Ebay Fourth-Quarter Profit Soars

The year-over-year increase in the fourth quarter GAAP earnings per diluted share was driven primarily by a gain on the sale of the company's remaining investment in Skype. The year-over-year increase in the fourth quarter non-GAAP earnings per diluted share was driven primarily by strong top-line growth and improved productivity partially offset by a higher tax rate.

For the full year, revenue increased 27 percent to $11.7 billion, compared to 2010. The company generated net income on a GAAP basis of $3.2 billion, or $2.46 per diluted share, and non-GAAP net income of $2.7 billion, or $2.03 per diluted share.

“We had a strong fourth quarter finish to an excellent year, increasing our confidence in our three-year outlook,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe. “Across eBay, PayPal, GSI and X.commerce, we have a robust portfolio of global commerce platforms and innovative mobile, local and social commerce technology assets. We are well-positioned to compete in the emerging new retail environment, and to help retailers of all sizes grow and engage their customers anytime, anywhere. We are a different eBay today, no longer just an ecommerce leader but a stronger, more diverse global commerce company shaping the future of shopping and payments.”

The company's PayPal business continued to expand its leadership position in global payments. PayPal ended the quarter with 106.3 million active registered accounts, a 13 percent increase year over year. On average, PayPal added a million new accounts every month in 2011. PayPal revenue for the quarter increased 28 percent year over year driven primarily by continued merchant and consumer adoption as well as increased penetration on eBay. In the fourth quarter, revenue from PayPal's international markets exceeded revenue from the U.S. for the first time, reflecting the company's strong global footprint and growth in emerging markets. PayPal's net total payment volume (TPV) grew 24 percent to $33.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011. The company's mobile payment volume reached $4.0 billion in 2011, more than five times the mobile payment volume in the prior year, as more consumers used their smartphones and tablets to pay online.

The company's Marketplaces business also delivered strong fourth quarter performance. Marketplaces revenue for the quarter was up 16% year over year, due primarily to increased buying and selling on our platforms and growth from acquisitions. Gross merchandise volume (GMV), excluding vehicles, increased 10% to $16.5 billion with sold items up 11 percent globally year over year. U.S. GMV, excluding vehicles, increased 10 percent year over year, reflecting the success of eBay's tailored shopping experiences, the strong results delivered by eBay's top-rated sellers and the benefits of site enhancements. International GMV, excluding vehicles, increased 9% year over year, driven primarily by stable growth in Europe and improved performance in Asia. eBay mobile reached a record $5 billion transacted through mobile devices during 2011 as increased adoption of eBay's mobile apps and product innovation drove deeper customer engagement across all platforms.

The company's GSI business, which was acquired in the second quarter of 2011, contributed $363.6 million in revenue for the fourth quarter. GSI generated $1.4 billion in global ecommerce (GeC) merchandise sales during the quarter, driven by strong performance by top merchants, where same store sales grew 26 percent year over year, outpacing e-commerce growth rates in the fourth quarter.

ourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Financial Highlights (presented in

millions, except per share data and percentages)