ZZPZH(SH:600436) Hua Xia Shi Bao·2025-07-24 12:08Core Viewpoint - The company, Pianzaihuang, is experiencing a significant slowdown in growth, facing dual pressures from high costs and low growth, with its core business showing weak performance and notable quarterly fluctuations [2][3]. Financial Performance - In 2024, the company achieved a revenue of 10.788 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.25%, and a net profit of 2.977 billion yuan, which only grew by 6.42% compared to the previous year [3]. - This performance starkly contrasts with the double-digit growth seen in 2023, where revenue and net profit grew by 15.69% and 13.15%, respectively [3]. - The fourth quarter of 2024 marked the worst quarterly performance since 2020, with a revenue decline of 4.92% to 2.338 billion yuan and a net profit drop of 28.23% to 278 million yuan [3]. Product Performance - The core products are facing declining sales, with a notable drop in volume and price relationships [5]. - The production and sales of liver disease medications decreased, with production at 3.992 million boxes (down 0.63%) and sales at 4.1886 million boxes (down 7.63%) [6]. - Cardiovascular medications saw production increase by 4.94% to 967,900 boxes, but sales plummeted by 20.60% to 829,700 boxes, leading to a 91.77% increase in inventory [6][7]. Inventory and Cash Flow Issues - The company's inventory turnover days reached a five-year high of 243.23 days, an increase of 20.48% from the previous year [9]. - Total inventory surged by 47.01% to 4.967 billion yuan, with raw material inventory accounting for 64.6% of this total [9]. - The significant increase in inventory has led to a deterioration in cash flow, with operating cash flow net amount dropping by 40.47% [9]. Cost Pressures - The rising costs of raw materials, particularly natural ingredients like cow bile, have severely impacted profit margins, with cow bile prices increasing by 153.85% from January 2023 to January 2025 [7][10]. - Despite a price increase of 28.8% for Pianzaihuang pills in May 2023, the price hike was insufficient to cover the rising costs, resulting in a decline in gross margins [7]. Strategic Challenges - The company faces challenges in balancing strategic inventory procurement with market demand, as well as managing cost pressures effectively [12]. - There is a need for the company to optimize supply chain management and strengthen sales channels to address these issues [4].