2023业绩稳定增长，分红比率持续提升

Investment Rating - The investment rating for China Telecom is "Buy" with a target price of 5.50 HKD [3]. Core Insights - China Telecom reported stable growth in 2023, with total revenue reaching 513.6 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 7%. The net profit attributable to shareholders was 30.4 billion RMB, up 10% year-on-year. The company also announced a dividend of 0.2332 RMB per share, achieving a payout ratio of 70%, with plans to increase this to 75% over the next three years [1][2]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - In 2023, the telecom service revenue was 465 billion RMB, marking a 7% increase and maintaining growth for 11 consecutive years. Mobile communication service revenue reached 195.7 billion RMB, growing by 2%. The mobile user base expanded to 408 million, with a net addition of 16.59 million users, leading the industry for six years [1]. - The average revenue per user (ARPU) for 2023 was 45.4 RMB, a slight increase of 0.4%. Fixed-line and smart home revenue was 123.1 billion RMB, up 4%, with broadband users reaching 190 million and an ARPU of 47.6 RMB, increasing by 3% [1][2]. Digital Transformation - The company's cloud revenue from Tianyi Cloud reached 97.2 billion RMB, a significant increase of 68% year-on-year, with international business revenue exceeding 13.7 billion RMB. The company is enhancing its cloud services with integrated computing platforms, maintaining its leading position in public cloud infrastructure [1][2]. Capital Expenditure and Network Expansion - In 2023, China Telecom's total capital expenditure was 98.8 billion RMB, with 34.8 billion RMB allocated to mobile networks and 35.5 billion RMB to industrial digitalization. The company added 220,000 5G base stations, achieving continuous coverage in towns and effective coverage in developed administrative villages [2]. - The company anticipates a capital expenditure of 96 billion RMB in 2024, a 3% decrease from the previous year, with a focus on mobile network and digitalization investments [2]. Dividend Policy - The company achieved a dividend payout ratio of 70% in 2023, fulfilling its profit distribution commitment made during its A-share issuance. Plans are in place to increase the payout ratio to over 75% within three years, enhancing shareholder returns [2][3].