Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for the company, marking its first coverage [2][9]. Core Insights - The company's securities business has initiated a second growth curve, completing a "one body, two wings" business layout. The acquisition of Mai Gao Securities and Pioneer Fund has expanded its business scope significantly [3][4][9]. - Financial information services remain the core business, with rapid growth in the securities sector. The company has developed a strong synergy between its financial information services and securities business [5][6][16]. - The company has shown impressive financial performance, with total revenue and net profit for 2024 reaching 1.529 billion yuan (up 37% year-on-year) and 104 million yuan (up 44% year-on-year), respectively [4][12]. Summary by Sections Company Overview - The company, founded in 1997, has focused on securities analysis and information services for over two decades. It became the second financial information service provider in China to obtain a brokerage license after acquiring Mai Gao Securities [12][13]. Business Model - The core business includes financial information services, securities (Mai Gao Securities), and advertising services. Financial information services generated 1.184 billion yuan in revenue in 2024, accounting for 77% of total revenue [5][17][22]. - Mai Gao Securities has seen rapid growth in its brokerage and proprietary trading businesses since its consolidation in July 2022, with net commission income reaching 241 million yuan in 2024 (up 163% year-on-year) [6][23]. Financial Performance - The company expects significant growth in net profit, projecting 302 million yuan for 2025, 388 million yuan for 2026, and 467 million yuan for 2027, with corresponding EPS of 0.50, 0.65, and 0.78 yuan [9][11][29]. - The report highlights a stable gross margin of over 85% since 2015, indicating strong profitability [5][11]. Future Prospects - The company plans to raise 2.9 billion yuan through a private placement to enhance the capital strength of Mai Gao Securities, which is expected to further boost its competitive edge in the securities business [7][28]. - The report anticipates that the company's performance will benefit from a continuously active capital market, with an increase in customer numbers and market share driving growth in both financial information services and securities [9][29].
指南针(300803):首次覆盖报告:证券业务开启第二增长曲线