Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" (maintained) [5] Core Views - The company's core business in urban gas is experiencing both volume and price increases, while comprehensive energy services are dragging down overall performance [5] - The company reported a revenue of 28.35 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year decline of 8.34%, with a net profit attributable to shareholders of 1.46 billion yuan, a slight increase of 1.19% [7] - The first quarter of 2025 saw a revenue of 7.51 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.48%, but net profit decreased by 15.47% due to reduced profits from smart services and comprehensive energy businesses [7] Financial Performance Summary - The company’s revenue and profit forecasts for 2025-2027 are as follows: - Revenue: 28.48 billion yuan in 2025, 29.02 billion yuan in 2026, and 29.84 billion yuan in 2027, with growth rates of 0.45%, 1.92%, and 2.83% respectively [6] - Net profit: 1.56 billion yuan in 2025, 1.73 billion yuan in 2026, and 2.06 billion yuan in 2027, with growth rates of 6.73%, 11.51%, and 18.55% respectively [6] - Earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be 0.54 yuan in 2025, 0.60 yuan in 2026, and 0.71 yuan in 2027 [6] Business Segment Analysis - Urban gas sales volume reached 4.98 billion cubic meters in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 2.78%, with significant growth in the Greater Bay Area [7] - The comprehensive energy segment's revenue fell by 27.01% in 2024, primarily due to declining sales prices of photovoltaic films [7] - The company has signed a long-term gas supply agreement with PetroChina for 9.69 billion cubic meters, enhancing its gas supply capabilities [7] Valuation Metrics - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is projected to be 12.69 for 2025, decreasing to 9.00 by 2027 [9] - The return on equity (ROE) is expected to stabilize around 9.36% for 2025 and increase to 10.74% by 2027 [9]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" with a target price not specified [5] Core Views - The company's revenue for 2024 is projected to be 9.033 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.62%, while the net profit attributable to shareholders is expected to reach 724 million yuan, up 33.01% year-on-year [1] - The company has a dividend payout ratio of 69.12% for 2024, which is an increase of 7.83 percentage points compared to the previous year [1] - The natural gas transmission volume has increased significantly, reaching 13.017 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 20.26% [2] - The gross margin for the long-distance pipeline segment improved to 19.77%, up 3.63 percentage points year-on-year, while the urban gas segment's gross margin decreased to 7.3%, down 1.17 percentage points [2] Financial Performance - The company's revenue for 2024 is expected to be 9.033 billion yuan, with a growth rate of 19.57% in 2025 and 10.58% in 2026 [4] - The net profit attributable to shareholders is forecasted to be 907.53 million yuan in 2025, with a growth rate of 25.36% [4] - Earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be 0.82 yuan in 2025, 0.92 yuan in 2026, and 1.00 yuan in 2027 [4] - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is expected to be 10.32 in 2025, 9.16 in 2026, and 8.39 in 2027 [4] Industry Context - The national long-distance natural gas pipeline construction is progressing rapidly, with over 4,000 kilometers expected to be completed in 2024 [3] - The company is accelerating the construction of pipelines within Shaanxi province to meet the increasing natural gas consumption [3]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy (Maintain)" [5] Core Views - The company has demonstrated strong pricing power, with special gases potentially offering surprises, and a dividend yield of 5.5% [10] - The company reported a revenue of 22.05 billion yuan for 2024, a year-on-year decrease of 17.01%, while the net profit attributable to shareholders increased by 28.93% to 1.684 billion yuan [1][10] - The company is actively expanding its clean energy business and has a robust asset advantage in energy operations and logistics [2][3] Revenue and Profitability - In Q4 2024, the company achieved a revenue of 4.999 billion yuan, down 28.86% year-on-year, with a net profit of 149 million yuan, a decrease of 14.78% [1] - For Q1 2025, the company reported a revenue of 5.484 billion yuan, down 13.41% year-on-year, and a net profit of 506 million yuan, up 5.40% [1] Business Segments - The special gases business saw rapid growth, with production and sales of 8,805 million cubic meters in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 66.5% [4] - The LNG business produced and sold 2.58 million tons in 2024, with a year-on-year increase of 11.1% in production and 12.8% in sales [10] - The LPG business experienced a slight decline, with production and sales of 1.85 million tons, down 3.5% and 3.7% respectively [10] Financial Metrics - The company plans to distribute a total cash dividend of 780 million