Summary of China Telecom Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: China Telecom (0728.HK) - **Industry**: Telecommunications and Cloud Services Key Points Financial Performance - China Telecom's revenue decreased by 1% year-over-year to Rmb125.5 billion in Q3 2025, compared to a 3% increase in Q2 2025 [1][4] - The company is expected to maintain steady free cash flow (FCF) growth, supporting its dividend payout ratio [1] - Earnings for 2026 and 2027 have been revised upwards by 3% and 5% respectively, while near-term revenues have been lowered due to a focus on higher quality projects [4] Business Strategy - The company is shifting its focus towards computing infrastructure and integrated services, including AI and cloud solutions [1][2] - Management emphasized the importance of project quality, with operating cash flow and profitability as core KPIs [3] - China Telecom has a strong emphasis on serving government clients, which may slow down AI project deployment due to security and scale requirements [3] Market Position and Risks - The company has high exposure to government clients, which presents both opportunities and challenges in project deployment [3] - Key risks identified include intensified industry competition affecting mobile average revenue per user (ARPU), lower returns on 5G investments, and potential loss of market share in the wireline broadband sector [13] Valuation and Price Target - The 12-month target price for China Telecom is set at HK$7.9, reflecting a 33% upside from the current price of HK$5.94 [14] - The target price is based on a 2026E EV/EBITDA multiple of 3.5x, consistent with the company's historical trading range since 2017 [8][13] Operational Metrics - The operating margin is projected to improve from 7.7% in 2025E to 8.5% in 2027E, driven by disciplined capital expenditure [4][12] - The company aims to enhance its gross margin from 69.2% in 2025E to 68.5% in 2027E [12] Dividend Policy - The dividend payout ratio is expected to increase from 73% in 2025E to 75% in 2027E, indicating a commitment to returning value to shareholders [12][14] Conclusion - China Telecom is positioned for long-term growth in the cloud and AI sectors, with a focus on quality projects and government contracts. However, it faces challenges from competition and market dynamics. The revised earnings outlook and target price reflect a positive sentiment towards the company's strategic direction and operational efficiency [1][4][13]

Summary of China Telcos Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: Telecommunications in China - **Key Players**: China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom Key Metrics Reviewed 1. **Capex Spending**: - Capital expenditures (capex) for China telcos are expected to decrease in 2025 due to reduced spending on traditional telecom networks, particularly 5G. However, there is a shift towards increased investment in AI and computing infrastructure to meet rising demand [2][3][6] - China Telecom's capex is guided at Rmb84 billion for 2025, down from Rmb94 billion in 2024, while China Unicom's capex is expected to be Rmb55 billion, down from Rmb61 billion [3] 2. **Dividend Payout**: - The dividend payout ratio for China telcos has increased to 60%-72% in 1H25, compared to 50%-67% in 2022. Management anticipates a gradual increase in payout ratios moving forward [6][9] 3. **Subscriber Growth**: - Total subscriber growth has been muted, with 5G penetration increasing from 59% in 1Q to 63% in 3Q25. The method of calculating 5G subscribers was revised, impacting the reported figures [12][15] 4. **Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) Days**: - Average accounts receivable days increased from 34 days in 2018 to 47 days in 2024, indicating a focus on cash payments. Inventory days decreased to 8 days in 2024, while accounts payable days rose to 392 days [16] 5. **Free Cash Flow (FCF)**: - The average FCF margin improved from 8% in 2018 to 11% in 2024, driven by higher operating cash flow and disciplined capex focused on AI infrastructure [24][26] 6. **Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)**: - Mobile ARPU decreased from Rmb48.9 in 1H21 to Rmb47.9 in 1H25, while household ARPU increased from Rmb44.0 in 2018 to Rmb46.4 in 2024 [27][30] 7. **EBITDA Margin**: - The average EBITDA margin declined from 31% in 2018 to 28% in 2024, but there was a recovery in 1H25 due to disciplined operating expense management [33][35] 8. **New Business Contributions**: - Revenue from new business segments, including industrial internet and digitalization, rose to 26% in 1H25 from 19% in 2021, indicating a key growth driver supported by AI deployment [36][39] 9. **IDC Business**: - The number of IDC cabinets increased from 363k in 2022 to 400k in 2023, with a focus on upgrading to high-power IDC cabinets to enhance AI computing capabilities [40] 10. **Valuation**: - The average EV/EBITDA for China telcos ranges from 2.6x to 4.4x, with expectations of upside due to rising AI demand and comprehensive service offerings [43] Additional Insights - **Investment Outlook**: Despite traditional revenue growth challenges, China telcos are positioned as beneficiaries of AI and cloud growth, with a focus on value-added services [1] - **Management Guidance**: Companies are optimistic about future growth driven by new business segments and improved operational efficiencies [6][9][36]

