Bank of China Securities·2025-05-19 09:10Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the chemical industry, indicating a positive outlook based on expected economic recovery and demand improvement [1]. Core Insights - The basic chemical industry is expected to see a recovery in profitability, with 2024 revenues projected to reach CNY 2,219.98 billion, a year-on-year increase of 2.66%, while net profit is expected to decline by 8.18% to CNY 108.87 billion [6][26]. - The oil and petrochemical sector is anticipated to maintain stable revenues and profits, with 2024 revenues estimated at CNY 7,941.40 billion, a decrease of 2.81%, and net profit expected to grow by 0.58% to CNY 372.14 billion [1][26]. - The report highlights that 23 out of 33 sub-industries in the basic chemical sector experienced revenue growth in 2024, with significant increases in chlor-alkali and textile chemicals [6][15]. Summary by Sections Industry Overview - The basic chemical industry is experiencing a decline in profitability, with gross and net profit margins at 16.27% and 5.13%, respectively, both down from 2023 [26]. - The report notes that the industry has been in a continuous decline in profitability from 2022 to 2024, but signs of stabilization are emerging [26]. Sub-Industry Performance - In 2024, chlor-alkali and textile chemicals showed the highest profit growth rates at 262.84% and 125.27%, respectively [15][26]. - Conversely, non-metallic materials and other plastic products faced significant profit declines of 79.24% and 67.49% [15][26]. Quarterly Analysis - For Q4 2024, the basic chemical industry reported revenues of CNY 565.72 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.15%, but a quarter-on-quarter decline of 0.90% [6][7]. - Net profit for Q4 2024 was CNY 14.16 billion, down 10.73% year-on-year and 51.03% quarter-on-quarter [6][7]. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on companies in rapidly developing downstream sectors, particularly in new materials, energy security, and policy-driven demand recovery [1][26]. - Recommended companies include China National Petroleum, China National Offshore Oil, and various technology firms in the semiconductor and new energy materials sectors [1][26].