Core Viewpoint - Chow Tai Fook (01929) reported a 1.9% year-on-year decline in retail value for the first quarter ending June 30, 2025, with mainland China experiencing a 3.3% drop, while Hong Kong, Macau, and other markets saw a 7.8% increase [1]. Group 1 - The same-store sales performance in major markets continued to improve compared to previous quarters, driven by the growth of priced products and a low base effect [1]. - In mainland China, the same-store sales decline narrowed to 3.3% for direct stores, while franchise stores remained flat [1]. - Same-store sales in Hong Kong and Macau increased by 2.2% year-on-year, with Hong Kong up 0.2% and Macau up 9.5% [1]. Group 2 - The average selling price of gold products remained strong, with mainland China's average price rising to HKD 6,900 (from HKD 6,100 in Q1 FY2025), and Hong Kong and Macau's average price increasing to HKD 10,400 (from HKD 9,000 in Q1 FY2025) [1]. - The sales decline for jewelry, platinum, and K-gold in mainland China significantly narrowed due to strong sales of the company's signature products [1]. - The average selling price for jewelry in mainland China rose to HKD 9,600 (from HKD 8,500 in Q1 FY2025), while the average price in Hong Kong and Macau was HKD 15,900 (down from HKD 16,400 in Q1 FY2025) [1]. Group 3 - The company continued to close underperforming stores while selectively opening new, more productive locations [2]. - A net closure of 311 Chow Tai Fook jewelry retail points occurred in mainland China, while a net addition of 1 retail point was made in Hong Kong and Macau [2].

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" with a 6-month outlook maintained [5] Core Insights - Consumer demand for finely crafted and emotionally connected gold products remains strong despite external macroeconomic factors and high gold prices impacting consumer sentiment [1][3] - The company has successfully implemented product optimization measures, leading to a strong growth momentum in priced products and effective marketing activities during the Lunar New Year, which helped narrow the decline in same-store sales [1][2] - The average selling price of gold products in mainland China increased to HKD 6,400 in FY25Q4 from HKD 5,600 in FY24Q4, indicating resilience in pricing [2] - The company opened two new fashion stores in mainland China, bringing the total to five for the fiscal year, which achieved higher productivity than the average same-store performance shortly after opening [2][9] - The retail value contribution from jewelry embedded with diamonds and other gemstones showed a significant recovery, with a 2.4% year-on-year increase in FY25Q4 [3] Summary by Sections Retail Performance - For FY25Q4, the company's retail value decreased by 11.6%, with mainland China contributing a 10.4% decline, accounting for 89.6% of total sales [1] - Same-store sales in mainland China fell by 13.2%, with a 25.2% drop in same-store volume [1] - The decline in same-store sales in Hong Kong and Macau was 22.5%, influenced by changing consumer preferences and travel patterns [1] Product Categories - The retail value of jewelry embedded with diamonds and other gemstones increased, with the average selling price for jewelry embedded in mainland China soaring to HKD 10,900 from HKD 8,000 in the previous year [2] - The share of priced products in the gold jewelry category rose significantly from 9.4% to 25.6% year-on-year, supporting the group's gross margin resilience [3] Network Optimization - The company focused on improving profitability and maintaining resilience, optimizing its retail network by closing 395 stores in mainland China [4] - Despite the net store closures, the strategic opening of higher-efficiency new stores helped mitigate the impact on market leadership [9]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Strong Buy" rating for Chow Tai Fook [4] Core Views - The overall retail value for FY25Q4 decreased by 11.6% year-on-year, with a 10.4% decline in mainland China retail value. Same-store sales in mainland China dropped by 13.2%, with specific declines in jewelry and gold products [1][7] - The company has seen a narrowing decline in retail values, with notable performance from the "Chuanfu" and "Palace Museum" series, achieving sales of 4 billion HKD each for the fiscal year [1][7] - The company is focusing on channel optimization and improving profitability, with a total of 6,423 stores at the end of FY25, having closed 892 stores during the year [1][7] Financial Data and Valuation - Projected total revenue for FY2025 is 90.375 billion HKD, with a year-on-year decline of 17%. Expected net profit for FY2025 is 5.547 billion HKD, reflecting a 15% decrease [3][11] - The current market capitalization is 90 billion HKD, with a PE ratio of 15X for FY26 [4][12] - The company’s return on equity (ROE) is reported at 25.6% [4] Store Performance - Same-store sales in mainland China for FY25Q4 saw a decline of 13.2%, with a notable 22.5% drop in Hong Kong and Macau [1][7] - The company has opened new fashion stores in Shanghai and Wuhan, which have performed above average in their initial months [1][7] Product Performance - Retail value for jewelry and platinum products in mainland China increased by 2.4% year-on-year, while gold product sales saw a decline of 12.3% [1][7] - The proportion of priced products in the gold category increased significantly from 9.4% in FY24Q4 to 25.6% in FY25Q4, supporting the resilience of the group's gross margin [1][7]

Core Viewpoint - Chow Tai Fook's retail value experienced a decline in the fourth quarter, influenced by external macroeconomic factors and high gold prices, with a notable drop in sales across various markets [1][2] Group 1: Retail Performance - The group's retail value for the quarter ending March 31, 2025, decreased by 11.6% year-on-year, with mainland China down 10.4% and Hong Kong, Macau, and other markets down 20.7% [1] - Same-store sales in mainland China fell by 13.2% for direct stores and 8.7% for franchise stores, while Hong Kong and Macau saw a similar trend with a 22.5% decline in same-store sales [1] - The average selling price of gold jewelry remained resilient, increasing to HKD 6,400 in mainland China and HKD 8,600 in Hong Kong and Macau [1] Group 2: Product and Market Insights - Despite a challenging macro environment, strong sales of gold-inlaid diamond and other gemstone products led to a significant narrowing of the same-store sales decline for jewelry in mainland China [2] - The average selling price of jewelry in mainland China surged to HKD 10,900, while Hong Kong and Macau reached HKD 16,000 [2] - The company optimized its retail network by closing 395 retail points in mainland China and opening one in Hong Kong and Macau, while also closing three points in Japan and Vietnam [2]