Core Insights - AI infrastructure is a crucial foundation for the development of artificial intelligence technology, with 58% of enterprises in China currently utilizing AI, significantly higher than the global average, positioning China as a leader in the field [1][8] - The demand for AI infrastructure computing power in China is surging due to complex scenarios, massive data, and ultra-large models, with investments expected to reach 169.6 billion yuan in 2024, an increase of 105.4 billion yuan from 2023, and projected to grow to 275 billion yuan by 2025 [1][8] AI Infrastructure Industry Definition and Classification - AI computing infrastructure is essential for the rapid development of AI, requiring telecom operators to deploy appropriate technical architectures to provide high-performance AI computing capabilities [2] - The infrastructure consists of hardware (including AI chips like GPU, FPGA, and ASIC) and software components (including foundational software platforms and AI-enabled service platforms) [2] AI Infrastructure Industry Development Status - The AI industry is a key area of global development, accelerating technological and economic progress, with increasing application scenarios, explosive data growth, and exponential increases in algorithm model parameters, necessitating higher performance from supporting infrastructure [4] AI Infrastructure Investment Trends - Global AI infrastructure investment is rapidly increasing, projected to reach 598.5 billion yuan in 2024, up 169.9 billion yuan from 2023, and expected to grow to 1.374 trillion yuan by 2025 [5][6] AI Infrastructure Industry Value Chain - The industry value chain includes upstream components (computing hardware, network hardware, storage hardware), midstream system integration and solution service providers, and downstream AI application companies across various sectors such as finance, healthcare, and smart cities [8][9] AI Infrastructure Industry Competitive Landscape - The competitive landscape is dominated by telecom operators, third-party IDC service providers, and major cloud service giants, including China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom, and cloud services from Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and Huawei [10] - In Q1 2025, Alibaba Cloud led the market with a 33% share, followed by Huawei Cloud at 18% and Tencent Cloud at 10%, indicating a strong focus on AI deployment among these companies [10][11] Future Development of AI Infrastructure - To meet the potential computing power demands from the rapid development of large models, operators should actively build new AI computing infrastructure, focusing on comprehensive layouts across computing, platforms, models, and applications [12]

Core Points - As of December 1, 2025, China Telecom (601728) closed at 6.88 CNY, up 0.29% from the previous trading day, with a total market capitalization of 629.57 billion CNY [1] - The stock opened at 6.85 CNY, reached a high of 6.89 CNY, and a low of 6.82 CNY, with a trading volume of 558 million CNY and a turnover rate of 0.1% [1] - The company recently released a monthly report on securities changes, indicating no changes in the legal/registered capital of both H-shares and A-shares as of November 30, 2025 [1] - The total number of issued shares and treasury shares remained unchanged, with H-shares totaling 13,877,410,000 shares and A-shares totaling 77,629,728,699 shares, each with a par value of 1 CNY [1] - The total legal/registered capital at the end of the month was 91.51 billion CNY [1]

