Summary of Defense Industry Conference Call Industry Overview - The defense industry experienced a revenue growth slowdown to 0.02% in the first three quarters of 2025, with profit growth lagging behind revenue growth, primarily due to military product order recovery, price adjustments, fixed cost allocation, and accounts receivable impairment [1][2][12] - The industry achieved a revenue of 450.8 billion yuan, ranking 25th among 31 primary industries, with a revenue growth rate of 6.74%, ranking 6th [2] Subsector Performance - **Aerospace Equipment**: Revenue declined by 1.8%, and profit decreased by 16% [3] - **Marine Equipment**: Revenue increased by 16.2%, with net profit rising by 87% [3] - **Military Electronics**: Revenue grew by 11%, but profit fell by 7% [3] - **Ground Armaments**: Revenue increased by 21%, and profit grew by 39% [3] - **Aerospace Equipment**: Revenue increased by 7%, but net profit dropped by 44% [3] - Overall, except for aerospace equipment, other subsectors showed varying degrees of order recovery and improved inventory turnover efficiency [3][8] Profitability and Cost Management - Military electronics had the highest gross margin, which fell from 36.8% in 2024 to 23.8% in 2025 [5] - All subsectors, except marine equipment, experienced a decline in gross margins, indicating a need to monitor the impact of declining margins on profitability [1][5] - Significant reductions in expense ratios across all subsectors demonstrate effective cost control [5] Contract Liabilities and Prepayments - As of Q3 2025, contract liabilities and prepayments increased in all subsectors except aerospace equipment, which saw a decline due to its cyclical nature [6] - Ground armaments saw a 19% increase, marine equipment 7%, aerospace equipment 8%, and military electronics 18% [6] Inventory Turnover - Average inventory turnover days decreased in all subsectors except aerospace equipment, which increased to 341 days from 323 days year-on-year [7] Future Outlook - The defense industry is expected to benefit from increased domestic military demand driven by national security needs and the implementation of the "15th Five-Year Plan" [12] - China's share in international military trade is anticipated to expand, potentially enhancing corporate revenues and profitability [12] - Key areas for investment include military trade, commercial aerospace, unmanned systems, and low-altitude economy-related enterprises [12]

Group 1 - The core focus of the 14th Five-Year Plan is on "technological self-reliance and strength," with an emphasis on high-quality development and original innovation, reflecting the importance of technology in economic growth [4][5] - The plan highlights the need for breakthroughs in "bottleneck" areas of core technology, particularly in the AI industry chain, which includes upstream computing power, midstream algorithms/data, and downstream applications [5] - The announcement indicates a significant shift towards boosting domestic consumption, with a focus on improving the consumption rate and increasing government investment in social welfare sectors such as education and healthcare [6][7] Group 2 - The plan emphasizes the construction of a robust national security system, covering critical areas such as food, energy resources, and key industrial supply chains, with a notable increase in focus on national defense and aerospace [8][10] - Emerging industries such as new energy, new materials, and aerospace are identified as strategic growth areas, alongside future industries like quantum technology and AI, which are expected to drive new growth points [10] - The military industry is anticipated to experience a cyclical recovery, with strong expectations for order releases at the intersection of the five-year plan, particularly in aerospace projects similar to the US "Starlink" initiative [11][12]