yuan for 2024, which includes a special cash dividend of 30 million yuan, representing approximately 52% of the net profit attributable to shareholders [10] - The projected net profit for 2025-2027 is estimated at 1.78 billion, 1.99 billion, and 2.18 billion yuan respectively, with corresponding P/E ratios of 9.0X, 8.1X, and 7.4X [10][11]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" (maintained) [5] Core Views - The company's performance is under pressure due to a warm winter and impacts from the real estate sector, but the dividend logic is gradually being realized [5] - The company reported a revenue of HKD 102.68 billion for 2024, a year-on-year increase of 1.4%, and a net profit of HKD 4.09 billion, a decrease of 21.7% compared to the previous year, which was below market expectations [7] - The company plans to distribute a dividend of HKD 0.95 per share for 2024, with the cash dividend amounting to 52.71% of the net profit [7] Financial Performance Summary - Revenue projections for the company are as follows: - 2023: HKD 101.27 billion - 2024: HKD 102.68 billion - 2025E: HKD 105.54 billion - 2026E: HKD 108.01 billion - 2027E: HKD 110.57 billion - Net profit projections are as follows: - 2023: HKD 5.22 billion - 2024: HKD 4.09 billion - 2025E: HKD 4.72 billion - 2026E: HKD 5.51 billion - 2027E: HKD 6.19 billion - The company’s earnings per share (EPS) for 2025 is projected to be HKD 2.04, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14 [6][8] Operational Insights - Retail gas sales volume for 2024 is expected to reach 39.91 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 2.9%, with residential, industrial, and commercial sales volumes growing by 6.3%, 1.5%, and 3.8% respectively [7] - The company’s connection profit continues to shrink, with a reduction in new residential connections by 620,000 to 2.693 million, leading to a decline in connection business profits [7] - The company’s capital expenditure for 2024 is projected at HKD 4.42 billion, a decrease of HKD 3.47 billion year-on-year, contributing to an improvement in free cash flow [7] Future Outlook - The company is expected to see a rebound in performance as the real estate market stabilizes, with a focus on optimizing its gas sales business and improving profitability [7] - The long-term downward trend in gas prices is anticipated to enhance cost efficiency, with the company signing a 15-year LNG supply agreement starting in 2027 [7]

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for the company, indicating a focus on its core gas assets and a solid dividend logic [5][10]. Core Views - The company is positioned as a national leader in city gas, backed by China Resources Group, with a significant presence in first- and second-tier cities, enhancing its core asset attributes [9][17]. - The report anticipates a recovery in profit margins due to lower gas prices and improved sales pricing mechanisms, which are expected to support revenue growth [12][42]. - The company’s cash flow has significantly improved, with a notable increase in operating cash flow and a reduction in capital expenditures, indicating a strong potential for dividend growth [22][24]. Summary by Sections Market Performance - The closing price as of March 5, 2025, was HKD 26.10, with a market capitalization of HKD 60,395.74 million [3]. Financial Projections - The projected net profit for 2024-2026 is HKD 55.63 billion, HKD 61.72 billion, and HKD 67.65 billion respectively, with corresponding PE ratios of 11, 10, and 9 [6][10]. - The expected dividend yields for 2024-2026 are 4.6%, 5.1%, and 5.6% based on the current stock price [6][10]. Business Overview - The company operates 276 city gas projects, with a retail gas volume increasing from 1.371 billion cubic meters in 2008 to 38.784 billion cubic meters in 2023, maintaining a market share of 9.83% in 2023 [17][18]. - The revenue structure has shifted, with gas sales becoming the primary profit driver, accounting for 56.15% of tax-preferred profits in 2023 [18][20]. Cash Flow and Dividend Policy - The operating cash flow reached HKD 10.16 billion in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 133.4%, with a free cash flow of HKD 1.9 billion in the first half of 2024 [22][24]. - The dividend payout ratio has increased from 29.8% in 2016 to 50.3% in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 25.15% in dividends per share since 2008 [25][60]. Strategic Positioning - The company is strategically positioned in economically developed regions, benefiting from high population density and industrial clustering, which supports gas sales growth [38][40]. - The report highlights the potential for further market consolidation and growth in the city gas sector, driven by government policies promoting mergers and acquisitions [40][46]. Risk Management - The company has managed to reduce its reliance on connection profits, with a significant increase in comprehensive service and energy business profits, which helps mitigate risks associated with declining connection revenues [12][53].