Core Viewpoint - The report from China Merchants Securities maintains a "strong buy" rating for Tongcheng Travel (00780), highlighting the sustained release of leisure travel demand since the summer peak season, driven by the company's subsidy strategy and an increase in the proportion of hotels rated three stars and above, leading to a trend of rising volume and price in hotel business [1] Group 1: Revenue and Performance - The company achieved revenue of 5.51 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.4%, with adjusted EBITDA of 1.51 billion yuan (+14.5%) and adjusted net profit of 1.06 billion yuan (+16.5%), meeting expectations [1] - In Q3 2025, revenue from accommodation booking, transportation ticketing, vacation business, and other businesses reached 1.58 billion, 2.21 billion, 900 million, and 820 million yuan respectively, with strong performance in hotel management driving growth [1] - As of September 30, 2025, the number of hotels under the group's management platform increased to nearly 3,000, with an additional 1,500 hotels in preparation, and the acquisition of Wanda Hotel Management Co., Ltd. was completed on October 16, 2025, managing 239 hotels under Wanda [1] Group 2: Profitability and Margins - The company's overall gross margin was 65.7%, an increase of 2.3 percentage points year-on-year, indicating steady improvement in profitability [2] - The management, R&D, and sales expense ratios were 5.3%, 9.3%, and 31.1% respectively, with an adjusted net profit margin of 19.2%, up by 1.0 percentage point, aligning with expectations [2] Group 3: User Growth and Services - The average monthly paying users reached 47.7 million, an increase of 2.8%, while annual paying users grew to 250 million, up by 8.8%, marking a historical high [3] - The total number of travelers served in the past 12 months was 2.02 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 7.3%, indicating a continued upward trend in paying users [3]