Ge Long Hui·2025-09-05 19:23Core Viewpoint - The company's 1H25 performance was below expectations, primarily due to reduced investment income from its associate, Shanghai Port Group, following a dilution of shareholding in Postal Savings Bank of China. This one-time impact does not affect cash flow, and the core port business showed better-than-expected revenue and profit growth [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company reported a revenue of HKD 6.457 billion for 1H25, representing a year-on-year increase of 11.4%. The net profit attributable to shareholders was HKD 3.584 billion, with basic earnings per share of HKD 0.854, down 19.5% year-on-year [1]. - The operating cash flow declined year-on-year due to timing differences in dividend receipts from associates, but excluding this factor, cash flow remained robust [1]. Port Operations - Domestic and overseas port throughput and profitability increased year-on-year. The company's controlled terminal container throughput rose by 11.3%, while the overall throughput of associate-controlled ports increased by 4.3% [2]. - By region, container throughput in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, Bohai Rim, and overseas terminals grew by 7.8%, 5.9%, 0.1%, and 5.0% respectively. Notably, throughput at the company's Pearl River Delta and overseas terminals increased by 10.2% and 20.1% respectively [2]. Cost Management - The company achieved significant cost reductions through optimized port operations, increased automation, and effective expense management. The cost-to-revenue ratio decreased, resulting in a gross margin of 51%, up 2.9 percentage points year-on-year [2]. Growth Outlook - The company is optimistic about long-term growth potential from overseas terminal volumes. The throughput at major overseas terminals showed impressive growth, with the Sri Lanka HIPG terminal's throughput increasing by 542.9% year-on-year. Upgrades at certain overseas terminals also contributed to volume growth, such as a 24.6% increase at the West Africa TCP terminal [2]. Profit Forecast and Valuation - The company maintains its net profit forecast for 2025 and introduces a net profit estimate of HKD 7.7 billion for 2026. The current stock price corresponds to 8.2 times the 2025 P/E ratio and 8.0 times the 2026 P/E ratio. The target price has been raised by 13.8% to HKD 16.5 per share, reflecting a potential upside of 12.8% from the current price [2].