Core Viewpoint - Xtep International reported a 7.1% year-on-year increase in revenue to 6.84 billion yuan for 1H25, with a 21.5% rise in net profit to 910 million yuan, indicating strong performance driven by its running ecosystem and brand strategies [1][2]. Financial Performance - Revenue increased by 7.1% to 6.84 billion yuan, with net profit rising by 21.5% to 910 million yuan, and net profit margin improved by 1.6 percentage points to 13.4% [1]. - Core net profit, excluding K&P brand losses of 106 million yuan, grew by 6.4% year-on-year [1]. - The company declared an interim dividend of 0.18 HKD per share, with a payout ratio of 50% [1]. Brand and Product Strategy - The main brand focused on the mass market, continuously iterating products and accelerating direct-to-consumer (DTC) layout, while the Saucony brand targeted the high-end market [1][2]. - New products such as the 160X champion running shoes and 360X 2.0 carbon plate running shoes contributed to an increase in average selling price (ASP) in the running category [2]. - The main brand's online channel growth outpaced overall performance, with revenue from the main brand increasing by 4.5% to 6.05 billion yuan [1][2]. Operational Efficiency - The company’s gross margin slightly decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 45.0%, influenced by online promotional activities and a significant increase in low-margin apparel sales [2]. - Inventory turnover days increased by 23 days to 91 days, primarily due to preparations for the marathon season and Saucony's inventory needs [2]. - Net cash rose by 94.3% to 1.913 billion yuan, indicating significant improvement in cash levels [2]. Future Outlook - The main brand will launch a DTC model in 2H25, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and support long-term growth, with plans to open 100-200 DTC stores by 2025 and 300 by 2026 [3]. - Saucony plans to accelerate store openings in high-tier cities, with expectations to open 30-50 new stores in 2H25, expanding its apparel and lifestyle product lines [3]. - The company maintains profit forecasts for 2025-2027, with net profit expectations of 1.37 billion, 1.53 billion, and 1.71 billion yuan respectively, and adjusts the target price to 7.08 HKD [3].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company [6][5]. Core Views - The company reported a revenue increase of 7.1% year-on-year to 6.84 billion HKD and a net profit increase of 21.5% year-on-year to 0.91 billion HKD, with a net profit margin improvement of 1.6 percentage points to 13.4% [1][6]. - The company is focusing on the running ecosystem, iterating products for the mass market, and accelerating its direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy, which is expected to drive performance growth [1][4]. - The professional sports brand, Saucony, has seen over 30% revenue growth, benefiting from double-digit same-store sales growth and increased online and apparel sales [2][4]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - The company's gross margin decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 45.0%, with the main brand and professional sports brand gross margins at 43.6% and 55.2%, respectively [3]. - The overall net profit margin increased by 1.6 percentage points to 13.4%, partly due to losses from the K&P brand in the previous period and growth in other income sources [3]. Brand and Product Development - The main brand's revenue grew by 4.5% year-on-year to 6.05 billion HKD, with e-commerce achieving double-digit growth [2]. - New product launches, such as the 160X champion running shoes and 360X 2.0 carbon plate running shoes, have contributed to an increase in average selling price (ASP) for the running category [2]. Future Outlook - The company plans to upgrade its retail strategy in the second half of 2025 by launching the DTC model, aiming to enhance operational efficiency [4]. - Saucony is expected to accelerate its store openings in high-tier cities, with plans to open 30-50 new stores in 2025, which will likely boost store efficiency and operating profit margin [4]. Earnings Forecast and Valuation - The company maintains its net profit forecasts for 2025-2027 at 1.37 billion, 1.53 billion, and 1.71 billion HKD, respectively, with corresponding EPS of 0.49, 0.55, and 0.61 HKD [5][11]. - The target price has been adjusted upward by 7.6% to 7.08 HKD, reflecting a revised PE ratio of 13.3x for 2025 [5][11].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In 2023, total revenue grew by 10.9% to JPY 14.346 billion, marking a historical high [11] - Core Xtep brand revenue increased by 7.4% to JPY 11.947 billion, while new brands, including Saucony and Merrell, saw revenue growth of nearly 100% at almost JPY 800 million [12] - The group's profit reached a historical high of JPY 1.03 billion, up 11.8% year on year, with a net profit margin of 7.2% [13][17] - Inventory decreased significantly by 21.6% to JPY 1.794 billion, indicating improved inventory management [14][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The core Xtep brand achieved a retail sell-through growth of 20% year on year, with inventory turnover days at a healthy level of 4 to 4.5 months [6][10] - The Professional Sports segment, including Saucony and Merrell, reported nearly 100% revenue growth, with Saucony becoming the first profitable brand among the four brands [12][26] - The Athletia segment experienced a revenue growth of 14.3% [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the China region, Saucony's revenue growth exceeded 200%, reaching JPY 465 million [12] - The athleisure segment, including K Swiss and Palladium, saw a revenue growth of 14.3%, primarily driven by the Chinese market [27] - The gross margin for the athleisure segment improved from 37.6% to 44.8% due to increased direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to maintain its position as the number one running brand in China, focusing on product innovation and expanding its market segment [35][50] - The strategy includes leveraging synergies between core and new brands, with a focus on high-end markets for new brands [8][51] - The company plans to continue enhancing its offline store experience while expanding its online presence [50] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged that 2023 was a challenging year but expressed confidence in achieving considerable growth despite a difficult economic environment in 2024 [17][24] - The target for 2024 is a revenue growth of no less than 10%, with a focus on maintaining healthy inventory levels [18][24] - Management noted that the consumption situation remains uncertain, but they are prepared to react quickly to market changes [24] Other Important Information - The company has maintained a consistent dividend payout ratio of 50% since its listing in 2008 [15] - Operating cash net inflow grew by 1.2 times to JPY 1.255 billion, exceeding net profit [15] - The company has successfully remitted JPY 1 billion to Hong Kong for dividend payouts and debt repayment [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the growth prospects for Saucony and Merrell? - Management indicated that Saucony and Merrell are expected to achieve significant growth in 2024, with sales targets set at 30% to 40% growth [26] Question: How does the company plan to manage inventory levels? - The company emphasized the importance of maintaining healthy inventory levels and has successfully reduced inventory by 21.6% [14][21] Question: What are the expectations for the athleisure segment in 2024? - Management stated that while the athleisure segment will continue to incur losses, they will control the amount of loss to ensure it does not exceed previous years [30]