YEAHKA (09923.HK) shares surged 6.27% in the pre-market trading session on Friday, following the release of the company's impressive 2024 annual results. The leading payment and digital commerce technology platform in Asia reported significant improvements in profitability and expansion of its AI-driven services, despite a challenging market environment.

Key highlights from the annual results include a nearly five-fold year-on-year increase in overseas business transaction volume, which exceeded RMB1.1 billion in 2024. The company's gross profit margin improved from 18.7% in 2023 to 23.6% in 2024, with the second half of 2024 reaching 28.4%, recovering to pre-pandemic levels. Notably, YEAHKA's profit for the year amounted to RMB73.0 million, representing an increase of more than six times compared to 2023.

Investors appear to be particularly enthused by YEAHKA's strategic focus on AI technology. The company has made significant strides in applying generative AI across its business lines, resulting in cost reductions and efficiency improvements. For instance, YEAHKA's investee company, Fushi Technology, launched the first AI Agent industry solution for merchants in Southeast Asia. This emphasis on innovation and technology-driven growth, coupled with the company's expanding footprint in Asian markets such as Japan and Singapore, seems to have bolstered investor confidence in YEAHKA's future prospects, driving the stock's significant pre-market rally.