Core Viewpoint - The company's 1HFY25 performance met expectations, with revenue of 3.156 billion yuan and a net profit of 600 million yuan, reflecting year-on-year growth of 5.0% and 4.7% respectively [1] Performance Review - The company declared an interim dividend of 0.45 HKD per share, corresponding to a payout ratio of approximately 37% [1] - Revenue breakdown by channel for 1HFY25 showed a decline in direct sales by 7.7% to 1.117 billion yuan, while distribution and e-commerce channels grew by 14.2% and 11.9% to 1.437 billion yuan and 602 million yuan respectively [1] - The number of direct stores decreased by 24 to 491, while distribution stores increased by 126 to 1,614, indicating a strategic channel optimization [1] - Comparable store sales showed a modest increase of 0.1% year-on-year, indicating stability in sales performance [1] Brand Performance - Revenue from the mature brand JNBY increased by 3.6% to 1.760 billion yuan, demonstrating strong growth resilience [2] - The emerging brands saw significant growth, with revenue increasing by 147.3% to 194 million yuan, albeit from a low base [2] - Active membership accounts slightly declined to 540,000, attributed to reduced foot traffic, while high-value members (spending over 5,000 yuan) increased by 30,000 to over 330,000 [2] Cost and Profitability - The gross profit margin remained stable at 65.1%, while the selling expense ratio increased by 1.1 percentage points to 32.3% due to marketing activities for the brand's anniversary [2] - The management expense ratio rose by 0.4 percentage points to 8.6%, but government subsidies increased and the effective tax rate decreased, keeping the net profit margin stable at 19.0% [2] Development Trends - The company has been focusing on brand strength, successfully launching multiple "JNBY+" concept stores and investing in digital retail channels [2] - The company completed acquisitions of a children's clothing brand and a 100% stake in a department store brand, expanding its multi-brand portfolio [2] Earnings Forecast and Valuation - The earnings forecasts for FY25 and FY26 are maintained at 870 million yuan and 930 million yuan respectively, with the current stock price corresponding to 10 and 9 times the FY25 and FY26 earnings [3] - The target price has been raised by 16% to 20.00 HKD, reflecting an expected upside of 13% from the current stock price [3]

Core Insights - Jiangnan Buyi, a fashion brand, has expanded its brand matrix to include nine brands, achieving a revenue of 3.156 billion yuan with a year-on-year growth of 5.0% in the first half of the 2025 fiscal year [1][2] - The company faces challenges such as sales pressure and extended payment cycles, while its higher price point products are not considered essential by consumers [2][9] - Jiangnan Buyi is focusing on a complementary brand matrix strategy to mitigate single-brand dependency and enhance growth potential [5][10] Financial Performance - For the six months ending December 31, 2024, Jiangnan Buyi reported a net profit of 604 million yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 5.5% [1] - The revenue from the JNBY brand grew by 3.6% to 1.76 billion yuan, while non-JNBY brand revenue accounted for 44.2% of total revenue, with emerging brands seeing a 147.3% increase [5][7] Membership Strategy - Jiangnan Buyi's core members, approximately 30-40% of the total, contribute to 70-80% of the company's revenue, with 540,000 active members generating over 80% of retail sales [9][10] - The company has implemented a VIP system that allows members to enjoy shared benefits across its nine brands, enhancing customer loyalty [10][11] - Jiangnan Buyi is also exploring SVIP services, offering personalized styling advice to enhance customer engagement and sales opportunities [11][14] Marketing and Brand Development - The company has increased its marketing expenditure by 8.62% to 1.021 billion yuan, representing 32.3% of total revenue, which is seen as a necessary investment for brand enhancement [14] - Jiangnan Buyi is leveraging partnerships with various online platforms to track consumer behavior and optimize advertising strategies, achieving a return of 7 times on advertising spend [11][14]