CHOW TAI FOOK(HK:01929) HTSC·2025-06-13 08:21Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company has been upgraded to "Buy" with a target price of HKD 16.00 [7][8]. Core Insights - The company reported FY25 revenue of HKD 896.6 billion, a decrease of 17.5% year-on-year, while operating profit increased by 9.8% to HKD 147.5 billion, and net profit attributable to shareholders was HKD 59.2 billion, down 9.0% but above expectations due to product structure optimization and rising gold prices [1][2][4]. - Same-store sales in mainland China and Hong Kong/Macau showed a decline of 2.7% and an increase of 1.3% respectively in April-May 2025, indicating a narrowing decline in mainland sales by 10.5 percentage points compared to the previous quarter [1][2]. - The company is focusing on optimizing its product structure, with the retail sales of gold in mainland China accounting for 19.2%, up 12.2 percentage points year-on-year, and the introduction of high-end jewelry series to enhance brand image and profitability [2][3]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - FY25 revenue was HKD 896.6 billion, down 17.5% year-on-year, while net profit was HKD 59.2 billion, down 9.0% [1][12]. - The gross profit margin improved to 29.5%, an increase of 5.5 percentage points year-on-year, driven by a higher proportion of high-margin products and rising gold prices [2][16]. Store Network and Brand Strategy - The company closed 892 underperforming stores and opened new stores in high-potential areas, ending FY25 with 6,274 stores in mainland China and 149 in Hong Kong/Macau [3]. - New image stores in key cities have shown better sales performance compared to regular stores, with plans to open 20 new image stores in FY26 [3]. Profit Forecast and Valuation - The net profit forecast for FY26 and FY27 has been raised by 22% and 27% to HKD 76.3 billion and HKD 83.6 billion respectively, with an introduction of FY28 profit forecast at HKD 92.3 billion [4][6]. - The target price is set at HKD 16.00 based on a PE ratio of 21 times for FY26, reflecting the company's potential to benefit from increased industry concentration amid heightened competition [4][6].