Core Viewpoint - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index experienced a decline of 1.37%, with most popular Chinese concept stocks also falling [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Baidu saw a drop of 4.7% [1] - Other companies such as Beike, Xpeng, WeRide, and Li Auto all fell by over 3% [1] - Century Internet increased by 2% [1] - JinkoSolar rose by 2.5% [1] - Daqo New Energy experienced a rise of 3% [1]

Summary of Conference Call Notes on China Data Centres Equities Industry Overview - The focus is on the China data centre industry, specifically companies GDS Holdings (GDS) and VNET Group (VNET) - The industry is expected to experience a slowdown in 2026, with potential recovery in 2027 driven by AI demand and clarity on chip supply issues [2][10] Key Points and Arguments 1. **2026 Slowdown and 2027 Recovery**: - A slowdown in new wholesale orders was noted in 3Q25, attributed to large clients delaying capital expenditures due to uncertainties regarding chip resolutions [2] - GDS's adjusted EBITDA growth is forecasted to slow from 10% in 2025 to 6% in 2026, while VNET's growth is expected to decelerate from 21% to 19% in the same period [2] 2. **Market Resilience**: - Despite disappointing order numbers in 3Q, GDS and VNET's share prices remained resilient, with GDS up 15% and VNET up 8% post-results announcement, indicating that the market has already priced in the anticipated slowdown [3] 3. **REITs as Valuation Benchmarks**: - Both GDS and VNET completed their C-REIT and Private REIT issuances, which are seen as providing valuation benchmarks and future financing channels [4] 4. **Preference for VNET**: - VNET is expected to outperform GDS in growth due to better wholesale capacity utilization and lower electricity costs in Inner Mongolia, which is advantageous for securing large AI orders [5] - VNET is trading at a lower valuation of 10x 2026e EV/adj. EBITDA compared to GDS at 13x [5] 5. **Target Price Adjustments**: - Target prices for both companies have been raised, with GDS's target price increasing from USD 44.10 to USD 46.90 and VNET's from USD 11.40 to USD 14.40 [6] Financial Highlights - **GDS Financials**: - Revenue projections for GDS are CNY 10,322 million for 2024, increasing to CNY 14,053 million by 2027 [11] - Adjusted EBITDA is expected to decline from CNY 6,889 million in 2025 to CNY 5,275 million in 2026 [11] - **VNET Financials**: - VNET's revenue is projected to grow from CNY 8,259 million in 2024 to CNY 14,424 million by 2027 [19] - EBITDA is expected to increase from CNY 2,268 million in 2024 to CNY 4,913 million in 2027 [19] Additional Important Insights - **Risks**: - Potential risks include failure to secure new large orders, chip shortages affecting data centre utilization, and a slowdown in AI data centre investments [34] - **Valuation Methodology**: - GDS is valued using a sum of the parts (SOTP) approach, with a target EV/EBITDA multiple of 13x for its mainland China business and 21x for its international business, DayOne [27][31] - **Market Context**: - The report highlights the competitive landscape, comparing GDS and VNET with peers like Equinix and Digital Realty, indicating a need for strategic positioning in the evolving market [35] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the conference call regarding the China data centre industry, focusing on GDS and VNET, their financial outlook, market dynamics, and potential risks.

