Core Viewpoint - The beer sector is currently at a bottoming phase, with potential recovery opportunities driven by macro policy changes and improved fundamentals in the coming year [1] Group 1: Current Market Conditions - The beer consumption is in a seasonal downturn in Q4, with limited changes in the fundamentals, but there are expectations for recovery opportunities if consumption policies are introduced [1] - For the first three quarters of 2025, the beer sector generated revenue of 61.726 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.99%, and a net profit of 9.339 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.43% [1] Group 2: Financial Performance - Revenue and profit growth rates for the beer sector weakened sequentially in 2025, attributed to limited consumption scenarios and high costs, although overall gross profit margins showed improvement [2] - The revenue for Q1, Q2, and Q3 of 2025 was 20.043 billion, 21.491 billion, and 20.192 billion yuan respectively, with year-on-year growth rates of 3.68%, 1.90%, and 0.45% [1] Group 3: Future Outlook - Demand resilience is expected to continue into 2024, with strong support for beer demand from the middle-income population and improved performance in core provinces [3] - The free cash flow of leading Chinese beer companies is anticipated to remain at a high level, with increasing dividend and yield rates expected [3]

Summary of Industry and Company Insights from Conference Call Records Industry: Baijiu (Chinese Liquor) Key Points: - The overall performance of the baijiu industry in Q3 was under pressure, with most companies experiencing a decline in net profit, particularly those with significant revenue drops. [1][7] - Moutai maintained a stable performance with a 7% revenue increase, despite a drop in batch prices from 1,760 RMB to around 1,670 RMB, reflecting a more than 20% year-on-year decline. [1][10] - Wuliangye saw a significant revenue decline of 52% and a profit drop of 65%, indicating substantial pressure on its performance. [1][4] - Luzhou Laojiao performed better than expected, with effective strategies in place, although external environmental factors need to be monitored. [1][6] - The second-tier brand Fenjiu showed stable performance, with the Qinghua series growing by 9-10%, while Qinghua 30 experienced a decline of 20-30%. [1][5] - The overall baijiu sector is expected to continue adjustments in Q4 in preparation for the Spring Festival, which is a critical sales period. [1][8] Industry: Dairy Products Key Points: - The dairy sector faced weak terminal demand in Q3, with Yili's liquid milk revenue declining by 8.8%, while New Dairy achieved double-digit growth. [1][12] - The outlook for Q4 remains challenging, with expectations of continued pressure on liquid milk demand due to weak consumer confidence. [1][13] - New Dairy and Miaokelando are expected to maintain good growth through product innovation and market expansion. [1][13][14] Industry: Soft Drinks Key Points: - The soft drink industry showed stable performance in Q3, driven by strong travel demand and the introduction of new products. [1][15] - Dongpeng Beverage reported a 30.4% revenue increase, benefiting from new product launches, while competitors like Master Kong and Uni-President experienced revenue declines. [1][15][16] - Long-term growth prospects for Dongpeng and Nongfu Spring are viewed positively, while Master Kong and Uni-President are considered defensive dividend investment options. [1][18] Industry: Frozen Foods Key Points: - The frozen food sector is showing signs of stabilization, with demand not expected to worsen significantly. [1][20] - Leading companies are reducing expenditure, leading to some profit recovery, although growth rates remain modest. [1][20] - The industry is at a bottom turning point, with expectations for improvement in restaurant demand. [1][20] Industry: Snacks Key Points: - The snack sector saw slight revenue growth but at a slower pace, with rapid growth in bulk snack channels. [1][21] - New retail channels like Sam's Club are contributing significantly to revenue growth, despite some short-term impacts from public sentiment. [1][21] - The performance of key brands like Yanjin and Youyou has improved, indicating better operational efficiency and profitability. [1][25] Industry: Meat Products Key Points: - The meat product sector is considered a defensive dividend segment, with companies like Shuanghui Development and WH Group showing stable performance. [1][22] - Shuanghui's meat product sales remained steady, with a target of 30% growth in new channels for the upcoming year. [1][23] - WH Group's U.S. market performance was stable, with expectations for relatively stable pork prices in 2026. [1][24] Overall Market Performance Key Points: - The food and beverage sector has underperformed compared to the CSI 300 index, with a 5.5% decline as of October 31, 2025. [1][9] - The baijiu sector's valuation has decreased, with a forecasted P/E ratio of 18.9 times, lower than historical averages. [1][9] - Fund holdings in the baijiu sector have decreased, indicating potential for future capital inflow if demand improves. [1][9]

Core Viewpoint - Minsheng Securities has issued a "recommended" rating for Laobaigan Liquor (600559.SH) based on its analysis of the company's performance and market conditions, highlighting the weak demand under current circumstances and the relative resilience in Shandong province [1] Group 1: Company Performance - Laobaigan Liquor's Q3 profitability is under pressure, indicating challenges in the current market environment [1] - The report suggests that the demand for Laobaigan Liquor is relatively weak due to scene constraints, but the company shows resilience in its home province of Shandong [1] Group 2: Market Outlook - The analysis anticipates a potential recovery in market conditions, which could positively impact Laobaigan Liquor's performance in the future [1]

