Core Viewpoint - The real estate industry is still in an adjustment period, with performance among companies continuing to diverge. Some companies may see a turning point in gross margins as quality projects are recognized. Sales may face pressure in Q4 due to high base effects from policy stimuli, but core city land sales are expected to provide some support [1] Financial Performance - In the first three quarters of 2025, 23 sample real estate companies reported a 12.5% year-on-year decline in operating revenue, a narrowing decline compared to the full year of 2024. Net profit attributable to shareholders fell by 161.6%, with companies like Binjiang Group and Urban Construction Development achieving positive growth, while Zhonghua Enterprise turned a profit. The overall gross margin was 13.0%, down 0.3 percentage points from 2024, while state-owned enterprises saw a recovery in gross margins. The overall selling and administrative expense ratio was 5.5%, down 0.1 percentage points from 2024. Total contract liabilities amounted to 1.2069 trillion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 28.7%, with the coverage ratio of contract liabilities to operating revenue dropping to 1.4 times. Total assets decreased to 7.4 trillion yuan, down 10.5% year-on-year, and the asset-liability ratio rose to 77.0%, up 0.7 percentage points, indicating continued balance sheet contraction and accelerated industry divergence [1] Sales Performance - In the first three quarters of 2025, the cumulative sales amount of commercial housing nationwide decreased by 7.9% year-on-year, while the cumulative sales area fell by 5.5%, with a smaller decline compared to the full year of 2024. The top 100 real estate companies reported a cumulative sales amount of 2.4948 trillion yuan, down 12.8% year-on-year. Among the top 10 companies, sales amounted to 1.2102 trillion yuan, a decline of 11.7%, although companies like Jianfa Real Estate, China Jinmao, and Yuexiu Property achieved growth of 12.1%, 27.3%, and 2.0% respectively. In terms of land transactions, the cumulative transaction area of residential land in 300 cities was 29.766 million square meters, down 7.6% year-on-year, while the cumulative transaction amount was 1.3304 trillion yuan, up 11.9%. Leading state-owned enterprises and improvement-oriented companies showed stable land acquisition performance, with companies like China Overseas Property, Greentown China, and Poly Development actively acquiring quality land in core cities [2] Financing Environment - The bond issuance scale for real estate companies rebounded in 2025, indicating a gradual recovery in market confidence. In the first three quarters of 2025, the total bond issuance by real estate companies increased by 3.9% year-on-year, with the average issuance interest rate declining from 5.5% in 2021 to 2.8% in the first half of 2025, further dropping to 2.5% in July and August, before slightly rising to 2.7% in September. As of the end of September 2025, the bond balance for real estate companies was 2.1409 trillion yuan, with 70.4% being credit bonds. The bond maturity balance for Q4 2025 is 143 billion yuan, while the maturity scale for 2026 reaches 664.1 billion yuan, indicating significant repayment pressure. Companies like Shimao Group, China Resources Land, and Poly Development have the largest bond balances, reflecting ongoing liquidity divergence in the industry [3]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an investment rating of "Outperform the Market" for the real estate industry [7] Core Insights - The real estate industry is experiencing a low-level adjustment with accelerated differentiation among companies, where the overall revenue of sample companies decreased by 12.5% year-on-year, and net profit attributable to shareholders dropped by 161.6% [4][8] - The sales decline is narrowing, with top companies like Jianfa Real Estate, China Jinmao, and Yuexiu Property achieving growth against the trend [4][9] - The land market is showing a trend of quality improvement and reduced volume, with core city premium land transactions supporting a year-on-year increase in transaction value [4][9] Summary by Sections 1. Financial Performance: Weakness Continues, Differentiation Among Companies - In the first three quarters of 2025, the overall revenue of 23 sample companies decreased by 12.5% year-on-year, with state-owned enterprises showing a growth of 6.1% while private and mixed-ownership companies faced declines of 17.1% and 27.8% respectively [16] - The net profit attributable to shareholders for these companies fell by 161.6%, with state-owned enterprises experiencing a decline of 1595.6% [16][22] - The overall gross margin for the sample companies was 13.0%, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points