Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" (maintained) [5] Core Insights - The company achieved a net profit of 4.7 billion yuan in 2024, exceeding expectations, with total revenue of 42.8 billion yuan (yoy +3%) and core operating profit of 6.2 billion yuan (yoy +19%) [1][3] - The company plans to maintain a high dividend payout ratio of approximately 95% for 2024, which is the highest since its listing, providing attractive shareholder returns with a current annualized dividend yield of about 5% [1] - The company is expected to continue its growth trajectory with a focus on enhancing customer spending and improving table turnover rates, which are projected to reach 4.1 in 2024, up from 3.8 in 2023 [1][2] Summary by Sections Financial Performance - In 2024, the company reported a revenue of 42.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3%, and a net profit of 4.7 billion yuan, reflecting a 5% growth [1][11] - The core operating profit margin improved by 2 percentage points, with gross margin increasing by approximately 3 percentage points due to enhanced supply chain efficiency and reduced raw material costs [2] Growth Potential - The company is expected to open new stores at a moderate single-digit growth rate in 2025, supported by a high table turnover rate and the introduction of the "Pomegranate Plan" to encourage the development of new restaurant brands [1][3] - The "Pomegranate Plan" aims to foster the growth of new dining brands, which has already resulted in 74 new stores by the end of 2024, enhancing long-term growth potential [1] Profit Forecast and Valuation - The company is projected to achieve net profits of 5.2 billion yuan, 5.9 billion yuan, and 6.5 billion yuan for 2025, 2026, and 2027 respectively, with year-on-year growth rates of 11%, 13%, and 10% [3][11] - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios are expected to be 18, 16, and 14 for the years 2024, 2025, and 2026, respectively, indicating a potential valuation premium due to the company's leading position in the industry [3][11]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Outperform the Market" [6][21][22] Core Insights - The company achieved a revenue of 42.76 billion RMB in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 3.1%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 4.71 billion RMB, up 4.6% year-on-year, exceeding previous expectations [1][9] - The core operating profit reached 6.23 billion RMB, reflecting an 18.7% year-on-year growth, indicating strong operational performance [1][9] - The company is focusing on brand incubation under the "Red Pomegranate Plan," with 11 active entrepreneurial projects, including new brands like "Yanjing Barbecue" and "Xiao Hai Hot Pot" [3][18][20] Revenue and Profitability - In 2024, the overall table turnover rate was 4.1 times per day, an increase of 0.3 times year-on-year, while the average customer spending was 97.5 RMB, a slight decrease of 1.6 RMB [2][11] - The gross profit margin improved to 62.1%, a 3.0 percentage point increase, marking a new high since the company's listing [3][15] - The core operating profit margin reached 14.6%, up 1.9 percentage points, and the net profit margin was 11.0%, up 0.1 percentage points, both representing the best performance since the company went public [3][15] Store Expansion and Market Presence - As of the end of 2024, the total number of stores was 1,368, with 1,355 self-operated and 13 franchised, reflecting a net increase of 25 stores compared to mid-2024 [2][12] - Same-store sales growth was 3.6%, with different growth rates across city tiers, indicating resilience in the core hot pot business [2][12] Financial Forecasts - The company has adjusted its net profit forecasts for 2025 and 2026 to 5.38 billion RMB and 6.12 billion RMB, respectively, with a new forecast for 2027 at 6.93 billion RMB, indicating growth rates of 14.4%, 13.7%, and 13.3% [4][21] - The projected price-to-earnings ratios for 2025, 2026, and 2027 are 16x, 14x, and 12x, respectively, suggesting a favorable valuation outlook [4][21]