Summary of China & ASEAN Data Centers Conference Call Industry Overview - The report focuses on the China and ASEAN data center sector, highlighting positive trends in order volume, capital expenditure (capex) expansion, and capital recycling strategies for companies like GDS and VNET [1][6][37]. Key Companies - **GDS Holdings (GDS)**: Target price set at US$43/HK$42 for ADR/H-share, reflecting a slight decrease from previous targets. Valuation of DayOne, a subsidiary, increased by 17% to US$10.5/HK$10.2 per GDS ADR/H-share [1][49]. - **VNET**: Maintained a target price of US$14, with a Buy rating [1][49]. Core Insights - **Order Volume and Demand**: Both GDS and VNET are expected to secure around 300MW of orders each in 2026, representing a significant increase in market share from 9% in 2025 to approximately 20% of incremental data center demand in China [6][10]. - **Capex Growth**: GDS's organic capex is projected to reach Rmb7 billion in 2026, up from Rmb4.8 billion in 2025, to support capacity expansion. VNET's capex is expected to exceed Rmb8 billion for 350-400MW capacity delivery [6][7]. - **Favorable Financing Environment**: The report notes a positive outlook for financing, with GDS and VNET expected to generate substantial operating cash flow (Rmb4 billion+ for GDS and Rmb3 billion+ for VNET in 2026) [7][10]. Financial Performance - **DayOne's Performance**: DayOne reported a significant year-over-year growth in revenue (+177%) and adjusted EBITDA (+358%), indicating strong operational execution and capacity expansion [53][59]. - **Capacity Expansion**: DayOne aims to reach approximately 1GW of committed capacity by the end of 2025, with ongoing projects in Thailand and other regions [53][54]. Market Trends - **Data Center Demand Growth**: The China data center market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 23% from 2024 to 2028, reaching 33GW by 2028 [10][12]. - **Utilization Rates**: GDS and VNET are expected to account for over 11% of data center demand in China by 2028, driven by above-industry utilization rates [17][12]. Regulatory Environment - New electricity tariffs in Malaysia may increase operational costs for data center operators, while stricter water consumption rules could benefit companies like DayOne that focus on higher-tier data centers [54][54]. Valuation Adjustments - GDS's valuation was adjusted to Rmb66 billion or US$37.4/HK$36.4 per ADR/H-share due to increased share count from recent offerings. DayOne's valuation was raised based on improved growth estimates [48][49]. Conclusion - The outlook for the China and ASEAN data center sector remains positive, with strong demand, increased capex, and favorable financing conditions. GDS and VNET are well-positioned to capitalize on these trends, supported by robust operational performance and strategic expansions.

Market Performance - US stock indices showed a mixed performance with the S&P 500 index only 71 points away from its October high despite weak labor market data [1] - Major technology stocks had varied results, with Tesla rising over 4% and Microsoft falling over 2% [2] Sector Movements - Lithium stocks led the market rally, with companies like Albemarle and Livent showing significant gains, while major tech stocks struggled [3] - Chinese concept stocks mostly declined, with the Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index dropping 1.38% [3] Commodity Trends - Base metals experienced a broad increase, with LME tin rising nearly 4.4% and LME copper up 2.7%, reaching historical highs [4][6] - A report from JPMorgan suggests that supply disruptions and global inventory mismatches could push copper prices to $12,500 per ton by mid-2026 [5] Cryptocurrency Market - The cryptocurrency market saw a collective rise, with Bitcoin surpassing $93,000, marking a 1.8% increase [6][7] - Significant liquidation occurred in the market, with over $360 million in total liquidations reported in the last 24 hours [8] Economic Indicators - The US private sector unexpectedly lost approximately 32,000 jobs in November, raising expectations for further interest rate adjustments by the Federal Reserve [8] - The probability of a 25 basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve in December surged to 89% according to CME FedWatch [8]

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]

Investment Focus - Alphabet (GOOGL US) is expected to maintain good visibility in its advertising business due to the gradual release of its valuation under pressure from AI search, with a projected 30%+ growth in cloud business for the year and margin improvement driven by scale effects [1] - Alibaba (BABA US) is anticipated to see a cloud business growth rate of 28%-30%, benefiting from strong momentum in instant retail, with Taobao expected to achieve a 20-30% MAU growth driven by flash purchase [1] - NVIDIA (NVDA US) is projected to achieve strong revenue growth in FY2027, with GB300 series products expected to account for two-thirds of Blackwell series products, and a revenue target of $500 billion over the next five quarters [1] - Tencent (700 HK) is recommended as a top pick, with a target price of 700, driven by steady growth in core gaming and advertising businesses, and a projected near 20% growth rate in advertising [3] - New Oxygen (SY US) is focusing on the light medical beauty sector with a rapid expansion plan, aiming to open 50 self-operated stores by 2025, supported by a strong marketing capability and low customer acquisition costs [3] - Ctrip (TCOM US) is expected to benefit from steady growth in domestic leisure travel and the recovery of outbound travel, with a projected revenue growth of 14% to 71.1 billion yuan in 2026 [3] - Huazhu (HTHT US) is transitioning to a high-margin franchise model, with a target price of $52, supported by a strong recovery in industry RevPar [4] - Futu (FUTU US) is positioned for long-term growth in the virtual asset business, with a user base of 3.1 million and a current valuation offering a safety margin [4] - AIA (1299 HK) is expected to see steady growth in new business value and operational indicators, with a forward PEV of 1.46x [4] - Dongfang Electric (1072 HK) is actively involved in global power station project contracting, with significant opportunities in the U.S. market due to the demand for power supply capabilities [9]