compared to the full year of 2024, while state-owned enterprises saw a recovery in gross margin [22][40] 2. Operational Performance: Sales Under Pressure, Land Market Quality Improvement - In the first three quarters of 2025, the cumulative sales amount of commercial housing nationwide decreased by 7.9% year-on-year, with a decline in sales area of 5.5% [9][43] - The top 100 real estate companies reported a cumulative sales amount of 24,948 billion, down 12.8% year-on-year, with the top 10 companies showing a decline of 11.7% [49][52] - The land market is characterized by a reduction in supply and an increase in transaction value, with the cumulative transaction amount reaching 13,304 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year [54][57] 3. Financing Environment: Marginal Improvement, State-Owned Enterprises at an Advantage - The bond issuance scale for real estate companies has stopped declining, with a year-on-year increase of 3.9% in the first three quarters of 2025 [10] - The average bond issuance interest rate has decreased from 5.5% in 2021 to 2.8% in the first half of 2025, indicating a recovery in market confidence [10][57] - The liquidity pressure remains, with significant differences in the financial health of various companies [10][57] 4. Investment Recommendations: Focus on Leading Companies in Core Areas - The report recommends focusing on leading companies that continue to acquire land in core areas of first-tier and strong second-tier cities, such as Greentown China, Jianfa International Group, and China Overseas Development [11][57] - Attention should also be given to companies with potential turnaround opportunities and those with core competitive advantages in the real estate intermediary sector [11]

Core Viewpoint - The real estate industry in China is experiencing a significant shift, with the top 10 large enterprises becoming the "stabilizers" of the market as mid-sized companies face collapse. The future may see a consolidation into 5 to 7 dominant players [1][2]. Group 1: Sales Performance - The top 10 real estate companies are undergoing a "dual differentiation" in sales performance, with the leading firms experiencing a decline while the mid-tier companies are showing growth. For instance, only 3 out of the top 10 achieved positive growth, with China Jinmao at 19%, Yuexiu at 11%, and Jianfa at 7% [3][4]. - The head companies are collectively facing negative growth, with Vanke reporting a decline of 46%, and other major players like China Overseas, Poly, and China Merchants also showing significant drops [4][5]. - The average sales growth rate for the top 100 companies has decreased by 11.8%, indicating that even leading firms are not immune to the downturn [5]. Group 2: Land Acquisition Trends - The year 2025 is characterized as a "land acquisition year" for the top 10 companies, driven by improved sales and better land offerings from local governments compared to 2024 [6][7]. - There is a clear distinction between aggressive "Tiger" companies, which are acquiring land at a rapid pace (e.g., Poly's land acquisition increased by 276% to 414 billion, China Overseas by 228% to 393 billion), and the more cautious "Wolf" companies, which are growing at a slower rate [10][12]. - The "Tiger" companies are defined by high acquisition volumes (over 400 billion) and significant growth rates (100% to 300%), while the "Wolf" companies are characterized by lower volumes (below 300 billion) and growth rates under 40% [9][12]. Group 3: Company Classification - The top 10 companies can be categorized into three main groups based on their sales and land acquisition strategies: aggressive, cautious, and balanced [17][34]. - The aggressive group includes companies like Jinmao, China Merchants, China Overseas, and Poly, which exhibit high land acquisition and low sales [23][26]. - The cautious group, represented by companies like Vanke, is focused on maintaining sales while limiting land acquisition, with Vanke experiencing a 45.8% drop in sales and a 95% decrease in land acquisition [27][29]. - The balanced group includes companies like China Resources, Greentown, and Jianfa, which maintain a moderate approach to both sales and land acquisition [34][36]. Group 4: Market Concentration - The concentration of the top 10 companies is increasing, with their land acquisition intensity averaging 0.4, significantly higher than the 0.26 average of the top 100 companies [41][42]. - The top 10 companies now account for 73% of the new value added in the market, indicating a shift towards larger, financially robust firms [41][42]. - The ongoing market downturn is likely to further consolidate the industry, with smaller firms facing increasing challenges to survive due to insufficient land acquisition [42].