Summary of Conference Call Notes Industry Overview - The conference call discusses the dairy products, seasoning, and frozen food industries, focusing on the performance of major companies like Yili and Mengniu, as well as market trends and challenges faced by various brands. Key Points on Dairy Products - The overall dairy market is expected to stabilize in 2025, with Yili outperforming Mengniu. Mengniu's ambient liquid milk has seen a significant decline, but product innovation and channel optimization may lead to growth [1][4]. - Dairy product terminal prices are gradually stabilizing from the second half of 2024, while upstream raw milk prices continue to decline, resulting in a decrease in net profits for distributors, with about one-third currently operating at a loss [1][17]. - The demand for liquid milk is declining, primarily due to reduced gifting and everyday consumption, particularly among low-income consumers [10][18]. - Mengniu's ambient liquid milk sales have declined by approximately 14% to 15% year-on-year, while Yili's decline is around 3% [5][12]. - The dairy industry is experiencing a cyclical downturn, but a rebound is expected in 2026, particularly for high-end products [9][19]. Key Points on Seasoning Market - The seasoning market is overall sluggish in 2025, with many brands failing to meet growth targets. The hot pot base market share is declining, while compound seasoning's share is increasing, but total sales are still in negative growth [1][22]. - Yihai International's hot pot base has declined due to overall industry downturn and competition from private label products, necessitating product innovation and expansion into B-end business [1][23]. - The online and offline price chaos has impacted the market, with a 10% decrease in offline prices compared to 2024 [25][26]. Key Points on Frozen Food Market - The frozen food market has shown signs of recovery in 2025, particularly in October, driven by the sales of hot pot balls. C-end growth is outperforming B-end growth [3][49]. - The overall sales of frozen food have increased by approximately 3% from January to October 2025, with significant growth in products like dumplings and wontons [37][50]. - The sales recovery in the fourth quarter is attributed to inventory clearance and promotional activities [38][39]. Additional Insights - The restaurant industry is witnessing a closure trend, particularly among large stores in shopping malls, but there is potential for recovery in 2026, which may boost hot pot base sales [1][33]. - The performance of brands like Tianwei is hindered by weak channel price control and uneven regional development, resulting in negative growth [30][31]. - The competitive landscape is shifting, with smaller brands struggling to survive due to financial pressures and market competition [56]. Conclusion - The dairy, seasoning, and frozen food industries are navigating a challenging environment with varying performance across different segments. While there are signs of stabilization and potential growth in certain areas, companies must focus on innovation, channel management, and adapting to changing consumer behaviors to capitalize on future opportunities.

Summary of Yili Co., Ltd. Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Yili Co., Ltd. - **Industry**: Dairy Products Key Points and Arguments Financial Performance - Yili expects positive revenue growth for the entire year of 2025, despite a potential decline in liquid milk business in Q4 due to the Spring Festival mismatch. However, milk powder, cheese, and ice cream businesses are projected to achieve double-digit growth [2][5] - For the first three quarters of 2025, total revenue reached 90.564 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.7%. Net profit, excluding non-recurring gains and losses, was 10.103 billion yuan, up 18.7%, marking the highest level for the same period in history [3][5] - The liquid milk business saw a decline of approximately 9% in revenue in Q3 2025, primarily due to adjustments in sales volume and product structure [6] Business Strategy - The company is diversifying its product matrix, moving away from reliance on single blockbuster products to a broader range of offerings, particularly in dairy beverages [2][7] - Yili is actively exploring new channels such as membership stores, snack discount stores, and ready-to-eat retail, launching customized products to capture growth opportunities [2][8] - The company is upgrading its value chain and operational systems in the liquid milk business, aiming for a return to stable growth as consumer confidence stabilizes and industry supply-demand improves [9][10] Market Trends and Challenges - The raw milk processing sector is improving, with expectations of a rebound in raw milk prices next year, enhancing the competitive advantage of leading companies [4][10] - The overall industry is facing intense competition due to a relatively abundant supply of raw milk, prompting Yili to focus on maintaining a healthy industry ecosystem and enhancing operational efficiency [11] Product Development - Yili's infant formula business has continued its double-digit growth trend, supported by brand development, product innovation, and channel construction, with a market share increase of 1.1 percentage points for its premium formula [4][14] - The company is also focusing on high-end functional products in the adult nutrition segment, with plans to expand into rare milk sources like goat and camel milk [24] Future Outlook - Yili anticipates a double-digit growth for the entire year, with specific growth in high-value-added products such as cream, butter, and whey protein [12][24] - The company plans to maintain a dividend payout ratio of no less than 70% in the coming years, with flexibility in returning profits to shareholders through cash dividends and share buybacks [25] Non-Dairy Business - Yili is exploring non-dairy products, with initial success in bottled water and tea beverages, aiming to scale these categories over the next five years [27] Additional Important Information - The company is leveraging digital transformation and innovative marketing strategies to enhance consumer engagement and brand influence [11][13] - Yili's international market experience has led to significant growth, particularly in Southeast Asia, with plans to replicate successful strategies in other high-potential markets [13] This summary encapsulates the key insights from Yili Co., Ltd.'s conference call, highlighting its financial performance, strategic initiatives, market challenges, and future outlook in the dairy industry.

