LI NING(02331) 东方证券·2024-10-25 00:11Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company, with a target price of 24.95 HKD based on a 19x valuation for 2024 [2][7]. Core Insights - The company reported a decline in revenue for Q3 2024, with overall sales for the Li Ning brand experiencing a mid-single-digit percentage decrease compared to the previous half-year. Offline channels saw a high single-digit decline, while e-commerce channels achieved mid-single-digit growth [1]. - As of September 30, 2024, the number of sales points in China reached 6,281, a net increase of 42 from the previous quarter. This includes a net decrease of 14 in retail and a net increase of 55 in wholesale [1]. - The establishment of a joint venture with Sequoia to expand into international markets is noted, with the company investing 5.8 million HKD for a 29% stake. The financial impact of this venture is expected to be limited, with a payment of 58 million HKD in Q4 [1]. - Despite the pressure on retail revenue, the company is expected to manage inventory effectively and maintain a low double-digit net profit margin for the year, supported by strict cost control [1]. Financial Forecast and Ratios - The earnings per share (EPS) estimates for 2024-2026 have been adjusted to 1.20, 1.37, and 1.54 CNY, down from previous estimates of 1.24, 1.47, and 1.69 CNY [2][7]. - The company’s projected revenue for 2024 is 25,803 million CNY, with a growth rate of 2.4%, followed by 7.6% and 8.6% in subsequent years [5]. - The gross margin is expected to improve slightly from 48.4% in 2023 to 49.2% in 2024, while the net margin is projected to decrease from 11.5% to 11.0% [5].