Market Overview - The Shanghai Composite Index rose by 0.65% on December 1, with 28 out of 31 sectors experiencing gains, led by the metals and communications sectors, which increased by 2.85% and 2.81% respectively [1] - The total net inflow of capital in the two markets was 775 million yuan, with 11 sectors seeing net inflows [1] Sector Performance - The electronics sector had the highest net inflow of capital, amounting to 7.22 billion yuan, and saw a rise of 1.58% [1] - The communications sector also performed well, with a net inflow of 5.56 billion yuan and a daily increase of 2.81% [1] Individual Stock Performance in Communications Sector - The communications sector had 124 stocks, with 102 stocks rising and 8 hitting the daily limit up [2] - ZTE Corporation led the net inflow with 4.39 billion yuan, followed by Guanghetong and Zhongji Xuchuang with 1.03 billion yuan and 809 million yuan respectively [2] - The top gainers in the communications sector included ZTE Corporation (10.00% increase), Guanghetong (20.01% increase), and Zhongji Xuchuang (4.57% increase) [2] Capital Outflow in Communications Sector - The communications sector also had stocks with significant capital outflows, with Changxin Bochuang leading at 703 million yuan, followed by Guangku Technology and China Mobile with 422 million yuan and 272 million yuan respectively [3] - The top decliners included Changxin Bochuang (-4.35%), Guangku Technology (-1.81%), and China Mobile (-0.60%) [3]

截至月份: 2025年11月30日 狀態: 新提交 股份發行人及根據《上市規則》第十九B章上市的香港預託證券發行人的證券變動月報表 第 1 頁 共 10 頁 v 1.1.1 公司名稱: 中國電信股份有限公司 呈交日期: 2025年12月1日 I. 法定/註冊股本變動 | 1. 股份分類 | 普通股 | 股份類別 | H | | 於香港聯交所上市 (註1) | | 是 | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 證券代號 (如上市) | 00728 | 說明 | H股 | | | | | | | | | 法定/註冊股份數目 | | | 面值 | | 法定/註冊股本 | | | 上月底結存 | | | 13,877,410,000 | RMB | | 1 RMB | | 13,877,410,000 | | 增加 / 減少 (-) | | | 0 | | | RMB | | 0 | | 本月底結存 | | | 13,877,410,000 | RMB | | 1 RMB | | 13,877,410,000 | | 2. 股份分類 | ...

在本届大会主论坛上，中国电信将聚焦智能云体系构建，邀请知名专家探讨数智科技发展、举办多 场发布及合作仪式，携手生态伙伴开展全方位、多领域合作，共同推动数智科技生态繁荣。大会还将举 办AI+数字生活生态合作、AI+绿色智算生态合作、AI智能体+数据要素生态合作等12场分论坛，通过开 展深度交流与对话，充分对接产业合作需求，深化算力、平台、数据、模型、应用多维度协作，推动全 产业链协同共进，打造开放共赢的合作交流平台。 为把握新一轮科技革命和产业变革发展趋势、为数字经济高质量发展注入AI动能，本次数智科技 生态展将重磅打造总面积4万平方米的四大展馆，设置中国电信主展区、算力生态合作展区、平台生态 合作展区、安全生态合作展区、数据和模型生态合作展区、AI应用生态合作展区、AI终端和AI芯片生 态合作七大展区，全方位展示中国电信算力和算力服务、MaaS平台和DaaS平台基础设施建设成果，大 模型、智能体、场景化解决方案在个人、家庭、行业等多场景下的AI应用案例和AI应用产品。通过沉 浸式展示和立体式互动，观众将能看到AI不再是停留在简单的数字技术转化，而是通过AI科技创新与 各领域产业创新深度融合，不断为个人、家庭、 ...

