Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for the company with a target price of HKD 18.3, indicating a potential upside of 20.8% from the last closing price of HKD 15.18 [4]. Core Insights - The company reported a 20.7% year-on-year decline in adjusted net profit for the first half of 2024, with total revenue increasing by 1.0% to HKD 8.57 billion. Excluding COVID-19 impacts, non-COVID revenue grew by 7.7% [1]. - The decrease in profit is attributed to a reduction in high-margin revenue from the R&D segment and the ramp-up phase of overseas factories, leading to a 2.8 percentage point drop in gross margin to 39.1% [1]. - The company has a strong cash position with net cash of HKD 7.37 billion and reported a free cash flow of -HKD 600 million for the first half of 2024 [1]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - For the first half of 2024, the company’s revenue was HKD 8.57 billion, with a gross profit margin of 39.1%, down from the previous year [1]. - Adjusted net profit decreased by 20.7% to HKD 2.25 billion, with an adjusted profit margin of 26.2% [1]. - The company’s total project count increased by 61 to 742, showcasing its competitiveness in the R&D sector [2]. Project Pipeline - The company has 359 preclinical projects and 311 early-stage clinical projects, indicating a slowdown in the pipeline flow from preclinical to clinical stages [2]. - The XDC project segment saw significant growth, with revenue increasing by 88.1% to HKD 1.61 billion, contributing 18.8% to total revenue [2]. - The company’s WuXiBody platform projects increased to 50, reflecting recognition from major international firms [2]. Market and Policy Impact - A recent U.S. legislative proposal could potentially impact about 2% of the company’s total projects, introducing uncertainty into future operations [2]. - The company has initiated a share buyback program, repurchasing approximately 130 million shares at a cost of about HKD 1.94 billion [2]. Valuation Metrics - The report projects revenue growth from HKD 17.03 billion in 2023 to HKD 22.24 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% [3]. - The forecasted earnings per share (EPS) is expected to decline from HKD 0.82 in 2023 to HKD 0.75 in 2024, before recovering to HKD 0.97 by 2026 [3]. - The company’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is projected to be 16.8 in 2024, reflecting a valuation adjustment due to the anticipated profit decline [3].
药明生物：24年上半年公司经调整股东应占溢利同比下降20.7%