Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-12-03 09:41Core Viewpoint - Chow Tai Fook's revenue from gold jewelry, a key revenue driver, declined by 3.8% year-on-year in the first half of the 2026 fiscal year, amid fluctuating international gold prices which increased approximately 50% within the year [1][3]. Financial Performance - For the first half of the 2026 fiscal year, Chow Tai Fook reported a revenue of HKD 38.986 billion, a decrease of 1.1% compared to the same period last year, marking a new low for recent years [3]. - Operating profit and profit attributable to shareholders saw slight increases of 0.69% and 0.16%, amounting to HKD 6.823 billion and HKD 2.534 billion respectively, while gross margin decreased by 0.9 percentage points to 30.5% [3]. - The company's stock price fell over 8% following the earnings report, closing at HKD 13.86 per share with a market capitalization of approximately HKD 136.7 billion as of December 3 [3]. Product Performance - Chow Tai Fook has focused on optimizing and enriching its signature product lines, with the "Chow Tai Fook Chuanxi" series generating sales of HKD 3.4 billion in the first half of 2026, up from HKD 2.3 billion in the same period last year [5]. - The gold jewelry segment, which accounts for 65.2% of total revenue, experienced a 3.8% decline in revenue, primarily due to store consolidation [5]. - The watch segment, contributing 5.2% to total revenue, saw a 10.6% decrease, while the priced jewelry segment, accounting for 29.6%, grew by 9.3% [5]. Store Network and E-commerce - Chow Tai Fook closed underperforming stores, resulting in a net reduction of 620 stores, with a total of 5,663 jewelry stores and 100 watch stores as of September 30, 2025 [5][6]. - Despite the decline in physical retail, e-commerce sales grew by 27.6%, driven by popular IP collaborations and a focus on younger consumers, although e-commerce still only contributed 16.2% to total sales [6]. Market Performance - In the Hong Kong and Macau markets, retail revenue increased by 8.7% year-on-year, benefiting from a recovery in retail consumption and foot traffic [7]. - Conversely, wholesale revenue declined by 7.3% due to reduced jewelry trade [7]. Analyst Sentiment - Some brokerage firms maintain a cautious outlook on Chow Tai Fook's current performance and future expectations, noting the decline in gold jewelry revenue despite improved consumer confidence [7]. - Analysts from Guosheng Securities highlighted the growth in sales of high-value priced gold products, suggesting potential for improved profit margins in the medium to long term [7].