HBC(SH:603077)2024-04-19 08:56Financial Performance - Revenue in 2023 decreased by 32.33% to 8,824,107,811.82 RMB compared to 2022[18] - Net profit attributable to shareholders in 2023 dropped by 66.29% to 1,283,243,893.34 RMB[18] - Basic earnings per share in 2023 decreased by 66.32% to 0.1474 RMB[19] - Weighted average return on equity in 2023 fell by 15.91 percentage points to 6.56%[19] - Operating cash flow in 2023 decreased by 96.96% to 80,331,784.33 RMB[18] - Total assets in 2023 increased by 1.82% to 24,542,434,122.85 RMB[18] - Revenue in Q1 2023 was 2,394,468,174.84 RMB, the highest among the four quarters[22] - Net profit attributable to shareholders in Q1 2023 was 396,561,190.75 RMB, the highest among the four quarters[22] - Non-recurring gains and losses in 2023 amounted to 47,776,856.68 RMB[24] - The company achieved sales revenue of 8.824 billion yuan and net profit attributable to shareholders of 1.283 billion yuan in 2023[27] - Revenue for 2023 was RMB 8.824 billion, a decrease of 32.33% year-over-year[46] - Net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 1.283 billion[46] - Main business revenue decreased by 32.72% YoY to 8.707 billion RMB, with a gross margin of 23.26%, down 19.62 percentage points YoY[49] - Chemical industry revenue decreased by 48.64% YoY to 6.082 billion RMB, with a gross margin of 25.33%, down 18.00 percentage points YoY[50] - Photovoltaic industry revenue increased by 332.00% YoY to 2.219 billion RMB, with a gross margin of 9.77%, down 2.55 percentage points YoY[50] - Lianjian product revenue decreased by 29.13% YoY to 3.499 billion RMB, with a gross margin of 31.68%, down 9.16 percentage points YoY[51] - Sichuan region revenue decreased by 0.48% YoY to 3.520 billion RMB, with a gross margin of 32.38%, down 9.88 percentage points YoY[52] - Direct sales revenue decreased by 29.69% YoY to 9.492 billion RMB, with a gross margin of 21.67%, down 19.02 percentage points YoY[52] - Revenue from the soda ash industry was 265,780.19 million yuan, a decrease of 19.36% year-over-year[90] - Revenue from the fertilizer industry was 84,113.06 million yuan, a decrease of 48.75% year-over-year[90] - Revenue from the pesticide industry was 148,061.16 million yuan, a decrease of 74.69% year-over-year[90] - Direct sales revenue was 489,848.85 million yuan, a decrease of 54.09% year-over-year[91] Share Repurchase and Equity - The company repurchased 213,578,494 shares through centralized bidding transactions in 2023, with a total payment of 500,369,769.55 yuan, accounting for 38.99% of the net profit attributable to shareholders[3] - The company repurchased 213,578,494 shares through centralized bidding, with a total payment of 500,369,769.55 yuan, accounting for 38.99% of the net profit attributable to shareholders[135] - The company plans to repurchase approximately 113,636,363 shares, accounting for 1.29% of the total shares, with a repurchase amount ranging from 20,000.00 to 40,000.00 million yuan[189] - The repurchase period is from October 18, 2023, to December 17, 2023, and the repurchased shares will be used for employee stock ownership plans or equity incentives[189] - As of the report date, the company has already repurchased 170,337,200 shares[189] - In a subsequent repurchase plan, the company aims to repurchase approximately 112,994,350 shares, accounting for 1.28% of the total shares, with a repurchase amount ranging from 20,000.00 to 40,000.00 million yuan[190] - The repurchase period for the subsequent plan is from December 15, 2023, to March 14, 2024, and the repurchased shares will also be used for employee stock ownership plans or equity incentives[190] - As of the report date, the company has repurchased 43,241,294 shares under the subsequent plan[190] Projects and Investments - The company has several ongoing projects, including the Chongqing Wujun 8GW photovoltaic encapsulation materials and products project, the Fuxing Technology 10GW N+ ultra-efficient monocrystalline solar silicon wafer project, the Guang'an Bimeida 500,000-ton glyphosate project, and the Mabian Yanfeng phosphate mine 1 million-ton mining project[5] - The company is constructing a 500,000-ton/year glyphosate project in Guang'an and a 600,000-ton/year sodium carbonate, ammonium chloride, and 200,000-ton/year glyphosate project in Indonesia[27] - The company has completed the construction of two photovoltaic glass production lines (1,000t/d and 900t/d) and a 2GW photovoltaic module production line in Chongqing[28] - The company has put into production 1.5-2GW capacity of the 10GW N+ ultra-efficient monocrystalline silicon wafer project in Fuxing Technology[28] - The company's 1-million-ton/year phosphate rock development project in Mabian Yanyanfeng is nearing completion and is expected to be operational in 2024[28] - The company has completed preliminary preparations for the 500,000-ton/year glyphosate project in Guang'an, including feasibility studies, filing, environmental impact assessment, energy assessment, and safety assessment[28] - The company plans to achieve an annual production capacity of 700,000 tons of dual-glyphosate and 250,000 tons of glyphosate upon project completion[44] - The company invested in photovoltaic silicon wafers and module projects to enhance its photovoltaic industry chain[44] - The company invested 349 million yuan in the Guang'an Bimeda 500,000-ton glyphosate project[94] - The company is investing in a new 500,000 tons/year glyphosate