Core Viewpoint - Yunnan Baiyao's revenue growth remains stagnant while net profit shows double-digit growth, indicating deep-seated issues in the company's operational strategy and business structure [2][3]. Revenue and Profit Analysis - In 2024, Yunnan Baiyao achieved operating revenue of 40.033 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of only 2.36%, while net profit reached 4.749 billion yuan, a significant increase of 16.02% [3]. - The company has experienced single-digit revenue growth for three consecutive years, with growth rates of 7.19% in 2023 and just 0.31% in 2022 [3]. Cost Management - The increase in profit despite low revenue is attributed to a reduction in expenses, with sales expenses decreasing by 2.26% and advertising costs dropping from 660 million yuan to 460 million yuan, a decline of 30% [4][5]. - Employee compensation also decreased from 1.833 billion yuan to 1.6 billion yuan, contributing to profit growth [4]. Business Segment Performance - The pharmaceutical segment showed better performance with revenue of 6.924 billion yuan, up 11.8%, while the health products segment grew only 1.6% to 6.526 billion yuan [10]. - The commercial segment generated 24.6 billion yuan in revenue, accounting for 61.5% of total revenue, but its growth was only 0.48% with a low gross margin of 6.21% [11]. R&D Investment - Yunnan Baiyao's R&D investment in 2024 was only 348 million yuan, representing just 0.87% of its revenue, significantly lower than industry averages [13]. - The company is lagging in the development of innovative drugs, with key projects behind by 2-3 years compared to industry leaders [14]. Dividend Policy - The company adopted an aggressive dividend strategy, distributing 4.279 billion yuan in dividends in 2024, which accounted for 90.09% of net profit, far exceeding the average in the A-share pharmaceutical sector [17][18]. - Over the past five years, total dividends reached approximately 17.7 billion yuan, representing 86.67% of net profit during the same period [17]. Cash Flow Concerns - In 2024, the net cash flow from operating activities was 4.297 billion yuan, with significant pressure from high dividend payouts, leaving little free cash flow for R&D [20].
云南白药“增收不增利”困局:净利润增长依赖费用削减,核心产品接近天花板