Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company [6] Core Views - The company reported a revenue of $199 million in Q2 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 8.5%, while operating profit decreased by 56.5% to $3.7 million due to increased labor costs [1][2] - The company aims to enhance customer experience and employee satisfaction, which may temporarily affect operating profit margins but is expected to strengthen the brand and improve operational quality in the long term [1][3] - The company is expanding its store network while focusing on quality, with a total of 126 stores operational as of Q2 2025, including new openings in Malaysia [3] - The company has adjusted its profit forecasts for 2025-2027, lowering the adjusted net profit estimates by 43%, 21%, and 17% to $30 million, $52 million, and $68 million respectively [4][10] Summary by Sections Financial Performance - Q2 2025 revenue was $199 million, with a year-over-year growth of 8.5%, and a net profit of $16 million, marking a turnaround from losses due to reduced foreign exchange losses [1][2] - For the first half of 2025, revenue reached $397 million, up 7% year-over-year, with a net profit of $28 million [1] Operational Insights - Same-store sales increased by 5.3% in Q2 2025, with notable performance in East Asia, particularly Japan [2] - The company has introduced a more value-oriented menu, resulting in a gross margin of 66.0%, slightly down by 0.3 percentage points year-over-year [2] Expansion Strategy - The company is actively pursuing its "Pomegranate Plan" to diversify its offerings and enhance customer experience, with over 10 new project tracks identified for future growth [3] - The company plans to continue exploring new markets and types of cuisine, including barbecue and fast food, to establish a second growth curve [3] Profit Forecast and Valuation - The adjusted net profit estimates for 2025-2027 have been revised downwards due to increased operational costs, with a target price set at HKD 17.46, based on a 28x PE ratio for 2026 [4][10] - The company is expected to maintain a gross margin of around 67% in the coming years, despite slight adjustments due to rising labor costs [10][14]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company [7] Core Views - The company reported a revenue of $198 million in Q1 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.4%. Operating profit reached $8.2 million, up 44.6% year-over-year, with an operating margin of 4.1%, down 2.5 percentage points year-over-year. The improvement in profit was attributed to strategic adjustments aimed at enhancing customer experience and brand loyalty, despite rising labor costs [1][2] - The company continues to focus on enhancing customer experience, with same-store turnover showing stable growth. The opening of new stores is expected to accelerate year-over-year. Although operating margins may face short-term pressure, the strategic adjustments are expected to strengthen the brand and improve operational quality in the long term [1][4] Summary by Sections Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, the company generated revenue from restaurants, takeout, and other businesses amounting to $1.88 million, $0.04 million, and $0.054 million respectively, with year-over-year growth rates of 4.5%, 37.9%, and 22.7%. Same-store turnover was 4.0 times per day, an increase of 0.1 times year-over-year [2] - The average spending per customer was $24.2, a slight decrease of 0.3% year-over-year. The gross margin was 66.04%, down 0.47 percentage points year-over-year, primarily due to the introduction of more value-for-money menu items [2] Store Expansion and Strategy - As of Q1 2025, the company operated 123 direct stores across various regions, with a net addition of 1 store since the end of 2024. The company is committed to enhancing both the quality and quantity of its store openings, with plans to launch its first barbecue restaurant in Malaysia in June [3] - The company is actively pursuing the "Pomegranate Plan" to diversify customer experiences and explore new growth opportunities in different food categories [3] Valuation and Price Target - The target price for the company is set at HKD 19.69, down from the previous HKD 21.88, reflecting a valuation of 28 times the expected earnings per share (EPS) for 2026. The EPS estimates for 2025, 2026, and 2027 have been adjusted to $0.07, $0.09, and $0.11 respectively, reflecting a decrease of 17%, 10%, and 3% [4][8]