Core Viewpoint - The Shanghai Municipal Government has issued a set of measures aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency of the service industry and boosting consumption through 28 policy initiatives across seven areas, with a specific focus on the financial sector [1]. Financial Sector Initiatives - The measures encourage financial institutions to innovate and develop financial products tailored to new consumption trends, such as holiday, night, nostalgic, and anime economies, and to implement diverse card discount activities during consumption festivals [5]. - Personal consumption loan interest subsidy policies will be implemented, and the application process for auto loans will be optimized by relaxing conditions and reasonably determining loan issuance ratios, terms, and interest rates [5]. - The development of credit products for large consumer areas like green smart home decoration will be expanded, and mobile payment services will be enhanced [5]. - The measures promote the securitization of retail loans such as personal consumption and credit cards to revitalize existing credit stock [5]. Insurance Product Support - The government plans to upgrade existing inclusive insurance products and increase insurance coverage for specific groups and small micro-enterprises in the service industry [6]. - There will be an expansion of product offerings in travel, accident, and health insurance, along with efforts to synchronize medical insurance and commercial health insurance settlements in major hospitals [6]. - The development of third-pillar pension insurance will be encouraged, with a focus on creating diverse personal pension products and innovative commercial pension offerings [6]. Financial Support for Business Entities - The measures include utilizing policies like service consumption and pension refinancing, as well as government financing guarantees, to support various business entities with loans [6]. - Financial institutions are encouraged to innovate financing products based on expected revenue rights from service contracts and explore new financing models such as ticket revenue pledges [6]. - There will be an emphasis on expanding pledge financing for accounts receivable and intellectual property, as well as supply chain finance [6]. Infrastructure Financial Support - Financial institutions are encouraged to support key projects in the consumption sector, including the renovation of commercial facilities and community service centers, with favorable loan conditions [6]. - The issuance of real estate investment trusts (REITs) for consumption infrastructure will be supported, along with the application of local government special bonds for eligible projects [6]. Overall Strategy - The focus of the measures is on optimizing supply and expanding consumption simultaneously, aiming to cultivate new growth points in service supply and consumer demand to promote high-quality development in the service industry [7]. - The government emphasizes the importance of financial services in stimulating industry and activating consumption, with a growing demand for diverse financial services in wealth management and commercial insurance [7]. - Future efforts will prioritize the integration of service supply and consumer demand, enhancing digital, green, and intelligent consumption, and fostering a favorable environment for sustained consumption growth [7].

Financial Performance - Lexin reported a net profit margin of 2%, with a quarter-on-quarter increase of 9 basis points and a year-on-year increase of 92 basis points [1] - The company achieved a revenue of 3.42 billion yuan in Q3, with a Non-GAAP EBIT of 675 million yuan [3] - The transaction volume for Q3 was 50.89 billion yuan, with a managed loan balance of 101.84 billion yuan and a user base of 240 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 7.7% [3] Shareholder Returns - Lexin has prioritized shareholder returns, with dividends for the first half of the year already distributed in Q3 and an increase in the dividend payout ratio from 25% to 30% for the second half of the year [1] - The previously announced share repurchase and increase plan of 60 million USD has been executed for more than half [1] Strategic Focus - The CEO emphasized that with new regulations, the industry will develop in a healthier and more orderly direction, focusing on consumer scenarios, small and micro customer groups, and enhancing fintech investments [1] - The company is committed to improving its user-centered operating system, enhancing user experience, and consumer protection to maintain a competitive advantage [1] Technological Investment - Lexin continued to increase its technological investments in Q3, particularly in AI risk control and AI customer service, maintaining a leading position in these areas [1] - The introduction of the self-developed model LexinGPT has improved user demand recognition accuracy by over 20% [1] Asset Quality - The company reported a 90+ days delinquency rate that decreased by 15 basis points quarter-on-quarter and by 74 basis points year-on-year, indicating continued asset quality stability [3] - The ecosystem business, including installment e-commerce, personal consumption credit, inclusive finance, and digital technology, has enhanced collaborative capabilities to improve financial service accessibility and user experience [1]

Core Insights - The report indicates that inclusive finance business is expected to maintain steady growth, with the People's Bank of China releasing the "China Inclusive Finance Index Analysis Report (2024-2025)" [8][34] - As of June 2025, the balance of inclusive micro and small loans reached 36.09 trillion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 12.2%, which, although lower than the previous year, remains significantly higher than the general loan growth rate [8][34] - The report highlights that the proportion of inclusive micro and small credit loans is increasing, while the interest rates on these loans are declining [8][34] Industry Performance - The report notes that personal consumption loans, excluding housing loans, reached a balance of 21.29 trillion yuan by September 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 4.2% [8][34] - The report emphasizes that the implementation of special actions to boost consumption since 2025, including fiscal subsidies for personal consumption loans in key areas, is expected to sustain low but steady growth in consumption loans [8][34] Investment Recommendations - The report suggests that the issuance of policy financial tools is likely to boost bank credit demand, with regional banks expected to maintain resilient asset expansion [11][37] - It recommends focusing on state-owned banks for stable high dividend investment value, specifically mentioning Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China, as well as opportunities for valuation recovery in joint-stock and regional banks [11][37]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy-A" with a target price of 55 CNY for the next six months [5]. Core Insights - The company's revenue for 2024 showed a slight decline of 0.48% year-on-year, but the net profit attributable to shareholders increased by 1.22%, indicating a stable fundamental performance [1]. - In Q4 2024, the net profit attributable to shareholders grew by 7.64%, driven by asset expansion, growth in non-interest income, and cost reduction, despite some pressure from narrowing net interest margins and increased credit impairment provisions [1][12]. - The bank's strong deposit competitiveness is highlighted by a significant increase in deposits, with a year-on-year growth of 245.5 billion CNY in Q4 2024 [3][11]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - The bank's total revenue for 2024 was 337.49 billion CNY, with a slight decrease from the previous year. The net profit attributable to shareholders was 148.39 billion CNY, reflecting a growth rate of 1.22% [20]. - The bank's cost-to-income ratio improved to 38.77%, down by 3.68 percentage points year-on-year, indicating effective cost management [13][39]. Asset Quality - The non-performing loan (NPL) ratio remained stable at 0.93% as of Q4 2024, with slight fluctuations in various loan categories, showing resilience in asset quality [41]. - The bank's provision coverage ratio was reported at 411.98%, maintaining a strong buffer against potential credit losses [14]. Loan and Deposit Growth - The average daily balance of interest-earning assets increased by 8.76% year-on-year in Q4 2024, with significant contributions from bond investments and a recovery in credit issuance [2][23]. - Retail loans, particularly mortgage loans, saw a notable increase, with a growth of 32.5 billion CNY in Q4 2024, marking the best quarterly performance since Q3 2023 [2][17]. Non-Interest Income - Non-interest income showed signs of recovery, with a 53.6% year-on-year increase in other non-interest income in Q4 2024, driven by rising bond investment values [13]. - The bank's fee and commission income decreased by 4% year-on-year, but the decline was less severe compared to previous quarters, indicating a potential stabilization [12][36]. Market Position and Outlook - The bank's strong deposit base and competitive funding costs position it well for future asset growth, despite ongoing pressure on net interest margins [11][18]. - The outlook for 2025 anticipates a revenue growth of 0.61% and a net profit growth of 1.24%, supported by a recovering capital market and improved economic conditions [18][20].