PETROCHINA(601857) 智通财经网·2025-03-26 02:41Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs assigns a "Neutral" rating to Sinopec (00386, 600028.SH) with a target price of HKD 4.50, citing expected weak free cash flow due to declining refining margins and oversupply in the chemical market [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Sinopec's fourth-quarter performance in refining, sales, and chemical sectors fell short of expectations, with EBITDA 19% lower than Goldman Sachs' forecast due to higher operational costs [2] - The company's gross profit met expectations, but overall performance was impacted by lower-than-expected profit margins across multiple business segments [2] Group 2: Dividend and Cash Flow - The dividend payout ratio for 2024 is expected to remain around 71%, consistent with 2023, leading to a 17% year-on-year decline in earnings per share dividends [3] - Despite a projected positive free cash flow in 2024 after two years of negative results, the free cash flow yield of 1.3% is below Goldman Sachs' expectation of 5% due to lower earnings and high capital expenditures [3] - Capital expenditures for 2024 are expected to be 11% higher than Goldman Sachs' forecast, with a slight decrease of 1% compared to 2023, and a projected capital expenditure of RMB 164.3 billion for 2025, which is 6% above expectations [3]