21世纪经济报道·2025-09-12 01:30Core Viewpoint - The investment banking sector is experiencing a recovery with significant internal differentiation, as evidenced by a reduction in the number of loss-making firms and a notable performance improvement among leading brokerages [1][4]. Group 1: Profitability Trends - The number of brokerages reporting losses in investment banking has decreased from 20 in 2024 to only 10 in 2025, indicating a significant improvement in profitability [1][4]. - Leading brokerages such as CICC and CITIC Securities have turned losses into profits, with CICC's investment banking revenue soaring by 149.70% year-on-year, reaching 1.445 billion yuan [1][10]. - Despite the overall improvement, some brokerages, including Guojin Securities and Zhongtai Securities, have reported substantial losses, with Guojin Securities losing 98.07 million yuan [1][5]. Group 2: Market Shifts - In response to the changing IPO landscape in the A-share market, leading brokerages are increasingly focusing on the Hong Kong market, with CICC International achieving a substantial underwriting scale of 22.582 billion yuan in the first eight months of the year [2][11]. - The competitive environment in the Hong Kong market has led to a decline in profit margins for many brokerages, with average profit margins dropping to around 20%, significantly lower than the pre-"827 New Policy" levels of over 50% [2][13]. Group 3: Performance of Specific Brokerages - CICC has shown remarkable recovery, with its investment banking profit reaching 276 million yuan in the first half of the year, a significant turnaround from a loss of 784 million yuan in the previous year [10][11]. - Guojin Securities, despite high revenue of 377 million yuan, has seen its losses expand to 98.07 million yuan, highlighting the challenges faced by some brokerages in the current market [5][7]. - Zhongtai Securities has also experienced a shift from profit to loss, with a reported loss of 37.59 million yuan in the first half of 2025, down from a profit of 139 million yuan in the same period last year [4][5]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - The competitive landscape in the Hong Kong IPO market is intensifying, with domestic brokerages capturing four of the top five spots in underwriting amounts, showcasing their growing competitiveness [2][16]. - The shift in focus towards the Hong Kong market has led to increased collaboration between A-share and Hong Kong brokers, as they work together to secure IPOs for companies looking to list in Hong Kong [14][15].