




Core Viewpoint - The dairy industry is facing demand pressure in 2024, but policies promoting childbirth subsidies are expected to boost consumption recovery [1][4] Group 1: Performance Review - The dairy industry is experiencing weak recovery in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025 due to external demand pressures and inventory destocking [2] - Major companies like Yili and Mengniu are controlling shipments to destock, leading to revenue declines for most companies in 2024 [2] - Yili and Mengniu have taken steps to clean up their balance sheets by recognizing goodwill impairment, which is expected to lead to improved performance in Q2 2025 [2] Group 2: Operational Situation - Milk prices have been on a downward trend since 2022, leading to a reduction in dairy cow inventory by 4.5% to 6.3 million heads and a 2.8% decrease in raw milk production to 41.61 million tons in 2024 [3] - The overall gross margin of the industry has improved due to falling milk prices, with companies maintaining cautious promotional strategies and reducing sales expense ratios [3] - The profitability of major companies is expected to improve in Q1 2025, with Yili's net profit margin exceeding market expectations after excluding one-time income [3] Group 3: Investment Recommendations - The supply side is undergoing accelerated destocking, with continued pressure on upstream operations due to falling milk prices and rising feed costs [4] - Policies promoting childbirth subsidies are expected to enhance dairy product consumption, with companies like Feihe and Yili responding by offering product subsidies of 1.2 billion and 1.6 billion respectively [4] - The overall outlook for the industry is positive, with expectations of improved supply-demand balance and stronger performance from leading companies [4]