compared with RMB 566.0 million in 2016. Fully diluted earnings per share in 2017 were RMB 6.08 compared with RMB 9.68 in 2016. Excluding share-based compensation expense, gain from foreign currency translation and change in fair value of convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect of these items, non-GAAP adjusted net income attributable to the company increased 31.8% to RMB 950.3 million from RMB 721.2 million in 2016. Non-GAAP adjusted fully diluted earnings per share were RMB 15.16 compared with RMB 12.13 in 2016.

The company provided earnings guidance for the first quarter of 2018. Based on current market conditions and factoring in seasonality related to the late Chinese New Year holiday in 2018, the company's total revenues target for the first quarter of 2018 is in the estimated range of RMB 755 million to RMB 785 million. Guidance for earnings per share is provided on a non-GAAP basis due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting the future impact of certain items, such as gain/loss from foreign currency translation and change in fair value of convertible senior notes. The company is not able to provide a reconciliation of these non-GAAP items to expected reported GAAP earnings per share, without unreasonable efforts, due to the unknown effect and potential significance of such future impact and changes. Excluding share-based compensation expense, any gain or loss from foreign currency translation, and any mark-to-market gain or loss associated with a change in fair value of convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect of these items, the company's non-GAAP fully diluted earnings target for the first quarter of 2018 is in the estimated range of RMB 2.80 to RMB 3.10 per share. The company expects total share-based compensation expense in the first quarter of 2018 to be in the estimated range of RMB 23 million to RMB 24 million.