中银证券：给予林洋能源买入评级

Core Viewpoint - Linyang Energy has shown steady growth in its electric meter sales, despite facing challenges from credit impairment and fair value changes impacting profits, leading to a maintained buy rating from analysts [1][2]. Financial Performance Summary - In 2024, Linyang Energy reported a revenue of 6.742 billion yuan, a decrease of 1.89% year-on-year, and a net profit of 753 million yuan, down 27.00% year-on-year. The adjusted net profit was 763 million yuan, reflecting a 12.00% decline [3]. - The fourth quarter of 2024 saw a significant loss of 157 million yuan, a decrease of 187.19% year-on-year and 150.48% quarter-on-quarter. The overall gross margin for 2024 was 29.54%, an increase of 1.11 percentage points, while the net margin was 11.42%, down 3.84 percentage points [3]. - For the first quarter of 2025, the company reported a revenue of 1.124 billion yuan, a decrease of 27.69% year-on-year, and a net profit of 124 million yuan, down 43.26% year-on-year, but showing a recovery from a loss in the previous quarter. The adjusted net profit was 122 million yuan, down 38.62% year-on-year [3]. - The gross margin for Q1 2025 was 27.58%, a decrease of 2.43 percentage points year-on-year, but an increase of 7.66 percentage points quarter-on-quarter. The net margin was 10.67%, down 3.21 percentage points year-on-year [3]. Business Segment Performance - The electric meter business achieved a revenue of 2.704 billion yuan in 2024, representing an 18.94% year-on-year growth, with a corresponding gross margin of 36.12%, up 1.19 percentage points [4]. - The demand for smart electric meters is expected to remain strong, driven by the upgrade of aging equipment in North America and the replacement and technological iteration in mature markets [4]. Valuation and Forecast - The earnings per share (EPS) forecasts for 2025-2027 have been adjusted to 0.41, 0.47, and 0.53 yuan, respectively, with corresponding price-to-earnings ratios of 13.6, 12.1, and 10.6 times. The buy rating is maintained due to the stability of the electric meter business [5].