project with an investment of 3.486 billion RMB, expected to be completed within two years after commencement[85] Costs and Expenses - Operating costs decreased by 9.12% year-over-year, primarily due to reduced sales volume[47] - Sales expenses increased by 13.49% due to higher travel and entertainment costs for market expansion[47] - Management expenses decreased by 51.07%, mainly due to a reduction in share-based payment expenses[47] - R&D expenses decreased by 30.30% as the dual-glyphosate production process project entered the development phase in June 2022[47] - The company's financial expenses decreased by 234.72% due to lower interest rates and increased interest income[47] - The raw material cost in the chemical industry decreased by 35.92% year-over-year to RMB 2.755 billion, primarily due to a decline in sales volume[56] - Fuel and power costs in the chemical industry decreased by 21.91% year-over-year to RMB 772 million[56] - Depreciation expenses in the chemical industry decreased by 23.74% year-over-year to RMB 249.7 million[56] - Labor costs in the chemical industry decreased by 37.83% year-over-year to RMB 145.9 million, mainly due to a decline in sales volume[56] - Raw material costs in the photovoltaic industry increased by 354.72% year-over-year to RMB 1.295 billion, driven by the gradual commissioning of production lines[58] - Fuel and power costs in the photovoltaic industry increased by 234.62% year-over-year to RMB 369.5 million, due to the gradual commissioning of production lines[58] - Depreciation expenses in the photovoltaic industry surged by 2,384.58% year-over-year to RMB 70.7 million, as production lines were gradually commissioned and fixed assets were transferred[58] - The cost of raw materials for soda ash products decreased by 14.43% to 1,011,734,447.31 RMB, accounting for 42.32% of total costs[59] - The cost of fuel and power for soda ash products decreased by 19.13% to 716,090,183.39 RMB, accounting for 29.96% of total costs[59] - The cost of depreciation for soda ash products decreased by 16.45% to 116,837,962.62 RMB, accounting for 4.89% of total costs[59] - The cost of labor for soda ash products decreased by 28.45% to 108,644,055.47 RMB, accounting for 4.54% of total costs[59] - The cost of raw materials for photovoltaic glass and components (including silicon wafers) increased by 348.10% to 1,276,146,077.53 RMB, accounting for 64.64% of total costs[60] - The cost of fuel and power for photovoltaic glass and components (including silicon wafers) increased by 234.62% to 369,459,575.37 RMB, accounting for 18.72% of total costs[60] - The cost of depreciation for photovoltaic glass and components (including silicon wafers) increased by 2,384.58% to 70,670,851.88 RMB, accounting for 3.58% of total costs[60] - The cost of labor for photovoltaic glass and components (including silicon wafers) increased by 450.01% to 100,512,499.40 RMB, accounting for 5.09% of total costs[60] Environmental and Social Responsibility - The company invested 19,896.96 million yuan in environmental protection during the reporting period[145] - The company's subsidiaries were listed as key environmental supervision units by local environmental protection bureaus, focusing on water and air pollution control[146] - Total exhaust gas emissions from the three outlets in 2023: 478,301.81 million cubic meters, with sulfur dioxide emissions totaling 31.00 tons, nitrogen oxides totaling 139.84 tons, and particulate matter totaling 27.17 tons[147] - Wastewater discharge from Hebang Agricultural Science in 2023: 1.0224 million tons, with ammonia nitrogen emissions of 0.79 tons, COD emissions of 14.41 tons, and total phosphorus emissions of 0.20 tons[147] - Total exhaust gas emissions from Hebang Agricultural Science in 2023: 2,502.94 million standard cubic meters, with sulfur dioxide emissions of 14.83 tons, nitrogen oxides of 36.00 tons, and soot emissions of 2.91 tons[147] - Wujun Optoelectronics' total exhaust gas emissions in 2023: 1,923.63 million standard cubic meters, with particulate matter emissions of 20.56 tons, sulfur dioxide emissions of 274.73 tons, and nitrogen oxides emissions of 314.69 tons[148] - Wujun Optoelectronics' emission standards: particulate matter 82 tons/year, sulfur dioxide 659 tons/year, nitrogen oxides 1,216 tons/year[148] - Hebang Agricultural Science's emission standards: COD 99 tons/year, ammonia nitrogen 8.76 tons/year, total phosphorus 0.99 tons/year[147] - Wujun Optoelectronics upgraded its flue gas treatment system in 2023, achieving ultra-low emissions and passing performance acceptance[149] - The company has established an environmental management system certified by ISO14001:2015 and GB/T24001-2016 standards[150] - No environmental penalties were incurred by the company in 2023[153] - The company actively promotes green and low-carbon production and lifestyle, emphasizing energy conservation and carbon reduction[154] - The company has implemented carbon reduction measures, including utilizing pressure energy from natural gas pipelines, waste heat power generation, photovoltaic power generation projects, and recycling excess hydrogen from caustic soda units[155] - The company donated a total of 90,000 RMB to various charitable causes, including 10,000 RMB to the Chongqing Jiangjin District Charity Association, 20,000 RMB to the Chongqing Disabled Persons' Welfare Foundation, and 60,000 RMB to the China Rural Development Foundation[156] Corporate