国泰海通交运周观察：春运启动票价向好，油运运价维持高位

Investment Rating - The report assigns an "Accumulate" rating for the transportation industry [4]. Core Insights - The aviation sector is experiencing a strong demand during the Spring Festival travel season, with an upward trend in ticket prices expected to continue. The report suggests a long-term investment strategy based on a "super cycle" logic [3][4]. - In the oil shipping sector, freight rates remain high, with expectations for tanker profits to increase significantly year-on-year in Q1 2026, indicating a potential "super bull market" [3][4]. - The express delivery industry is anticipated to see a recovery in profitability, driven by a reduction in competitive pressure and a gradual increase in price levels [4]. Summary by Sections Aviation - The Spring Festival travel season officially began on February 2, 2026, with a year-on-year increase in passenger flow of 2% as of February 6, 2026. Air travel saw a 6% increase, while rail travel decreased by 1% [4][10]. - The report highlights that the aviation market's load factor and ticket prices are both showing positive year-on-year growth. The limited increase in train and bus services is expected to benefit airline revenue management [4]. - The report anticipates a significant improvement in airline profitability during the Spring Festival season, with Q1 2026 expected to show industry-wide profitability due to favorable ticket price trends and a decrease in oil prices [4]. Oil Shipping - The report notes that geopolitical tensions have kept shipping rates elevated, with tanker utilization rates remaining high since August 2025 due to increased oil production and stricter sanctions on Russian oil [4]. - The average freight rate for VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) on the Middle East to China route has maintained above $120,000 per day [20]. - The report emphasizes that the oil shipping sector is not merely a short-term play on geopolitical events but has a long-term bullish outlook due to ongoing global oil production increases and the aging of tanker fleets [4]. Express Delivery - The report indicates that the express delivery sector is expected to see a recovery in profitability, with a year-on-year growth in parcel volume of 13.6% for 2025, although December's growth slowed to 2% due to high operational costs and a warm winter [4]. - The report highlights a narrowing decline in industry pricing, with December's average revenue per parcel decreasing by only 2% year-on-year, suggesting a potential easing of competitive pressures [4]. - The report recommends focusing on leading express companies that are optimizing their business structures and building differentiated competitive advantages, such as SF Express and ZTO Express [4].