Ge Long Hui·2025-09-12 12:17Core Viewpoint - China Shipbuilding Defense, a listed company under China Shipbuilding Group, is positioned to benefit from a tightening supply-demand balance in the shipbuilding industry, with significant growth in production planned for 2028, driven by strong replacement demand and favorable market conditions [1][2]. Industry Summary - The shipbuilding industry is experiencing a persistent supply-demand tightness, with replacement of old ships as a core demand driver. The current replacement progress is just over half, and new environmental policies are expected to extend the replacement cycle [1]. - The global active shipyard count has significantly decreased since the last cycle, with current capacity at only 74% of the previous peak. Even if capacity recovers to 85% by 2030, it will still be insufficient to meet future delivery demands, supporting high ship prices [1]. - Recent changes in the Chinese shipbuilding market have shifted from a pessimistic outlook, with a notable decline in transaction volumes and ship prices earlier in the year due to investigations by the U.S. Trade Representative's Office. However, following the release of revised policies, new orders for Chinese shipyards have rebounded, indicating a potential recovery in order volumes and ship prices [1]. Company Summary - China Shipbuilding Defense's core business is shipbuilding, which accounted for 92% of its revenue in the first half of 2025. The company is expected to see significant production increases in 2028, with Huangpu Wenchong and Guangzhou Shipyard International projected to have production increases of 58% and 34%, respectively, in CGT terms [2]. - The company benefits from a favorable cost structure, as many current orders were signed during a price upcycle in 2021, while steel procurement costs are declining. This creates a positive margin environment for the company [2]. - China Shipbuilding Group is actively addressing competition issues within the industry, with a commitment to resolve competition between Huangpu Wenchong and China Shipbuilding within five years, which is a key development to monitor [2]. - The company has been rated "Buy" due to its expected performance in the global shipbuilding cycle and capacity release, with projected net profits of 1.1 billion, 1.7 billion, and 2.8 billion yuan for 2025-2027, corresponding to PE ratios of 18, 11, and 7 times [2].