Valiant(002643) 中银国际·2025-05-16 01:11Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company, indicating an expectation that the company's stock will outperform the benchmark index by more than 20% over the next 6-12 months [2][6]. Core Views - The company has faced challenges in its zeolite and pharmaceutical segments due to weak downstream demand, but there is optimism regarding the growth potential from its various new material developments [4][9]. - The financial performance for 2024 shows a total revenue of RMB 3.693 billion, a decrease of 14.22% year-on-year, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 246 million, down 67.72% year-on-year [4][10]. - The report highlights the company's ongoing research and development efforts and the successful progress in new materials, which are expected to drive long-term growth [9][12]. Financial Summary - For 2024, the company reported total revenue of RMB 36.93 billion, with a significant decline in net profit to RMB 2.46 billion, reflecting a 67.72% decrease compared to the previous year [4][10]. - The first quarter of 2025 saw a revenue drop of 8.17% to RMB 861.23 million, with a net profit decrease of 18.76% to RMB 79.87 million [12]. - The earnings per share (EPS) estimates for 2025, 2026, and 2027 are projected to be RMB 0.39, RMB 0.48, and RMB 0.56 respectively, with corresponding price-to-earnings (PE) ratios of 28.4, 23.1, and 19.6 [6][8]. Business Segment Performance - The functional materials segment generated RMB 30.19 billion in revenue for 2024, down 10.30% year-on-year, with a gross margin of 39.96% [9]. - The company has maintained its leading position in high-end liquid crystal monomer materials and has seen good development in OLED materials, while also making progress in semiconductor manufacturing materials [9][12]. - The life sciences and pharmaceutical business experienced a revenue decline of 28.65% to RMB 6.29 billion in 2024, although the gross margin improved to 38.16% [9]. Future Outlook - The company is expected to expand its production capacity in functional materials, with the first phase of the Penglai project set to gradually come online in the first half of 2025 [9]. - The report emphasizes the potential for growth in various new materials, including applications in the petrochemical sector and advancements in OLED and semiconductor materials [9][12].