Lakala(SZ:300773) Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-04-26 10:47Core Viewpoint - Lakala's financial performance in 2024 and Q1 2025 shows a decline in revenue and net profit, primarily due to reduced hardware sales and pressure on payment business, but the company benefits from improved gross margins in both payment and technology service sectors [1][2][3]. Financial Performance - In 2024, the company achieved operating revenue of 5.759 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 2.96%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 351 million, down 23.26% year-on-year [1]. - For Q1 2025, the company reported operating revenue of 1.299 billion, a decline of 13.01% year-on-year, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 101 million, down 51.71% year-on-year [1][3]. Business Segments - Payment business revenue in 2024 was 5.17 billion, a slight decrease of 0.27%, with a gross margin of 27.22%, up 0.92 percentage points, driven by a higher proportion of higher-fee QR code transactions [2]. - Technology service revenue in 2024 was 280 million, down 18.43%, but with a gross margin of 90.92%, up 19.03 percentage points, mainly due to a 67.71% increase in high-margin external card organization marketing services [2]. Market Dynamics - The third-party payment market is undergoing optimization, with regulatory measures leading to the exit of smaller players, which may create new opportunities for industry leaders like Lakala [4]. - In 2024, 10 payment licenses were revoked, bringing the total to 100, indicating a trend towards market consolidation [4]. Growth Opportunities - The cross-border payment sector presents significant growth potential, with the company actively expanding its services in emerging markets. In Q1 2025, the number of cross-border merchants and transaction volume increased by 76% and 85% year-on-year, respectively [5]. - The recent regulatory framework aims to enhance the convenience of cross-border financial services, which could benefit qualified third-party payment institutions [5]. Investment Outlook - The company maintains a "buy" rating, with projected net profits for 2025-2027 of 398 million, 399 million, and 415 million, reflecting growth rates of 13.3%, 0.3%, and 4.1% respectively, supported by its strong position in the third-party payment sector [6].