Core Viewpoint - The company is intensifying its investment in air freight services through the acquisition of Zhejiang Xinglian, enhancing its logistics capabilities and overall competitiveness in the air freight sector [1][3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - ZTO Express announced the acquisition of 100% equity in Zhejiang Xinglian for RMB 178 million, with the transaction expected to be completed by November 28, 2025 [1]. - Zhejiang Xinglian, established in 2018, primarily engages in air freight services, and has shown stable profitability with pre-tax net profits of RMB 6.213 million and RMB 6.655 million for 2023 and 2024, respectively [2]. - The acquisition is classified as a related party transaction, but it is exempt from independent shareholder approval due to its percentage being between 0.1% and 5% [1][2]. Group 2: Financial Performance - ZTO Express reported revenues of RMB 35.38 billion, RMB 38.42 billion, and RMB 44.28 billion for 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively, with year-on-year growth rates of 16.35%, 8.60%, and 15.26% [5]. - The net profit attributable to shareholders for the same years was RMB 6.809 billion, RMB 8.749 billion, and RMB 8.817 billion, reflecting growth rates of 43.20%, 28.49%, and 0.78% [5]. - For the first three quarters of 2025, the company achieved revenues of RMB 34.59 billion, a year-on-year increase of 10.29%, and a net profit of RMB 6.455 billion, growing by 0.33% [5]. Group 3: Industry Context - The air freight market is experiencing significant growth, with the Civil Aviation Administration of China reporting a 22.1% year-on-year increase in cargo and mail transport volume, reaching 8.9816 million tons in 2024 [7]. - Other major players in the express delivery sector, such as SF Express, YTO Express, and JD Logistics, have also entered the air freight market, indicating a competitive landscape [5][6]. - The government has initiated policies to support the development of the air logistics sector, including the "14th Five-Year" plan for aviation logistics, which aims to create a high-quality and efficient air logistics system [6].