股份發行人及根據《上市規則》第十九B章上市的香港預託證券發行人的證券變動月報表 截至月份: 2025年11月30日 狀態: 新提交 I. 法定/註冊股本變動 | 1. 股份分類 | 普通股 | 股份類別 | H | | 於香港聯交所上市 (註1) | | 是 | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 證券代號 (如上市) | 00728 | 說明 | H股 | | | | | | | | | 法定/註冊股份數目 | | | 面值 | | 法定/註冊股本 | | | 上月底結存 | | | 13,877,410,000 | RMB | | 1 RMB | | 13,877,410,000 | | 增加 / 減少 (-) | | | 0 | | | RMB | | 0 | | 本月底結存 | | | 13,877,410,000 | RMB | | 1 RMB | | 13,877,410,000 | | 2. 股份分類 | 普通股 | 股份類別 | A | | 於香港聯交所上市 (註1) | | 否 | | | --- | --- ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the significance of the Munich Shanghai Optical Expo as a pivotal event for the global optoelectronics and semiconductor industry, featuring over 1,200 leading companies and attracting hundreds of thousands of professional attendees, emphasizing the theme of "technological iteration + ecological integration" [2] Group 1: Policy Alignment - The forum aligns closely with the "14th Five-Year Plan," focusing on the critical role of laser technology in supporting 6G/5G-A, targeting key areas such as compound semiconductors, EDA tools, and optical communication chips, and aims to create a collaborative ecosystem through "policy - technology - capital" synergy [2][4] Group 2: Technical Focus - The forum emphasizes a comprehensive technology logic covering the entire supply chain from "materials - tools - chips - devices - components - applications," showcasing hard-core achievements from leading companies in critical areas like compound semiconductor mass production processes and AI-enabled optical chip design [3] Group 3: Demand-Supply Coupling - The forum effectively links the supply side, represented by leading technology firms like Silan Micro and Xizhi Technology, with the demand side, including major telecom operators and cloud service providers, creating a high-efficiency closed loop of "technology output - demand feedback - cooperation landing" [4] Group 4: Key Participants - Major telecom operators such as China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom are participating to address 6G network architecture and 5G-A deployment needs, while leading cloud service providers like Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud are seeking solutions for high-speed data transmission and green data center construction [6] Group 5: Final Opportunities - The article emphasizes the urgency of securing the last three sponsorship seats for the forum, highlighting the scarcity of resources and the potential for significant market engagement, with a focus on connecting with decision-makers from major telecom and cloud service companies [7][9]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of central enterprises in China to strategically layout future industries driven by cutting-edge technologies, which are crucial for national development and economic transformation [1][2][3]. Group 1: Historical Mission of Central Enterprises - The layout of future industries is essential for national strategy, as it helps seize opportunities from the new technological revolution and industrial transformation [2]. - Central enterprises face risks in key areas like high-end chips and industrial software, which threaten national security and technological independence [2]. - The 14th Five-Year Plan outlines the need for initiatives in advanced technologies such as brain-like intelligence, quantum information, and hydrogen energy [2]. Group 2: Development of New Quality Productivity - New quality productivity is driven by technological breakthroughs and innovative resource allocation, representing the evolution of advanced productivity [4]. - Future industries, including quantum technology and bio-manufacturing, are seen as pivotal for economic growth and sustainability [4]. - The cultivation of future industries is viewed as a key strategy for enhancing China's competitive edge and achieving high-quality economic development [4]. Group 3: Opportunities for Transformation and Upgrading - Central enterprises are urged to transition from traditional growth models to high-value, high-tech industries to address challenges like overcapacity and declining profit margins [5]. - Future industries are expected to create new pillar industries worth hundreds of billions or even trillions, providing a second growth curve for central enterprises [5]. - A strategic plan is necessary for central enterprises to focus on high-collaboration areas within the industry chain [5]. Group 4: Advantages and Current Trends of Central Enterprises - Central enterprises possess strong capital strength and technical reserves, with total assets exceeding 90 trillion yuan by the end of 2024 [7]. - Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, central enterprises have invested 8.6 trillion yuan in strategic emerging industries [7]. - Central enterprises play a crucial role in national strategic missions, enabling resource integration and collaborative operations [7]. Group 5: Breakthroughs in Key Future Industries - Central enterprises have made significant progress in humanoid robotics, quantum computing, and controllable nuclear fusion, showcasing their technological capabilities [8][9]. - The establishment of a controllable nuclear fusion innovation consortium indicates a commitment to advancing this critical technology [9]. - Continuous reforms in state-owned enterprises aim to enhance innovation capabilities and core competitiveness [9]. Group 6: Systematic Planning for Future Industries - Central enterprises must adopt a systematic approach to strategically plan for future industries, ensuring they remain at the forefront of national development [10]. - Differentiated strategies are necessary for various sectors, considering their unique challenges and resource endowments [11]. - Emphasis on internal innovation and collaboration with external partners is crucial for building a robust industrial ecosystem [13]. Group 7: Reforming Mechanisms and Support Systems - Reforming governance structures and financial support systems is essential to foster innovation and provide long-term capital for future industries [14]. - Central enterprises should lead the establishment of common technology platforms and promote international cooperation in technology [14]. - Creating an open innovation ecosystem will facilitate collaboration across various sectors and enhance overall industry competitiveness [14].