数据点评 | 9月利润再度上行，如何理解？（申万宏观·赵伟团队）

Core Viewpoint - In September, industrial profits showed a weak performance compared to previous years when adjusted for low base effects, with current cost rates remaining at historically high levels [2][8]. Overall Performance - In September, industrial profits continued to rise due to short-term factors such as expenses, with a year-on-year increase of 2.6 percentage points to 22.5% under low base conditions. However, on a two-year compound basis, profit growth fell by 5.3 percentage points to -5.9%, and the month-on-month profit increase was only 1.1%, significantly lower than the same period last year (11.3%) [2][8]. - The profit margin increased year-on-year, primarily driven by short-term indicators like expense ratios, which rose by 9.5 percentage points to 11.6% [2][8]. Revenue Analysis - In September, industrial revenue improved, with nominal revenue rising due to marginal improvements in the Producer Price Index (PPI). The actual revenue growth rate, adjusted for price changes, increased by 0.2 percentage points to 5.4%, contributing an additional 0.3 percentage points to the year-on-year profit growth [2][16]. - Revenue growth varied across industrial chains, with the consumer chain showing a notable increase of 2.2 percentage points to 8.1%, while the petrochemical and metallurgy chains also saw improvements [2][16]. Cost Structure - Industrial enterprises faced increasing cost pressures in September, with cost rates for the metallurgy and consumer chains at historically high levels, indicating that the effects of anti-involution policies are yet to be realized. The overall cost rate for industrial enterprises was 85.4%, remaining relatively high compared to previous years [3][22]. - The cost contribution to year-on-year profit growth decreased by 0.3 percentage points to -3.6% [3][22]. Industry Insights - Industries with significant profit improvements were primarily influenced by revenue and expenses, despite ongoing cost pressures. Notable profit recoveries were observed in the computer communication and automotive sectors, contributing 3.5 and 2.8 percentage points to overall profit, respectively [3][33]. - Other sectors such as general equipment, non-metallic products, and rubber and plastics also contributed positively to profit growth, while the beverage industry saw a significant decline in profit growth [3][33]. Future Outlook - Industrial enterprises are expected to continue facing substantial cost pressures, with the effectiveness of anti-involution policies still to be seen. The current profit pressures are largely attributed to rigid cost increases driven by downstream investment [4][48]. - Future policies aimed at stabilizing growth in sectors like construction materials and steel are anticipated to gradually alleviate cost pressures, alongside a recovery in domestic demand [4][48].