Group 1: Industry Overview - The overall sales in the industry are expected to decline by over 20%, with a gradual improvement month-on-month and a narrowing decline in the festive season of Mid-Autumn and National Day, estimated at around 20% [1] - Business banquets are performing weakly, while mass consumption and wedding banquets are relatively resilient, with a smaller decline in Q3; high-end gifting shows improvement before the holidays [1] - Major liquor companies are adopting a more pragmatic approach, accelerating adjustments to reduce channel pressure, cutting investment, and enhancing operational efficiency [1] Group 2: Company Performance - Leading liquor companies like Moutai and Wuliangye have achieved over 80% collection progress, while regional companies are generally around 70%, with pressure on mid-tier liquor companies [1] - Wuliangye has held dealer meetings in multiple locations, emphasizing strict checks on market price disruptions and announcing increased subsidy policies for different-sized dealers [1] - The report from Citic Securities indicates that the bottom of the industry fundamentals is expected to appear in Q3 2025, with Q3 of this year being the most challenging period for sales, prices, and market confidence [2] Group 3: Market Trends - Huachuang Securities highlights the importance of bottom catalysts in the liquor sector, with traditional consumption entering a bottom accumulation phase, and seasonal catalysts expected to drive valuation recovery [3] - The launch of the new flagship product "Dazhen" by Zhenjiu Lidu has achieved a collection of 370 million yuan, with over 2,800 alliance merchants signed [4] - In the beer sector, the acquisition of 53% of Xianpi Fulu's shares by Mixue Ice City marks its expansion into the alcoholic beverage market, with the financial performance to be consolidated into the group’s reports [5]

Group 1 - The overall performance of the beer industry in the first half of 2025 shows steady revenue growth and double-digit profit increase, with total revenue reaching 41.534 billion yuan, up 2.75% year-on-year, and net profit attributable to shareholders at 6.512 billion yuan, up 11.81% year-on-year [1] - In Q1 and Q2 of 2025, the beer sector's revenue was 20.043 billion yuan and 21.491 billion yuan respectively, with year-on-year growth rates of 3.68% and 1.90%, while net profits were 2.519 billion yuan and 3.993 billion yuan, reflecting growth rates of 10.62% and 12.57% [1] - The beer market is expected to see a recovery in consumption patterns, with potential for beta configuration opportunities in the beer sector if consumer policies improve marginally [1] Group 2 - The beer industry's sales and price performance have been weak in 2025, attributed to slow recovery in consumer spending and temporary policy impacts on on-premise consumption [2] - Despite the weak beta performance, emerging brands like Yan Beer and Zhu Beer have shown strong sales and pricing performance, while overall cost elasticity continues to improve, leading to a steady increase in gross profit margins [2] - The beer sector is anticipated to maintain a steady operational trend in the second half of 2025, supported by resilient demand from middle-income consumers and a recovery in beer production [3] Group 3 - The free cash flow of leading Chinese beer companies is expected to remain at a high-quality level, with increasing dividend and yield rates, driven by significant improvements in net profit margins since 2018 [3] - The focus on high-end beer products and the gradual reduction of capital expenditures from previous peaks are expected to support the continued stability of free cash flow [3]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Strong Buy" rating for Chongqing Beer, expecting it to outperform the benchmark index by over 20% in the next six months [2][24]. Core Views - The company reported a total revenue of 8.84 billion yuan for H1 2025, a slight decrease of 0.2% year-on-year, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 860 million yuan, down 4.0% year-on-year. The second quarter saw a revenue of 4.48 billion yuan, down 1.8%, and a net profit of 390 million yuan, down 12.7% [2]. - The company is focusing on inventory reduction and orderly operational adjustments, with expectations for improved performance in H2 2025 due to a low base effect and gradual recovery in consumption scenarios [7][8]. Financial Performance Summary - **Revenue and Profit Forecasts**: - Total revenue is projected to be 14.83 billion yuan in 2025, with a growth rate of 1.3%. The net profit attributable to shareholders is expected to be 1.25 billion yuan, reflecting a growth rate of 12.4% [3][14]. - **Earnings Per Share (EPS)**: - EPS is forecasted to increase from 2.30 yuan in 2024 to 2.59 yuan in 2025 [3][14]. - **Valuation Ratios**: - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is expected to decrease from 24 in 2024 to 21 in 2025, while the price-to-book (P/B) ratio is projected to decline from 22.7 to 21.1 [3][14]. Market and Competitive Landscape - The report highlights that the beer sales volume in Q2 2025 slightly increased by 0.1% year-on-year to 917,000 kiloliters, while the average price per ton decreased by 2.0% to 4,755.3 yuan per kiloliter, attributed to weak terminal consumption and intensified industry competition [7][8]. - The company is increasing its focus on high-end products and diversifying its product offerings, including low-alcohol beverages and soft drinks, which are expected to contribute to growth in the second half of the year [7][8]. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests that the company’s focus on healthy channel operations and inventory reduction will provide a solid foundation for improved performance in H2 2025. The dividend yield remains attractive, supporting the "Strong Buy" rating [7][8].