Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" [1] Core Views - The company's revenue, net profit attributable to shareholders, and adjusted net profit for 2024 are projected to be CNY 4.116 billion, CNY 0.513 billion, and CNY 0.525 billion respectively, representing year-on-year growth of 3.5%, 88.0%, and 86.6% [2] - The increase in net profit outpaced revenue growth due to improved gross margins and a comprehensive decline in expense ratios [2] - The company plans to distribute a final dividend of HKD 0.22 per share, with a payout ratio of 93.5% and a dividend yield of 5.1% [3] Summary by Sections Business Performance - The core business, New Oriental, saw a positive revenue growth rate in the second half of the year, with only the IT segment under pressure [4] - Revenue by segment for 2024 is projected as follows: Culinary Technology CNY 1.927 billion, Western Pastry CNY 0.343 billion, IT and Internet Technology CNY 0.763 billion, Automotive Services CNY 0.914 billion, Fashion Beauty CNY 0.105 billion, and Other Income CNY 0.224 billion, with respective year-on-year growth rates of 0.7%, 3.6%, -2.4%, 7.9%, 124.9%, and 9.1% [4] - The average training participants for new enrollments are projected at 143,000, with a year-on-year decline of 6.2% [4] Financial Metrics - The gross margin for 2024 is expected to be 51.4%, an increase of 3.4 percentage points year-on-year [7] - The net profit margin for 2024 is projected at 12.5%, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 5.6 percentage points [7] - The company’s total revenue for 2024 is expected to be CNY 4.116 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 3.46% [10] Future Outlook - Short-term performance is expected to exceed market expectations due to cost control measures [8] - Mid-term projections indicate a normalization of enrollments, with growth in long-term students gradually recovering [8] - Long-term advantages include competitive employment rates and the ability to quickly adjust courses to market changes [8] - The earnings per share (EPS) forecast for 2025 is CNY 0.28, with a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 14 [8]
中国东方教育（00667）：业绩超预期，下半年烹饪招生恢复增长