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JD.com ( JD ) is due to report its fourth-quarter earnings before the market open on Tuesday, with the focus expected to be on its expansion into new business areas. JD is China’s largest online direct-sales company, offering a wide range of electronics, home appliances and general merchandise products. Its expansion efforts include online-to-offline retailing and flash sales to help it compete in China’s burgeoning e-commerce arena against Alibaba ( BABA ), Vipshop Holdings ( VIPS ) and others. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect sales to rise 49% in local currency to 51.9 billion yuan, or about $7.9 billion at the current exchange rate. They see the company reporting a per-share loss of 0.12 yuan, or about two U.S. cents vs. a penny profit in the year-earlier period. U.S.-listed JD stock was up 1.5%, near 26, in early afternoon trading in the stock market today . JD is down 21% this year. JPMorgan initiated coverage on JD last week with an overweight rating and price target of 33 a share. JD’s earnings will follow those of Vipshop Holdings, released Thursday. Vipshop reported Q4 earnings that beat estimates, but shares dropped as first-quarter guidance fell short. Vipshop is an online discount retailer that sells branded apparel, accessories, home goods and other lifestyle products. It specializes in so-called flash sales, in which a set number of goods are sold over a limited time. One year ago, JD.com formed a strategic partnership with Tencent Holdings ( TCEHY ), a leading Internet company in China, aimed at providing superior e-commerce services to mobile and Internet users in China. Tencent, China’s leader in messaging and gaming, is set to report earnings before the market opens March 17. It’s traded over the counter in the U.S., with its primary stock listing in Hong Kong, where it is a component of the blue-chip Hang Seng index. Chinese gaming and Internet company NetEase ( NTES ) released Q4 earnings late Wednesday that beat estimates. NetEase said that revenue from online games, its biggest segment, more than doubled, while mobile original games also drove growth. It did not provide Q1 guidance. Alibaba on Jan. 28 reported earnings for its fiscal Q3 , ended Dec. 31, that topped Wall Street expectations. NetEase stock was trading near 136 Monday, up a fraction. Alibaba stock was trading near 70, up 4.5%. According to media reports, Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma and Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai are planning to buy back shares worth $500 million. Scalper1 News
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