中科创达：2024三季报业绩点评：业绩环比改善，加大研发把握智能化趋势

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Strong Buy" rating for the company, indicating a strong expectation of performance relative to market benchmarks [8][19]. Core Insights - The company has shown a sequential improvement in performance, with a focus on increasing R&D investments to capitalize on the trend towards intelligent systems [2][4]. - The automotive sector is emphasized as a core area, with the launch of the native integrated end-side intelligent vehicle operating system, "滴水 OS," which integrates various functionalities [3][4]. - The company is actively expanding its global business, establishing overseas sales and R&D centers, and forming strategic partnerships with key players in the industry [2][3]. Financial Performance Summary - For the first three quarters of 2024, the company reported revenues of 3.694 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 4.70%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 152 million yuan, down 74.92% year-on-year [1]. - In Q3 2024, the company achieved revenues of 1.294 billion yuan, a year-on-year decline of 7.04% but a sequential increase of 5.80% [1][2]. - The gross margin improved by 1.93 percentage points to 35.82% in Q3 2024, indicating enhanced profitability [2]. R&D and Strategic Initiatives - The company is increasing its R&D expenditure, particularly in areas such as automotive operating systems, industrial robotics, and edge intelligence [2][4]. - Strategic collaborations with companies like Qualcomm and ARM are highlighted, focusing on integrating key technologies into chip platforms [4]. - The company is also involved in partnerships with domestic intelligent driving manufacturers to accelerate the commercialization of intelligent driving solutions [3][4]. Earnings Forecast - The company is projected to achieve net profits of 320 million yuan, 564 million yuan, and 790 million yuan for the years 2024, 2025, and 2026, respectively [8]. - The current stock price corresponds to a PE ratio of 84, 48, and 34 for the years 2024, 2025, and 2026, indicating a strong growth outlook despite current performance challenges [8].