Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company with a target price of HKD 1.36 [7] Core Views - The company's performance in 2024 was under pressure, primarily due to a warm winter and connection business impacts, but is expected to stabilize and recover in 2025 as connection impacts diminish and gas sales volume increases [1][4] - The company continues to prioritize shareholder returns through dividends, with a current dividend yield of 7% [3][4] Revenue and Profitability - In 2024, the company reported revenue of HKD 6.198 billion, a decrease of 3% year-on-year, and a gross profit of HKD 569 million, down 24% [1][5] - The company achieved a total gas sales volume of 2.515 billion cubic meters in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 13%, with pipeline gas sales at 1.714 billion cubic meters, up 6.5% [2] - The expected revenue for 2025 is HKD 6.509 billion, with a projected growth of 5% [5] Earnings Forecast - The report forecasts earnings per share (EPS) for 2025, 2026, and 2027 to be HKD 0.18, HKD 0.20, and HKD 0.21 respectively, with corresponding net profits of HKD 2.37 billion, HKD 2.64 billion, and HKD 2.78 billion [1][4][5] Debt and Financial Health - The company reduced interest-bearing debt by HKD 570 million in 2024, indicating an improved debt structure [3] - The financing cost is expected to decrease by HKD 20 million in 2025, contributing to better financial health [3] Growth Drivers - The connection business is anticipated to stabilize, with an expected addition of 70,000 new connections in 2025, maintaining the previous year's level [3] - The value-added services segment showed a gross profit increase of 9.6% in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of approximately 42% over the past four years, indicating strong growth potential [3] Market Position - The company's gas sales growth rate is projected to remain above the industry average, supported by a recovery in gross margins and stabilization in connection business [4]
滨海投资（02886）：接驳压力释放，业绩有望企稳回升