Ge Long Hui·2026-01-07 03:13Core Viewpoint - Daiwa has upgraded its view on the mainland natural gas industry to "neutral," anticipating improvements in the fundamentals of companies by 2026 [1] Industry Summary - It is expected that the sales volume of major natural gas companies in the mainland will see low to mid-single-digit growth compared to last year's low base by 2026 [1] - The gas price differential is projected to increase by 1 to 2 cents year-on-year, assuming a mild winter and no significant deterioration in competition [1] - The new connection volume for major companies is expected to decline by low to mid-double digits year-on-year, although the impact is gradually diminishing [1] Company Summary - Major companies are expected to maintain stable or slightly increased dividends year-on-year [1] - The company prefers high-yield stocks such as China Gas and Towngas, with target prices set at HKD 8.3 and HKD 7.7 respectively, both rated as "outperform" [1] - Towngas's rating has been upgraded from "hold" to "outperform" due to potential turnaround in its EcoCeres business [1]