Ge Long Hui·2026-03-14 23:16Core Viewpoint - Hong Kong MTR Corporation reported a decline in revenue and net profit for the fiscal year 2025, with total revenue at HKD 55.5 billion, down 7.6% year-on-year, and net profit attributable to shareholders at HKD 14.7 billion, down 6.9%, falling short of Bloomberg consensus estimates of HKD 15.9 billion [1] Financial Performance - The company's recurring business profit was HKD 5.65 billion, a decrease of 21.6% year-on-year, while property development profit increased by 8.0% to HKD 11.1 billion [1] - The fair value loss on investment properties was HKD 2.06 billion, compared to a loss of HKD 1.7 billion in 2024 [1] - The company proposed a final dividend of HKD 0.89, maintaining an annual total of HKD 1.31, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.8% [1] Operational Challenges - Despite a 2.5% year-on-year increase in Hong Kong's transportation operating revenue, EBIT losses expanded to HKD 250 million due to rising employee costs and maintenance expenses [2] - Revenue growth was observed across various services, including local railways (1.2%), cross-border services (6.6%), high-speed rail (3.7%), and airport express (6.4%) [2] - The company plans to increase fares by approximately 3% in 2024/25 but will freeze prices in 2025/26, with local railway average fare increase limited to 1.7%, below the employee cost increase of 5.8% [2] Property Development Insights - The company’s property development business continued to benefit from the recovery of the Hong Kong residential market, with net profit increasing by 8.0% to HKD 11.1 billion, driven by contributions from various projects [2] - Future project contributions are expected from several developments, including the 12th and 13th phases of Sun Hung Kai Properties and others, although a significant reduction in available projects is anticipated for 2027-2028 [2] Profit Forecast and Valuation - The company adjusted its net profit forecasts for 2026-2027 to HKD 19.7 billion and HKD 12.1 billion, respectively, with an expected net profit of HKD 12 billion for 2028 [2] - The target price was revised to HKD 35.2 from HKD 29.9, reflecting a narrowing discount due to clearer trends in the recovery of the Hong Kong residential market [2][3]