Zhihu stock gains 6.9 percent as losses narrow

Published on 09/23/2026 at 00:21 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Zhihu stock reached USD 3.43 on September 22, 2026, after a 6.9 percent gain. First-half revenue fell 7.2 percent to CNY 1.342 billion.

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Zhihu Inc. (ISIN KYG9898S1075) stock reached USD 3.43 on September 22, 2026, up 6.9 percent from the prior close of USD 3.21 on the NYSE. The move came as the company reported first-half 2026 revenue of CNY 1.342 billion, down 7.2 percent from the prior-year period.

First half shows sharper pressure

According to Sina Finance on September 22, 2026, Zhihu posted a net loss of CNY 45.918 million for the first half of 2026, compared with a profit in the prior-year period. Adjusted net profit fell to CNY 6.906 million from CNY 98.28 million, a decline of 93 percent.

The comparison is important because the reported profit in the first half of 2025 included CNY 160 million of investment income, including an unrealized fair-value gain of CNY 116 million. The 2026 figures therefore point to a weaker earnings contribution from investment revaluations as well as lower operating revenue.

Core content remains largest segment

Paid content and intellectual-property operations generated CNY 828 million in the first half of 2026, representing 61.7 percent of total revenue. That figure was broadly stable year over year, while marketing-services revenue fell 7 percent to CNY 390 million, according to Sina Finance.

Cost controls improved the operating loss but did not restore profitability. Adjusted operating loss narrowed from CNY 107 million to CNY 85.769 million in the first half of 2026, while gross margin declined 3.9 percentage points to 58.27 percent.

Stock reacts despite earnings strain

MarketBeat reported on September 22, 2026, that Zhihu shares traded as high as USD 3.45 and last changed hands at USD 3.43, with 2,125,619 shares traded compared with average volume of 437,709 shares. The session volume was 386 percent above that average, making the price move unusually active for the ADR.

The same report put Zhihu market capitalization at USD 296.87 million and noted quarterly revenue of USD 101.58 million with a quarterly loss of USD 0.07 per share. These figures give the stock reaction a clear tension: trading activity strengthened, while the latest half-year report still showed declining revenue and sharply lower adjusted profit.

Zhihu stock closes at USD 3.43

Zhihu stock closed at USD 3.43 on the NYSE on September 22, 2026, after gaining 6.9 percent from USD 3.21. The current market signal is therefore stronger trading interest, while the latest operating comparison remains a 7.2 percent first-half revenue decline and a 93 percent drop in adjusted net profit.