Governance and Management - The company adheres to strict corporate governance standards, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and maintaining a well-structured governance framework[106] - The company held multiple temporary shareholders' meetings in 2023, with resolutions published on the Shanghai Stock Exchange website[108] - The total pre-tax compensation for the company's directors and supervisors in the reporting period was 16.8566 million yuan[112] - The company's total shareholding at the end of the year was 421,612,120 shares, an increase of 156,000 shares compared to the beginning of the year[112] - The company's chairman and general manager, Zeng Xiaoping, received a pre-tax compensation of 2.6194 million yuan[111] - The company's director and CFO, Wang Jun, received a pre-tax compensation of 1.6728 million yuan[111] - The company's independent directors each received a pre-tax compensation of 200,000 yuan[111] - The company's board secretary, Jiang Siying, received a pre-tax compensation of 767,700 yuan[112] - The company's former general manager, Yang Huirong, increased her shareholding by 156,000 shares after leaving the company[112] - The company's former director and board secretary, Mo Rong, received a pre-tax compensation of 1.4129 million yuan[112] - The company's former independent director, Mei Shuxian, received no compensation during the reporting period[112] - The company's former vice president, Liu Anping, received a pre-tax compensation of 151,700 yuan[112] - The company's board of directors approved the 2023 Q1, Q2, and Q3 reports on April 28, August 29, and October 20 respectively[128] - The company's board of directors approved a share repurchase plan through centralized bidding on October 18 and December 15[123] - The company's board of directors approved the transfer of equity in a joint venture company on December 1[128] - The company's strategic committee held one meeting during the reporting period, approving a cooperation investment intention agreement on August 28[130] - The company's audit committee members are Song Ying, Hu Yang, and Qin Xueling, while the strategic committee members are He Zhenggang, Zeng Xiaoping, and Wang Jun[127] - The company's total number of employees at the end of the reporting period was 7,169, with 2,522 in the parent company and 4,647 in major subsidiaries[131] - The company's employee composition includes 5,186 production personnel, 178 sales personnel, 948 technical personnel, 129 financial personnel, and 728 administrative personnel[131] - The company's employee education levels are 67 with postgraduate degrees, 719 with bachelor's degrees, 1,082 with associate degrees, 2,524 with high school or technical secondary education, and 2,777 with junior high school or below[131] - The company implemented a salary policy combining basic wages and performance-based pay, with special allowances and subsidies for senior professionals[132] Market and Industry Trends - Glyphosate accounts for approximately 30% of the global herbicide market and 15% of global pesticide usage, with a global production capacity of 1.18 million tons/year in 2023, including 810,000 tons/year in China and 370,000 tons/year overseas[29] - Glyphosate prices fluctuated in 2023, with a low in the first half of the year, a rise in June-July due to inventory depletion and overseas restocking, followed by a decline due to weak demand and increased supply[30] - China approved 37 transgenic corn varieties and 14 transgenic soybean varieties in December 2023, marking the first issuance of production and operation licenses for transgenic seeds, which is expected to significantly boost domestic glyphosate demand[30] - The domestic production capacity of glyphosate intermediate, glyphosinate, is 225,000 tons/year, with Hebang Biotech accounting for 200,000 tons/year[31] - The Chinese biopesticide market was valued at 15.03 billion yuan in 2022 and is projected to grow to 33.09 billion yuan by 2027, with a CAGR of 17.1%[32] - China's soda ash production capacity reached 37.9 million tons in 2023, with a year-on-year production increase of 12.82%[32] - China's photovoltaic glass production in 2023 was 20.88 million tons, a 34.64% year-on-year increase, driving demand for soda ash[32] - China's lithium carbonate production capacity in 2023 was 1.1 million tons, with continued growth expected in the next two years[32] - China's ammonium chloride production capacity in 2023 was 16.76 million tons/year, with exports increasing by 175.68% to 993,300 tons[33] - The ammonium chloride market is expected to see both domestic and international sales growth, driven by strong demand from Southeast Asia and increased export willingness[33] - Global photovoltaic installed capacity reached 420GW in 2023, an 85% year-on-year increase[35] - China's photovoltaic new installed capacity in 2023 was 216.88GW, a 148.1% year-on-year increase, with centralized and distributed accounting for 55.5% and 44.5% respectively[35] - Photovoltaic module exports in 2023 were 211.7GW, a 37.9% year-on-year increase[35] - Global photovoltaic new installed capacity is expected to be 390-430GW in 2024, with China's new installed capacity predicted to reach 190-220GW[35] - Silicon wafer production in 2023 was approximately 592GW, a growth of over 50% year-on-year[35] - The top 26 domestic module manufacturers shipped over 500GW in 2023, a 167% year-on-year increase[35] - The price of