Core Viewpoint - The report from CICC indicates a slight upward adjustment in the EBITDA forecast for Yika (09923) for 2025 and maintains the forecast for 2026, driven by a recovery in fee rates and improved profit margins [1] Financial Performance - Yika's total revenue for 1H25 increased by 4% year-on-year to 1.64 billion, with operating profit rising by 3% to 58.8 million, and net profit attributable to shareholders surged by 36% to 43.08 million, aligning with market expectations [2] Transaction Volume and Revenue - The company's gross payment volume (GPV) for 1H25 decreased by 2% year-on-year to 11 trillion, primarily due to macroeconomic fluctuations and a decline in average transaction amounts per customer; however, GPV showed a quarter-on-quarter increase in Q2 25, indicating signs of recovery [3] - The overall fee rate for the acquiring business increased by 1 basis point year-on-year to 12.5 bps, which helped offset the decline in GPV and led to a 6% year-on-year increase in acquiring revenue to 1.4 billion [3] - The gross margin for the acquiring business improved by 6.8 percentage points year-on-year to 13.7%, with overseas business gross margins exceeding 50% [3] Value-Added Services - Revenue from value-added services, including merchant solutions and in-store e-commerce services, declined; specifically, merchant solutions revenue fell by 8% year-on-year to 190 million, while gross margin increased by 0.4 percentage points to 91.3% due to a focus on high-profit customer segments [4] - In-store e-commerce services revenue dropped by 11% year-on-year to 25.68 million, with gross margin decreasing by 14 percentage points to 68% due to higher service demands from large and chain clients; however, this segment achieved breakeven in 1H25 and recorded monthly profitability in Q2 25 [4] Operational Efficiency and Global Expansion - The application of AI across various business lines led to a 19% year-on-year reduction in sales, administrative, and R&D expenses, while operating profit increased by 3% to 58.8 million [5] - The company successfully reduced financing costs by 53% year-on-year, resulting in a 24% year-on-year increase in pre-tax profit to 45.11 million [5] - Yika has obtained federal and state payment licenses in the U.S. and received formal approval in Japan to conduct online and offline payment services, indicating ongoing global expansion efforts [5]
中金：维持移卡(09923)跑赢行业评级 升目标价至15.7港元