Core Viewpoint - CICC has downgraded the EPS forecast for Xinyi Glass (00868) for 2025 by 21% to HKD 0.52, while maintaining the 2026 EPS at HKD 0.68, reflecting a challenging environment for the float glass business but potential marginal improvement in the industry landscape [1] Financial Performance - The company's 1H25 revenue decreased by 9.7% year-on-year to HKD 9.8 billion, and the net profit attributable to shareholders fell by 59.6% to HKD 1 billion, slightly below CICC's expectations due to weak demand in the float and architectural glass sectors [2] Automotive Glass Segment - The automotive glass segment showed a revenue increase of 10.6% year-on-year to HKD 3.3 billion, with a gross margin improvement of 5.0 percentage points to 54.5%, slightly exceeding CICC's expectations due to the focus on high-value products and new customer acquisition [3] Float Glass Segment - The float glass segment's revenue declined by 16.4% year-on-year to HKD 5.4 billion, with the industry average price dropping by 28% to HKD 1,329 per ton, and the gross margin fell by 10.6 percentage points to 17.8%, nearing historical lows [4] Expense and Taxation - The company's expense ratio increased by 2.4 percentage points to 18.6%, with the sales expense ratio rising by 1.6 percentage points to 6.7%, attributed to increased import tariffs from the U.S. Additionally, the effective tax rate rose by 5-6 percentage points due to reduced profits from joint ventures [5] Capital Expenditure and Dividends - Capital expenditure decreased by 81% year-on-year to HKD 1 billion, primarily for investments in new industrial parks in China and Indonesia. The company declared an interim dividend of HKD 0.125 per share, maintaining a dividend payout ratio of around 49% and an interim dividend yield of 3.3% [6] Industry Outlook - The float glass industry is expected to adjust supply through cold repairs in the short term, with potential for improved profitability due to rising production costs from environmental regulations. The automotive glass segment's focus on aftermarket and proactive market expansion is anticipated to provide a safety net for overall profitability [7]
中金:维持信义玻璃(00868)跑赢行业评级 目标价8.5港元