Guangdong Aofei Data Technology (SZ:300738) IPO日报·2025-07-09 15:44Core Viewpoint - The rapid development of large models and generative AI technologies is creating unprecedented growth opportunities in the computing infrastructure market, as evidenced by the recent fundraising plans of Guangdong Aofei Data Technology Co., Ltd. [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Aofei Data is characterized as a "digital infrastructure provider," operating self-built data centers to lease cabinets and bandwidth, while also offering network security and cloud computing services [3] - By the end of 2024, Aofei Data's operations will cover over 30 cities in China, with more than 43,000 cabinets in operation and total assets increasing from 1.63 billion yuan at the end of 2019 to 12.84 billion yuan by the first quarter of 2025 [3] Group 2: Market Demand and Expansion Plans - The aggressive expansion of Aofei Data is driven by the real demand from the AI industry, with global data volume expected to reach 291 ZB by 2027, nearly doubling from 2023 [4] - Major cloud providers are significantly increasing their capital expenditures, with Alibaba planning to invest at least 380 billion yuan in cloud computing and AI infrastructure over the next three years, creating a vast market space for data center service providers [4] - Aofei Data plans to raise 1.75 billion yuan to build a new generation cloud computing and AI industrial park in Langfang, which will include five new data center buildings with a total of 8,925 cabinets [4][5] Group 3: Financial Performance and Challenges - Despite the promising expansion plans, Aofei Data faces financial challenges, with revenue growth not translating into profit increases; revenues for 2023 and 2024 are projected at 1.335 billion yuan and 2.165 billion yuan, respectively, while net profits are declining [7] - The company's gross margin has decreased from 29.51% in 2020 to 26.40% in 2024, attributed to a higher proportion of low-margin businesses [10] - The asset-liability ratio has risen from 55.77% in 2020 to 71.12% by the end of 2024, indicating increasing financial risk due to a heavy asset operation model [10] Group 4: Investment Returns and Risk Management - Aofei Data anticipates an internal rate of return of 11.49% and a payback period of 7.4 years for the new investment project, which poses challenges for cash flow management [12] - To mitigate risks, Aofei Data is engaging potential customers early in the project investment process and aims to expedite the commissioning of new data centers to enhance cabinet utilization [12]