Star-net(SZ:002396) HTSC·2026-03-30 05:50Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company with a target price of RMB 36.33 per share [7][5]. Core Insights - The company achieved a revenue of RMB 19.157 billion in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.31%, and a net profit attributable to the parent company of RMB 408.86 million, up 1.05% year-on-year [1][5]. - The fourth quarter of 2025 saw a revenue of RMB 4.988 billion, a 2.40% increase year-on-year, but a significant drop in net profit by 54.55% to RMB 64 million, primarily due to fluctuations in tax expenses from a subsidiary [1]. - The company is expected to benefit from the growing demand for AI applications and increased capital expenditures from internet companies, alongside internal operational optimizations [1][4]. Segment Summaries Network Equipment Business - In 2025, the enterprise network equipment segment generated RMB 14.159 billion in revenue, a 26.74% increase year-on-year, leading the market in several categories according to IDC [2]. - The network terminal segment reported revenue of RMB 967 million, down 7.87% year-on-year, while communication products generated RMB 2.297 billion, down 6.53% [2]. - Domestic revenue grew by 11% while overseas revenue surged by 27%, attributed to expanding sales channels and deepening customer relationships [2]. Profitability and Cost Management - The overall gross margin for 2025 was 32.24%, a decrease of 1.83 percentage points year-on-year, with the fourth quarter gross margin improving to 35.18% [3]. - The company has made significant improvements in cost management, with sales, management, and R&D expense ratios decreasing year-on-year [3]. Future Outlook - The company is focusing on enhancing its ICT infrastructure and AI application solutions, maintaining its leading position domestically [4]. - It is also expanding into new growth areas such as the metaverse and brain-machine interfaces, with plans to increase investment in AI capabilities [4]. - The company expects to see continued growth in data center demand and improvements in its financial technology and digital currency initiatives [4]. Earnings Forecast and Valuation - The forecast for net profit attributable to the parent company is adjusted to RMB 888.6 million for 2026, RMB 1.233 billion for 2027, and RMB 1.572 billion for 2028 [5]. - The report anticipates a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 24x for 2026, with a target price of RMB 36.33 per share [5].