Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" investment rating for the environmental sector [11] Core Insights - The environmental sector's net profit attributable to the parent company is expected to decline by 6.6% in 2024 and increase by 3.9% in Q1 2025, with solid performance in waste incineration and water services [2][6] - The sector's revenue for 2024 is projected at 305.7 billion, a slight decrease of 0.44% year-on-year, while the net profit attributable to the parent company is expected to be 20.9 billion, down 11.1% [6][22] - The report highlights the improvement in free cash flow for waste incineration and water services, indicating a potential for higher dividends in the future [8][9] Summary by Sections Profit and Loss Statement - In 2024, the environmental sector is expected to achieve a revenue of 3057 billion, with a net profit of 209 billion, reflecting a decline of 11.1% year-on-year [6][22] - The sector's gross margin is projected to be 27.5%, an increase of 0.46 percentage points compared to the previous year [6][22] Balance Sheet - The environmental sector's debt ratio is expected to stabilize at 57.17%, a decrease of 0.19 percentage points year-on-year [7] - Accounts receivable as a percentage of revenue is projected to increase by 7.0 percentage points to 62.8% in 2024, indicating pressure on local government finances [7] Cash Flow Statement - The cash collection ratio for the environmental sector is expected to be 91.4%, an increase of 1.7 percentage points year-on-year [8] - The free cash flow for the sector is projected to be 2.1 billion, an increase of 10.5 billion year-on-year, with significant improvements in waste incineration and water services [8] Investment Strategy - The report suggests a moderately optimistic outlook for the sector, driven by market reforms and the "14th Five-Year Plan" assessment year, which may enhance cash flow and valuation recovery [9] - Key investment targets include companies in waste incineration and water services, such as Huaneng Environment, Xingrong Environment, and Weiming Environmental [9]