小摩：中资保险股落后大市 偏好中国平安及中国人寿

Core Viewpoint - After the Lunar New Year holiday, the performance of Chinese H-share insurance companies has lagged behind the market, with concerns over short-term profit risks and a lack of data points regarding monthly premium income [1] Group 1: Market Concerns - Short-term profit risks are highlighted as major insurance companies have not yet released positive profit forecasts [1] - There is a lack of data points due to the absence of disclosed monthly premium income [1] - The macroeconomic trends following the Lunar New Year holiday are under scrutiny [1] Group 2: Expected Catalysts - The sector is expected to regain momentum as the earnings announcement period approaches, driven by five key catalysts [1] - Increased discussions on total shareholder returns [1] - Management's optimistic guidance on life insurance sales prospects for fiscal year 2026 [1] - Solid solvency capital status for Q4 2025 [1] - Decrease in funding costs [1] - Enhanced confidence in the recovery of the Contractual Service Margin (CSM) for life insurance reserves [1] Group 3: Company Preferences and Ratings - The company prefers China Ping An (601318) due to its life insurance sales recovery and attractive valuation, as well as China Life (601628) for its strong life insurance sales growth and discussions on enhancing shareholder returns [1] - Morgan Stanley has assigned "Overweight" ratings to both China Ping An and China Life H-shares, with target prices of HKD 100 and HKD 40, respectively [1] Group 4: Profit Forecasts and Market Consensus - Morgan Stanley states that insurance companies are not required to issue profit forecasts unless annual net profit changes exceed 50% [2] - The firm predicts net profit growth for China Life, China Ping An, and China Pacific Insurance (601601) for fiscal year 2025 at 47%, 19%, and 10% respectively [2] - The market consensus for fiscal year 2026 net profit forecasts shows a projected decline of 9%, indicating limited risk for further downward adjustments at this stage [2]