Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" [1] Core Views - The company's revenue and net profit for the first half of 2025 are projected to be 2.186 billion and 403 million CNY, respectively, showing year-on-year growth of 10.2% and 48.4% [2] - The improvement in the company's performance in 2024 is primarily attributed to cost and expense control, while the enrollment growth in 2025 is expected to accelerate revenue, particularly in the three-year program which grew by 4.5% and the one-to-two-year program which saw an impressive growth of 85% [2] - The company is expected to benefit from positive operating leverage, with adjusted net profit margin increasing by 5 percentage points [2] Summary by Sections Revenue and Enrollment - The company reported a significant increase in enrollment, with new registrations for the culinary technology and beauty sectors growing by 5.2% and 34.1%, respectively [4] - The total number of schools is 234, with a net increase of 1 school year-on-year [4] Financial Performance - The gross margin for the first half of 2025 is 57.3%, an increase of 4.3 percentage points year-on-year, driven by increased capacity utilization and reduced rental expenses [5] - The net profit margin for the first half of 2025 is 18.4%, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 4.7 percentage points, primarily due to a decrease in sales, management, and financial expense ratios [5] Future Outlook - Short-term expectations indicate strong autumn enrollment, with the potential for continued performance exceeding expectations throughout the year [7] - Mid-term projections suggest accelerated revenue growth in the coming years, particularly in culinary and automotive sectors, with ongoing improvements in profitability [7] - Long-term advantages include competitive employment outcomes and the ability to quickly adjust courses in response to market changes [7] Earnings Forecast - The company maintains revenue forecasts of 4.464 billion, 4.868 billion, and 5.390 billion CNY for 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively [7] - The projected net profit for the same years is 801.94 million, 973.21 million, and 1.18293 billion CNY [7] - The earnings per share (EPS) forecast for 2025, 2026, and 2027 is 0.36, 0.44, and 0.54 CNY, respectively [7]
中国东方教育（00667）：收入及招生加速，正经营杠杆效应元年