ZHIFEI-BIOL(300122) Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-04-27 01:25Core Viewpoint - The HPV vaccine market is experiencing a significant downturn, with major player Zhifei Biological reporting a drastic decline in revenue and profit, indicating a challenging environment for the industry moving forward [1][2]. Financial Performance - Zhifei Biological's total revenue for 2024 was 26.07 billion yuan, a decrease of 50.74% year-on-year, while net profit fell by 74.99% to 2.018 billion yuan [1]. - The company's operating cash flow turned negative for the first time, reaching -4.414 billion yuan, and the debt-to-asset ratio increased to 62.3%, the highest in five years [1]. - In Q1 2025, Zhifei's revenue continued to plummet by 79.16% to 2.374 billion yuan, with a net loss of 305 million yuan, marking three consecutive quarters of losses [1]. Market Dynamics - The demand for HPV vaccines has sharply declined, leading to a supply-demand mismatch, exacerbated by Zhifei's decision to increase inventory levels despite a surplus in 2023 [2]. - As of the first three quarters of 2024, Zhifei's inventory reached 20.693 billion yuan, with accounts receivable at 21.393 billion yuan, indicating significant financial strain [2]. - Merck announced a suspension of supply for the four-valent and nine-valent HPV vaccines to China, expected to last until mid-year, which reflects a strategic adjustment in response to high inventory levels [2]. Competitive Landscape - The entry of domestic HPV vaccines is accelerating, with several companies like Wantai Biological and Watson Bio preparing to launch their products in 2025, which could further pressure the market [2]. - The pricing structure for HPV vaccines is being challenged, with high-priced vaccines seeing reduced demand and local governments pushing for free vaccination programs [3]. Strategic Shifts - In response to the industry challenges, Zhifei Biological is attempting to transition from a distributor to an innovative enterprise, with a 14.98% increase in revenue from self-developed vaccines, although this still only accounted for 4.53% of total revenue [5]. - The company has made a strategic acquisition of a 51% stake in Changan Biological for 593 million yuan, focusing on diabetes and obesity treatments, which may provide new growth avenues [6][7]. Research and Development - Zhifei's R&D investment for 2024 was 1.23 billion yuan, representing only 4.7% of total revenue, significantly lower than the 15%-20% standard of international vaccine giants [7]. - The company is developing a diverse pipeline of vaccines, including those for meningitis, influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, rabies, and norovirus [7].