Core Viewpoint - VNET Group Inc. is highlighted as a promising investment opportunity in the Chinese tech sector, with a maintained Buy rating and a price target of $12.50 per share set by DBS analyst Andy Yu [1][2]. Financial Performance - VNET reported total net revenues of RMB 2.58 billion for Q3 2025, representing a 21.7% increase year-over-year and exceeding analyst expectations by approximately 8% [2]. - The company experienced a net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of RMB 307.0 million, equating to RMB 0.19 per basic and diluted share, which, while wider than the previous year's loss, aligns with expectations for adjusted figures around $0.02 per share [3]. - VNET raised its full-year 2025 revenue forecast to a range of RMB 9.55 billion to RMB 9.87 billion, driven by strong wholesale momentum and AI-related deals [3]. Company Overview - VNET Group Inc. is a leading carrier-neutral data center and cloud services provider in China, operating over 50 data centers across more than 30 cities, offering services such as colocation, managed hosting, and cloud computing infrastructure [4].

Core Insights - Century Internet (VNET.US), the first Chinese IDC company listed on the US stock market, reported a 21.7% year-on-year revenue growth for Q3 2025, reaching 2.58 billion RMB [2] - The company’s adjusted EBITDA increased by 27.5% year-on-year to 758 million RMB, with an adjusted EBITDA margin rising from 28% to 29.4% [2] - The company’s founder and chairman, Chen Sheng, highlighted strong demand for base IDC services, with three new orders totaling 63 MW in capacity [2][4] Financial Performance - Q3 total revenue reached 2.58 billion RMB, a 21.7% increase year-on-year [2] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 was 758 million RMB, reflecting a 27.5% year-on-year growth [2] - Adjusted cash gross profit grew by 22.1% year-on-year to 1.05 billion RMB, with an adjusted cash gross margin of 40.7% [2] Business Growth and Orders - The company secured three base IDC orders in Q3, totaling 63 MW, including a 20 MW order from a joint venture and a 40 MW order from an internet company [4] - In Q4, the company won an additional 32 MW base order from another internet client, indicating continued strong demand [3][4] - The operational capacity for base IDC reached 783 MW as of September 30, 2025, with a quarterly increase of 109 MW [4] Market Outlook - Century Internet raised its full-year revenue guidance to between 9.55 billion and 9.867 billion RMB, representing a year-on-year growth of 16% to 19% [3] - The adjusted EBITDA guidance for the year is set between 2.91 billion and 2.9445 billion RMB, indicating a growth of 24% to 26% [3] - The company aims to leverage its unique advantages in the AI-driven market and continue its dual-engine strategy to enhance growth potential [3] Industry Developments - The rapid development and application of artificial intelligence are creating new growth opportunities for the Chinese IDC industry [4] - Century Internet signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government to establish an AI innovation cooperation center [5] - The company successfully issued the first green real estate ABS in the national data center industry, amounting to 860 million RMB, marking a breakthrough in green finance [5]

