CHINA TELECOM(601728) 兴业证券·2024-08-27 10:15Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Accumulate" rating for China Telecom [3][6]. Core Views - The company reported a revenue of 265.973 billion yuan for the first half of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 2.82%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 21.812 billion yuan, up 8.23% year-on-year [3]. - The traditional business ARPU continues to grow, supported by AI-driven digital transformation, with service revenue growth outpacing overall revenue growth at 4.3% year-on-year [3]. - The company aims to increase its dividend payout ratio to over 75% in the next three years, reflecting its strong performance and long-term investment value [3]. Financial Summary - For 2024E, the company is expected to achieve a net profit of 33.024 billion yuan, with corresponding PE ratios of 16.7, 15.4, and 14.2 for 2024-2026 [3]. - The mobile user base increased by 9.08 million to 417 million, with 5G penetration exceeding 80% [3]. - Capital expenditures for the first half of 2024 rose by 13% to 47.2 billion yuan, with a focus on digital transformation [3].