Core Viewpoint - Guotou Securities International has downgraded Ausnutria (01717) to a "Buy" rating due to anticipated challenges in the domestic milk powder industry and a significant decline in birth rates projected for 2025 [1][7]. Group 1: Birth Rate Decline - The birth population for 2025 is projected to be 79.2 million, a 17% decrease year-on-year, with a birth rate of 5.63‰ [2][7]. - In 2024, being the Year of the Dragon, there is an expected slight increase in birth rates, reaching 9.54 million, leading to a temporary easing of competition in the milk powder industry in the first half of 2025 [2][7]. Group 2: Company Performance - Ausnutria reported total revenue of 3.89 billion yuan in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 5.6%, and a net profit of 181 million yuan, up 21.4% [8]. - The growth was primarily supported by overseas goat milk powder, which generated 1.86 billion yuan in revenue, a 3.1% increase year-on-year, with overseas sales reaching 480 million yuan, a 65.7% increase, accounting for 26% of goat milk powder revenue [8]. - Domestic goat milk powder revenue was 1.38 billion yuan, down 8.9%, and cow milk powder revenue was 960 million yuan, down 14.9%, attributed to a system upgrade and inventory adjustments that reduced short-term shipments [8]. Group 3: Profitability and Margin Pressure - The gross margin for the first half of 2025 was 41.9%, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points year-on-year [9]. - The gross margin for goat milk powder decreased by 0.8 percentage points to 55.1%, while cow milk powder's gross margin also fell by 0.8 percentage points to 52.3% [9]. - The introduction of internal code products has slightly pressured the gross margins, and further downward pressure on margins is expected in the second half of the year [9].
国投国际证券：下调澳优至“增持”评级 国内奶粉业务仍然承压