Core Viewpoint - Recent increases in raw material prices, particularly copper and aluminum, have raised concerns about the profitability of leading white goods companies, but historical data suggests that the negative impact on gross margins may diminish over time [1][2] Group 1: Raw Material Price Impact - Since 2008, the home appliance industry has experienced three significant raw material price increase cycles, with the impact on gross margins decreasing over time: the highest quarterly gross margin decline was 5-7 percentage points during 2009-2011, around 5 percentage points in 2016-2017, and approximately 2 percentage points from 2020-2022 [1] - In January 2026, copper and aluminum prices increased by 36.7% and 20.9% year-on-year, respectively, which is lower than the increases seen from 2020-2022, suggesting that the current raw material cost impact on white goods companies may be less severe [2] Group 2: Production and Demand Trends - In February, the total production of white goods in China reached 23.79 million units, a 22.1% decrease compared to the same period last year, with a projected 5.0% decline for January-February combined [3] - The production performance of white goods has shown signs of recovery, with the impact of the Spring Festival timing affecting February production, but cumulative growth for January-February has slightly improved [3] Group 3: Retail Market Performance - In 2025, the retail scale of China's home appliance market is expected to decline by 4.3% year-on-year to 893.1 billion yuan, with specific categories like air conditioners and refrigerators experiencing declines of 0.4% and 11.5%, respectively [4] - Small home appliances are expected to perform better, with an overall retail growth of 3.8%, indicating a relative resilience compared to larger appliances [4] Group 4: Key Data Tracking - In January, the home appliance sector experienced a relative return of -2.6%, with raw material prices for copper and aluminum increasing by 7.8% and 4.8% month-on-month, respectively [5] Group 5: Investment Recommendations - Recommended stocks in the white goods sector include Midea Group, Haier Smart Home, TCL Smart Home, and Hisense Home Appliances, while TCL Electronics and Hisense Visual are recommended in the black goods sector [6]