(Yicai Global) Feb. 27 -- Youdao, the education technology unit under NetEase, boosted its revenue by 78.4 percent in 2019, according to its unaudited financial report published today.

Income at the Beijing-based firm, which offers online dictionaries, translators and other services, totaled CNY1.3 billion (USD187.4 million) last year, it said in the report. It lost CNY637.4 million, widening a CNY239.2 million deficit in 2018.

Some CNY851.9 million came from learning services and products in 2019, almost double the year-ago figure. It nearly tripled its student numbers for learners from kindergarten through 12th grade to 358,800, with gross billings per enrolment on premium courses up 60.8 percent at CNY899 (USD128). Online marketing services made CNY453 million, up 49.6 percent.

"In 2019, we strengthened our online education offerings, fortified our course products and content, trained a core tutor and growth team, and improved our standard operating procedures and process management tools to get higher sales conversion and retention rates," said Feng Zhou, Youdao's chief executive.

Revenue in the fourth quarter was up 78.4 percent at CNY410.4 million, while its net loss widened to CNY205.7 million from CNY70 million a year earlier.

Editor: James Boynton