
Investment Rating - The report recommends a "Buy" rating for key coal enterprises such as China Shenhua and China Coal Energy, highlighting their strong financial performance and potential for high dividends [8][10]. Core Viewpoints - The coal industry is experiencing a cyclical downturn, but companies are focusing on cost control and operational efficiency to maintain profitability. Major state-owned enterprises like Shenhua and China Coal have shown a significant reduction in performance decline compared to coal price drops, indicating effective cost management [3][8]. - The report emphasizes the importance of maintaining investor confidence through high-quality development and asset integration within state-owned enterprises [2][3]. - The current coal prices are seen as bottoming out, with expectations of benefiting from domestic policies aimed at stabilizing growth and increasing domestic demand [2][8]. Summary by Sections Industry Overview - The CITIC Coal Index decreased by 5.04% during the week of April 7-11, 2025, underperforming the CSI 300 Index by 2.16 percentage points [1][75]. - The report notes that the coal market is currently in a phase of narrow fluctuations, with supply stability and limited demand growth impacting price movements [11][33]. Key Company Analysis - China Shenhua's coal production cost for 2024 is reported at 179 RMB/ton, remaining stable year-on-year, while China Coal Energy's cost is 282 RMB/ton, down 25 RMB/ton from the previous year [6][8]. - Both companies are expected to increase share buybacks and dividends, enhancing shareholder returns [8][10]. Market Dynamics - The report indicates that the coal market is characterized by a seasonal downturn, with limited demand from power plants and a shift towards cleaner energy sources impacting coal consumption [11][33]. - The report highlights that the focus on cost control and operational efficiency is crucial for maintaining profitability amid fluctuating coal prices [3][8]. Price Trends - As of April 11, 2025, the price of Qinhuangdao port Q5500 thermal coal is reported at 676 RMB/ton, showing stability week-on-week [11][33]. - The report anticipates that coal prices will remain under pressure due to weak demand and high inventory levels, but significant price drops are not expected in the short term [11][33].