Summary of Century Internet's Q3 2025 Earnings Call Company Overview - **Company**: Century Internet - **Industry**: Internet Data Center (IDC) Key Financial Performance - Total net revenue for Q3 2025 increased by 17.2% year-over-year to RMB 2.582 billion [2][4] - IDC business revenue grew by 23.7% to RMB 1.956 billion [2] - Retail revenue increased by 2.4% to RMB 999 million [2] - Adjusted cash gross margin rose to 22.1% [2][4] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 27.5% year-over-year [2][4] Wholesale IDC Business - As of September 30, 2025, wholesale capacity grew by 16.1% to 783 MW [2][5] - Customer-utilized wholesale capacity increased by 13.8% to 582 MW, with a utilization rate of 74.3% [2][5][6] - Three new wholesale orders totaling 63 MW were secured during the quarter [6] - The company scored 73 in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, ranking in the top 8% of the IT services industry [5] Retail IDC Business - Retail capacity in service reached 52,288 cabinets, with a slight increase in utilization to 64.8% [6] - Monthly recurring revenue per retail cabinet has grown for six consecutive quarters, reaching RMB 8,948 [6] Future Capacity and Capital Expenditure - The company is constructing 7 data centers, expecting to deliver approximately 306 MW of capacity over the next 12 months [7] - Capital expenditure for 2025 is projected to be between RMB 10 billion and 12 billion to support the delivery of 400 MW to 450 MW of capacity [9] Updated Guidance - Full-year revenue guidance is set between RMB 9.5 billion and 9.867 billion, representing a year-over-year growth of 16% to 19% [3][10] - Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between RMB 2.91 billion and 2.945 billion, reflecting a growth of 20% to 21% [3][10] ESG Achievements - The company improved its ESG score from 70 to 73, demonstrating strong performance in risk management, information security, and environmental management [11] Market Outlook - The market is expected to remain stable with moderate growth in 2026, driven by detailed national expansion plans from clients [12] - The company is strategically accumulating resources in the Beijing area and the Yangtze River Delta to meet user demands [14] AI-Driven Demand - The rapid development of AI continues to drive growth in the IDC industry, with strong investment from hyperscale enterprises [8] - The company is positioned as a pioneer in AI-driven IDC solutions, adapting to structural growth opportunities [8] Financing Strategy - The company is exploring private bond issuance to support its capital needs, with expectations of favorable valuation multiples [12] - Recent successful recovery of RMB 2 billion in equity assets through private equity and development funds is anticipated to enhance future financing capabilities [19] Conclusion - Century Internet is experiencing robust growth in both wholesale and retail IDC segments, with strategic plans in place to expand capacity and meet increasing demand, particularly driven by AI applications. The company maintains a strong focus on sustainability and is well-positioned for future growth in a competitive market.

Core Viewpoint - Century Internet (VNET.US) reported strong financial performance for Q3 2025, with significant year-on-year growth in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, reflecting the effectiveness of its strategic initiatives in the rapidly growing AI-driven market [1][4]. Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q3 2025 reached 2.58 billion RMB, representing a year-on-year increase of 21.7% [1][4]. - Adjusted EBITDA grew by 27.5% year-on-year to 758 million RMB, with an adjusted EBITDA margin increasing from 28% to 29.4% [1][4]. - Adjusted cash gross profit rose by 22.1% year-on-year to 1.05 billion RMB, with an adjusted cash gross margin slightly increasing from 40.6% to 40.7% [1][4]. Business Growth - The base IDC business saw a remarkable year-on-year revenue increase of 82.7%, contributing 956 million RMB to total revenue [2][4]. - The operational capacity of the base IDC business reached 783 MW, with a quarterly increase of 109 MW, while the on-shelf capacity grew by 70 MW to 582 MW, achieving a 74.3% on-shelf rate [3][4]. Strategic Initiatives - The company is implementing a "dual-engine" strategy to expand its customer base and enhance its multi-layered business layout, which is expected to drive long-term growth [5][6]. - Century Internet secured three new base IDC orders totaling 63 MW in Q3, including significant contracts from an internet company and a smart driving company [5][6]. Market Position and Future Outlook - The company is well-positioned to capitalize on the AI-driven market demand, with plans to deepen its dual-engine strategy and Hyperscale 2.0 framework [2][3]. - Following a revision in guidance earlier in the year, the company has further raised its 2025 revenue and adjusted EBITDA forecasts, expecting total revenue between 9.55 billion and 9.867 billion RMB, and adjusted EBITDA between 2.91 billion and 2.945 billion RMB [4].