
Investment Rating - The report maintains a Buy rating for Budweiser APAC (1876 HK) with a target price of HKD 9.39, representing a potential upside of 27.3% [1][4] Core Views - Short-term performance is pressured by challenges in the China market, but the company's long-term competitive strength remains intact [1] - The company's premium/super-premium product portfolio in China is expected to rebound as consumer spending recovers [1] - In Korea, the company has enhanced its competitiveness through increased investment and new product launches, with an 8.1% price increase on premium/super-premium products expected to boost profitability in 2025 [1] Regional Performance Asia Pacific West (China, India, Vietnam) - China market: Q3 2024 volume declined by 14.2%, average selling price (ASP) fell by 2.1%, leading to a 16.1% revenue drop [2] - India market: Continued strong growth with double-digit increases in premium/super-premium products, which account for 2/3 of India's revenue [2] - Overall APAC West: Volume and ASP declined by 13.5% and 1.9% respectively in Q3 2024 [2] Asia Pacific East (Korea, Japan, New Zealand) - Korea market: Revenue grew by mid-teens in Q3 2024, driven by mid-single-digit volume growth and product mix optimization [2] - Overall APAC East: Volume and ASP increased by 3.9% and 11.4% respectively in Q3 2024 [2] Financial Performance - Q3 2024 revenue: USD 1.705 billion, down 9.4% YoY [3] - Q3 2024 normalized EBITDA: USD 479 million, down 16.6% YoY [3] - Q3 2024 net profit: Down 25.0% YoY [3] - 9M 2024 revenue: USD 5.104 billion, down 6.1% YoY [3] - 9M 2024 normalized EBITDA: USD 1.579 billion, down 6.2% YoY [3] - 9M 2024 net profit: USD 777 million, down 11.6% YoY [3] Financial Forecasts - 2024E revenue: USD 6.531 billion, down 4.7% YoY [7] - 2025E revenue: USD 6.740 billion, up 3.2% YoY [7] - 2026E revenue: USD 7.000 billion, up 3.9% YoY [7] - 2024E net profit: USD 751 million, down 11.7% YoY [7] - 2025E net profit: USD 830 million, up 10.5% YoY [7] - 2026E net profit: USD 924 million, up 11.3% YoY [7] Valuation Metrics - 2025E P/E: 19x (down from 22x average for 2024-25) [1] - 2024E P/E: 16.6x [7] - 2025E P/E: 15.0x [7] - 2026E P/E: 13.5x [7] Market Position - The company continues to gain market share in Korea through expansion in both on-premise and off-premise channels [2] - New product launches (e.g., Cass, HANMAC) in Korea have received positive market feedback [2]