Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-02-04 09:32Core Viewpoint - The restaurant industry is currently in a phase of "marginal improvement in fundamentals - continuous policy support - price mechanism recovery - potential valuation uplift," with positive signals across operational, policy, pricing, and valuation dimensions, indicating a favorable recovery outlook for the industry [1][6]. Operational Improvement - The operational marginal improvement is the core support for the industry's recovery, with restaurant revenue showing significant year-on-year growth of 3.8%, 3.2%, and 2.2% in October to December 2025, outpacing overall retail levels [1][6]. - Supply-side optimization has created favorable conditions for operational recovery, with a noticeable slowdown in the growth rate of food service outlets in the second half of 2025, leading to reduced competitive intensity and a more favorable environment for existing businesses [1][6]. - Key segments such as fast food, tea drinks, coffee, and Western cuisine have shown positive same-store sales growth, demonstrating the resilience of leading enterprises with supply chain advantages and strong brand power [1][6]. Policy Support - Continuous policy support has injected strong momentum into the industry's recovery, with the restaurant sector benefiting from various consumption stimulus policies, particularly consumption vouchers [2][7]. - For instance, after the issuance of restaurant consumption vouchers in Shanghai in Q4 2024, the year-on-year decline in accommodation and catering revenue significantly narrowed, outperforming Beijing, which did not issue such vouchers [2][7]. - The increasing emphasis on policies to boost restaurant consumption is expected to yield positive short-term operational data improvements for the industry [2][7]. Price Mechanism Recovery - The recovery of the price mechanism has opened up space for profit improvement, with signs of improvement in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since Q4 2025, and a national goal to "promote reasonable price recovery" in 2026 [3][8]. - Leading enterprises have begun to optimize menu structures and adjust pricing strategies, validating consumer demand resilience and showcasing their pricing power [3][8]. - Historical data indicates that rising raw material prices have a more temporary impact on restaurant gross margins, with top companies capable of navigating through price transmission and supply chain efficiency improvements [3][8]. Valuation Outlook - The valuation of the restaurant sector is expected to recover as inflation expectations improve, with CPI being a significant variable influencing restaurant valuations [3][8]. - Experiences from markets like Japan and the U.S. show that during periods of CPI recovery, market expectations for the long-term development of restaurant companies improve, leading to a valuation expansion phase [3][8]. - Leading restaurant companies, with their strong supply chain capabilities and management levels, are positioned to benefit from this valuation uplift as the pricing environment stabilizes [3][8]. Investment Themes - The report outlines three core investment themes: 1. Companies with strong growth potential that align with consumer trends and have robust same-store performance [4][9]. 2. Industry leaders with stable core businesses and promising new brand developments that can provide high returns to shareholders [4][9]. 3. Companies in specific segments that are actively pursuing operational changes and have shown signs of recovery [4][9].