Minsheng Securities·2025-09-14 02:41Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" recommendation for several companies in the steel sector, including Hualing Steel, Baosteel, Nanjing Steel, Xianglou New Materials, CITIC Special Steel, Yongjin Co., Ltd., Jiuli Special Materials, Youfa Group, and Wujin Stainless Steel [3]. Core Viewpoints - The report indicates that pig iron production has rebounded to high levels, with daily production exceeding 2.4 million tons. Steel production has slightly decreased, but inventory accumulation has narrowed, suggesting a recovery in demand, although year-on-year demand remains weak. Steel profits are fluctuating around the breakeven point [2][3]. - The report highlights that the long-term focus will be on capacity regulation, which is expected to be more precise this time, promoting the survival of the fittest among steel companies. The profitability of steel enterprises is anticipated to recover as new iron ore capacities are gradually released [2][3]. Price Trends - As of September 12, 2025, steel prices showed mixed trends: rebar (20mm HRB400) at 3,210 CNY/ton (down 50 CNY), high line (8.0mm) at 3,360 CNY/ton (down 40 CNY), hot-rolled (3.0mm) at 3,450 CNY/ton (up 30 CNY), cold-rolled (1.0mm) at 3,800 CNY/ton (unchanged), and medium plate (20mm) at 3,460 CNY/ton (unchanged) [1][9][10]. Production and Inventory - As of September 12, 2025, the total production of five major steel products was 8.57 million tons, a decrease of 34,100 tons week-on-week. The total inventory of these products increased by 174,100 tons to 10.9391 million tons [2][5]. - The apparent consumption of rebar was estimated at 1.9807 million tons, down 40,000 tons week-on-week, while the average daily transaction volume of construction steel was 103,100 tons, up 6.32% week-on-week [2][5]. Profitability - The report estimates that the gross profit margins for rebar, hot-rolled, and cold-rolled steel have changed by -31 CNY/ton, +12 CNY/ton, and -8 CNY/ton respectively compared to the previous week. The gross profit margin for electric arc furnace steel decreased by 11 CNY/ton [1][2]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on the following companies: 1. General Steel Sector: Hualing Steel, Baosteel, Nanjing Steel 2. Special Steel Sector: Xianglou New Materials, CITIC Special Steel, Yongjin Co., Ltd. 3. Pipe Materials: Jiuli Special Materials, Youfa Group, Wujin Stainless Steel 4. High-Temperature Alloy: Fushun Special Steel [2][3].