Group 1 - The Chinese dairy market is in a recovery phase as of mid-2025, with major companies like Yili, Mengniu, and China Feihe leading in market capitalization [1] - Among the top five companies, four have revenues exceeding 10 billion yuan, with Yili at 61.3 billion yuan and Mengniu at 41.6 billion yuan [2] - Most companies have experienced a decline in revenue and net profit, with China Feihe's revenue down by 9.98% and net profit down by 46.66% [3][4] Group 2 - The overall market is facing pressure, particularly in the ambient liquid milk segment, as consumer preferences shift towards fresh products [5][6] - Price competition is intensifying, with smaller regional companies capturing market share from larger brands [7][8] - Despite revenue declines in liquid milk, some brands like New Dairy have seen growth in high-end product lines, indicating a shift in consumer demand [11] Group 3 - The dairy industry is experiencing a shift towards low-temperature fresh milk, which is gaining popularity over traditional ambient milk [16][20] - Companies are diversifying their product offerings to reduce reliance on liquid milk, with Yili and Mengniu seeing a decrease in the proportion of liquid milk revenue [14][15] - The infant formula segment is becoming increasingly competitive, with Yili and Feihe both claiming the top market share, although their statistics differ [23][24] Group 4 - Government policies, such as child-rearing subsidies, are stimulating demand for infant formula, contributing to revenue growth for several companies [27][28] - High-end infant formula products are gaining traction, with parents willing to spend more on quality, driving market prices upward [30] - Companies are increasingly focusing on B2B markets, with significant growth potential in sectors like food service and coffee [31][32] Group 5 - Major dairy companies are forming strategic partnerships with coffee and tea brands to enhance product sales, indicating a shift towards B2B collaborations [37][40] - The B2B market for dairy products, particularly high-end cream and cheese, is becoming a new growth engine for the industry [40]

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for the company for the first time [1]. Core Views - The company is expected to improve its profitability despite the impact of goodwill impairment on profits [1]. - The revenue and operating profit for 2024 are projected to be CNY 886.75 billion and CNY 72.57 billion, respectively, reflecting a year-on-year change of -10.1% and +17.6% [5]. - The adjusted net profit attributable to the parent company is expected to be CNY 44.35 billion, showing a year-on-year decrease of 7.8% [5]. - The company continues to optimize its product structure, leading to an effective increase in gross margin, with gross margin and operating profit margin for 2024 at 39.6% and 8.2%, respectively, up by 2.4 and 1.9 percentage points year-on-year [5]. Summary by Sections Product Performance - The company has seen stable development in ambient liquid milk, while low-temperature yogurt has performed well [6]. - Revenue from liquid milk and ice cream for 2024 is expected to be CNY 730.66 billion and CNY 51.75 billion, respectively, with year-on-year changes of -11.0% and -14.1% [6]. - The company is expanding its lactose-free product line and enhancing its brand presence in the baking and tea beverage sectors [6]. Business Segments - The milk powder business is recovering, with revenue expected to be CNY 33.20 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 12.7% [7]. - The cheese business has been successfully integrated, leading to significant improvements in profitability [7]. - The company is actively expanding its overseas business, maintaining a leading position in markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines [9]. Financial Forecast - The company anticipates revenue growth from 2025 to 2027, with projected revenues of CNY 900.16 billion, CNY 921.34 billion, and CNY 943.07 billion, respectively [10]. - Earnings per share (EPS) are expected to increase from CNY 1.32 in 2025 to CNY 1.63 in 2027, with corresponding price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios of 14, 13, and 11 times [10]. - The report highlights that there is room for product structure optimization across different categories, and a decrease in management expense ratio is expected to offset some of the increase in sales expense ratio [10].

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" investment rating for the company [1] Core Views - The company experienced a revenue of 886.75 billion and an operating profit of 72.57 billion in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year change of -10.1% in revenue and +17.6% in operating profit [5] - The adjusted net profit attributable to the parent company for 2024 was 44.35 billion, showing a year-on-year decrease of 7.8% [5] - The company has optimized its product structure, leading to an increase in gross margin to 39.6%, up by 2.4 percentage points year-on-year [5] - The company plans to enhance its profitability and expects revenue growth from 900.16 billion in 2025 to 943.07 billion in 2027, with corresponding EPS increasing from 1.32 to 1.63 [10] Summary by Sections Revenue and Profitability - The company reported a revenue of 886.75 billion and an operating profit of 72.57 billion for 2024, with a revenue decline of 10.1% and an operating profit increase of 17.6% year-on-year [5] - The adjusted net profit attributable to the parent company was 44.35 billion, down 7.8% year-on-year [5] - The gross margin improved to 39.6%, an increase of 2.4 percentage points, while the operating profit margin reached 8.2%, up by 1.9 percentage points [5] Product Performance - The company’s liquid milk and ice cream revenue for 2024 was 730.66 billion and 51.75 billion, respectively, with year-on-year declines of 11.0% and 14.1% [6] - The company is focusing on expanding its lactose-free product line and enhancing its high-end fresh milk market share [6] - The milk powder business showed strong growth, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, driven by the success of its infant formula brand [7] Future Outlook - The company is expected to achieve revenue growth from 900.16 billion in 2025 to 943.07 billion in 2027, with EPS projected to rise from 1.32 to 1.63 [10] - The report anticipates a gradual improvement in profitability, with a focus on optimizing product structures and managing costs effectively [10]