Core Viewpoint - Huayuan Securities has initiated coverage on ZTE Corporation (00763), recognizing it as the fourth largest telecommunications equipment supplier globally, with a stable operator network business and a promising second growth curve from computing and terminal businesses, assigning a "Buy" rating [1] Business Segments - **Connection Business**: The operator network business remains stable, achieving a gross margin of 52.94% in H1 2025, serving as a significant cash flow source. The company is proactively advancing 5G-A technology and promoting the deployment of 400G optical networks [2] - **Computing Business**: The emergence of AI large models has generated substantial demand for computing power. The company is seizing this opportunity by expanding its computing infrastructure-related business, which includes servers, storage, switches, and data center products. In H1 2025, revenue from the government and enterprise sector doubled, making it a core growth driver for the company [2] - **Terminal Business**: The company adheres to the "AI for All" philosophy, continuously expanding the application of AI technology in terminal devices, particularly in the smartphone sector. In H1 2025, the company launched the world's first full-size AI smartphone, Nubia Z70 Ultra, which is expected to enhance user experience and increase the shipment volume of AI terminal products [2]

Core Viewpoint - Huayuan Securities has initiated coverage on ZTE Corporation (00763), recognizing it as the fourth largest telecommunications equipment supplier globally, with a stable operator network business and a promising second growth curve from computing and terminal businesses, assigning a "Buy" rating [1] Business Segments - **Connection Business**: The operator network business remains solid, achieving a gross margin of 52.94% in H1 2025, serving as a significant cash flow source. The company is also advancing in 5G-A technology and promoting the deployment of 400G optical networks [2] - **Computing Business**: The emergence of AI large models has created substantial demand for computing power. The company is seizing this opportunity by expanding its computing infrastructure-related business, which includes servers, storage, switches, and data center products. In H1 2025, revenue from the government and enterprise sector doubled, making it a core growth driver [2] - **Terminal Business**: The company is implementing the "AI for All" concept, continuously expanding AI technology applications in terminal devices, particularly in the smartphone sector. In H1 2025, the company launched the world's first full-size AI smartphone, Nubia Z70 Ultra, which is expected to enhance user experience and increase AI terminal product shipments [2]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" (首次) [6] Core Views - The company is expected to benefit from the AI trend, with its computing and terminal businesses likely to initiate a new growth phase [6] - The company has a solid market position, ranking fourth globally and second domestically in the telecommunications equipment market, with an 11% market share [8] - The company is transitioning towards a "connectivity + computing" model, with significant growth in its enterprise business, particularly in server and storage products [8] Financial Performance Summary - Revenue projections for the company are as follows: - 2023: 124,251 million RMB - 2024: 121,299 million RMB - 2025E: 138,475 million RMB - 2026E: 156,636 million RMB - 2027E: 174,408 million RMB - The expected growth rates for revenue are: - 2024: -2.38% - 2025E: 14.16% - 2026E: 13.11% - 2027E: 11.35% [7] - The projected net profit attributable to the parent company is: - 2023: 9,326 million RMB - 2024: 8,425 million RMB - 2025E: 8,380 million RMB - 2026E: 8,937 million RMB - 2027E: 10,379 million RMB - The expected growth rates for net profit are: - 2024: -9.66% - 2025E: -0.54% - 2026E: 6.65% - 2027E: 16.14% [7] - The company’s earnings per share (EPS) projections are: - 2024: 1.76 RMB - 2025E: 1.75 RMB - 2026E: 1.87 RMB - 2027E: 2.17 RMB [7] Business Segments - The company is focusing on three main business areas: operator networks, government and enterprise business, and consumer products [8] - The operator network business has a stable foundation, with a gross margin of 52.94% in the first half of 2025, serving as a significant cash flow source [8] - The enterprise business has seen a doubling in revenue, driven by increased investment in computing infrastructure by domestic and international clients [8] - The terminal business is expanding with the introduction of AI technology in devices, including the launch of the Nubia Z70 Ultra, the world's first AI phone with embedded DeepSeek-R1 [8] Valuation and Comparables - The projected net profits for 2025-2027 are 83.80 billion RMB, 89.37 billion RMB, and 103.79 billion RMB, respectively [8] - The current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios are projected to be 17.57, 16.45, and 14.17 for 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively [8] - Comparable companies' average P/E for 2025 is 45.40 [8]

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for the company, marking its first coverage, with expectations of growth driven by AI and computing power initiatives [5][8]. Core Insights - The company is positioned as a global leader in integrated information and communication technology solutions, with a stable market share in the telecommunications equipment sector [7][11]. - The company is transitioning towards a "connectivity + computing power" model, capitalizing on the demand for AI infrastructure and services [11][60]. - The report highlights the company's strong performance in the first half of 2025, with revenue reaching 71.55 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.51%, driven by significant growth in its government and enterprise business [7][26]. Summary by Sections Market Performance - The company's closing price is 45.80 yuan, with a total market capitalization of approximately 219.09 billion yuan [3]. Financial Forecast and Valuation - Projected revenues for 2023 to 2027 show a slight decline in 2024, followed by a recovery with expected growth rates of 14.16%, 13.11%, and 11.35% in subsequent years [6][63]. - The estimated net profit for 2025 is 8.38 billion yuan, with a corresponding PE ratio of 26.14 [6][63]. Business Segments - The company operates in three main segments: operator networks, government and enterprise, and consumer business, with a focus on enhancing its AI capabilities across these areas [18][60]. - The operator network business remains a cash cow with a gross margin of 52.94%, while the government and enterprise segment is experiencing rapid growth, with a projected revenue increase of 80% in 2025 [28][60]. Strategic Initiatives - The company is investing heavily in R&D, with a cumulative expenditure of 117.07 billion yuan from 2019 to 2024, focusing on servers, switches, terminals, and chips [28][60]. - The introduction of self-developed chips, including the "Zhu Feng" series CPU and "Ding Hai" DPU, is expected to enhance the company's competitive edge in AI and computing power [54][57]. Competitive Position - The company ranks fourth globally in the telecommunications equipment market, with a market share of 11% in 2023, indicating a solid competitive position [7][11]. - The report compares the company's valuation favorably against peers, with a 2025 PE average of 39.58 for comparable companies [8][64].