Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company [1] Core Insights - The main brand of the company shows stable performance, while the subsidiary brand, Saucony, continues its strong growth trend. The overall performance aligns with expectations, with the main brand achieving low single-digit growth for the year [6] - The company has successfully optimized its multi-brand matrix by divesting from fashion sports brands and focusing on core running business, which is expected to strengthen its competitive advantage in the running segment [6] Financial Data and Profit Forecast - Revenue projections for FY2023 to FY2027 are as follows: - FY2023: 143 billion RMB - FY2024: 136 billion RMB (down 5%) - FY2025E: 142.8 billion RMB (up 5%) - FY2026E: 151 billion RMB (up 6%) - FY2027E: 161 billion RMB (up 6%) [5] - Net profit forecasts for the same period are: - FY2023: 10.3 billion RMB - FY2024: 12.4 billion RMB (up 20%) - FY2025E: 13.7 billion RMB (up 11%) - FY2026E: 14.9 billion RMB (up 8%) - FY2027E: 16.0 billion RMB (up 8%) [5] - The earnings per share (EPS) is projected to increase from 0.41 RMB in FY2023 to 0.57 RMB in FY2027 [5] Sales Performance - The main brand's retail sales performance for Q4 2023 showed over 30% year-on-year growth, with a stable discount rate of 7-7.5 [10] - The company plans to open 20-30 new flagship stores in 2026 and has already opened around 30 outlet stores, with an average monthly sales performance exceeding 1 million RMB [6]

Core Viewpoint - After divesting KPGlobal, Xtep achieved record profits in the first half of 2025, with a revenue increase of 7.1% to 6.838 billion yuan and a net profit growth of 21.5% to 914 million yuan, but concerns remain regarding the sustainability of this growth [2][4]. Financial Performance - Xtep's revenue from continuing operations grew by 7.1% to 6.838 billion yuan, with operating profit increasing by 9.1% to 1.305 billion yuan, and net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders reached 914 million yuan, marking a 21.5% increase [4]. - The divestment of K-Swiss and Palladium brands contributed to the improved financial performance, as their losses were no longer included in the financial statements [4][5]. - The Saucony brand showed significant operational leverage, with an operating profit margin of 10% in the first half of 2025, compared to only 4% in the same period of 2024 [4]. Brand Performance - The main brand's revenue growth was only 4.5%, reaching 6.053 billion yuan, indicating a slowdown compared to previous years (6.6% in 2024 and over 10% in 2023) [8]. - Saucony, positioned as the "second growth curve," achieved a revenue increase of 32.5% to 785 million yuan, but this only accounted for 12% of total revenue, highlighting a scale shortfall [7]. - The main brand's reliance on footwear remains high, with over 60% of total revenue coming from shoe sales, indicating a need for greater product diversification [11]. Strategic Initiatives - Xtep plans to invest 400 million yuan to open 400 Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) stores, aiming to enhance retail control, although this may lead to short-term profit erosion and increased operational complexity [2][14]. - The DTC strategy is expected to foster deeper consumer engagement and brand loyalty in the long term, despite potential short-term negative impacts on profit margins [14][15]. - The company is transitioning from a reliance on agents to a DTC model, which will increase short-term costs and operational demands [13].