Investment Rating - The report gives China Ping An a "Buy" rating with a target price of 61.61 CNY per share, indicating a potential upside of 20.4% from the current price of 51.18 CNY as of May 7, 2025 [4]. Core Views - China Ping An is a leading insurance company in China with strong resilience in its business operations, being one of the most comprehensive financial groups with a complete range of financial licenses [1][12]. - The life insurance segment is expected to contribute over 70% of net profit by the end of 2024, driven by ongoing reforms and improvements in business quality [2]. - The property insurance segment shows resilience despite challenges, with a projected improvement in overall profitability due to better cost management [3]. Summary by Sections 1. Company Overview - China Ping An was established in 1988 and is the first joint-stock insurance company in China, with a wide range of financial services including insurance, banking, and asset management [1][12]. - The company has a diversified ownership structure with no controlling shareholder, reflecting a market-oriented governance model [15][16]. 2. Life Insurance - The life insurance and health insurance business is experiencing steady growth, with premium income rebounding post-pandemic, showing a 10.85% increase in 2023 [28]. - The company is focusing on high-quality transformation and has seen significant improvements in new business value, with a new business value rate of 26% in 2024, up 7.3 percentage points year-on-year [38]. - The total premium income from life insurance products reached 2,099 billion CNY in 2024, a 28.4% increase, with traditional life insurance contributing the most [33]. 3. Property Insurance - The property insurance segment, particularly auto insurance, remains a key revenue driver, with total premium income reaching 3,218 billion CNY in 2024, a 6.5% increase [42]. - The auto insurance business has shown resilience, recovering from a decline in 2021, with premium income of 2,233 billion CNY in 2024, up 4.4% [47]. - Non-auto insurance business is also improving, with premium income growing by 11.6% to 985 billion CNY in 2024 [42]. 4. Financial Performance - As of Q1 2025, the total assets and net assets of China Ping An were 13.18 trillion CNY and 1.3 trillion CNY, respectively, maintaining the top position in the industry [21]. - The company reported a significant increase in net profit for 2024, benefiting from a recovery in capital markets, with a year-on-year growth of 47.8% to 126.6 billion CNY [21].

Core Viewpoint - The personal marketing system reform in the life insurance industry has become a focal point, driven by the recent notice from the National Financial Regulatory Administration, indicating a significant transformation in the industry [1][2]. Group 1: Industry Changes - The traditional individual insurance marketing model is no longer suitable for today's Chinese life insurance market, which is transitioning from acquiring new customers to deepening engagement with existing customers [1][2]. - The individual insurance channel, once a backbone of growth, is facing unprecedented challenges due to economic cycles, structural issues, and tightening regulations [1][2]. - The shift from a quantity-focused approach to a quality-focused approach is evident, with regulatory changes emphasizing the need for professionalization and compliance in the insurance sales process [2][3]. Group 2: Product and Sales Dynamics - The decline in the guaranteed interest rate for traditional life insurance products has diminished their attractiveness, leading to a shift towards more complex products like annuities and dividend policies, which are harder to sell [3][4]. - The introduction of the "reporting and operation integration" mechanism aims to align product pricing assumptions with actual costs, reducing short-term arbitrage opportunities and increasing compliance requirements for sales agents [3][4]. - The insurance sales landscape is evolving from merely selling policies to providing comprehensive solutions that cover the entire lifecycle of clients, necessitating a more professional sales force [4][5]. Group 3: Marketing Model Transformation - The regulatory notice calls for a transformation of insurance sales personnel from traditional sales roles to professional insurance consultants, focusing on long-term client relationships and needs [5][6]. - Leading companies like China Life and Taikang Life are actively promoting initiatives to cultivate high-performing, professional agents capable of wealth management and risk assessment [5][6]. - Taikang's HWP model integrates insurance consulting, medical care, and financial planning, addressing the needs of high-net-worth clients and moving away from traditional sales methods [6][7]. Group 4: Channel Competition and Growth - The reform of the individual insurance channel is reshaping the competitive landscape, with banks and intermediaries also undergoing regulatory changes [8][9]. - The bank insurance channel is experiencing rapid growth, with significant increases in premium income, indicating a shift towards a more sustainable and value-driven approach [9][10]. - Smaller insurance companies and intermediaries are expected to gain market share as they leverage their competitive advantages in providing personalized and differentiated services [10][11]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The ongoing reform in the individual insurance marketing system is expected to optimize the industry ecosystem in the long term, despite short-term challenges [11][12]. - Companies that successfully implement professionalization and provide high-quality services are likely to emerge as winners in the evolving market landscape [11][12].