8 December 2025 | 10:04PM HKT Equity Research China consumer staples: Beverage expert call: leaders to remain strong on new products/PoS expansion; Eastroc/Nongfu to maintain We hosted an investor call with a beverage industry expert on 8 Dec to discuss 2026 contract growth and competition dynamics across our covered beverage names. The expert's company carries key brands, including Nongfu, Wahaha, Eastroc, Tingyi and UPC etc across different regions with large scale (Rmb100mn+~Rmb300mn+ per brand). We note ...

Summary of Eastroc Beverage Earnings Review Company Overview - **Company**: Eastroc Beverage (605499.SS) - **Industry**: Beverage Industry Key Financial Performance - **1H25 Results**: Sales and Net Profit (NP) grew by **34%** and **31%** year-over-year (yoy) in Q2, aligning with preliminary results [1] - **Point of Sale (PoS) Coverage**: Guozhicha reached approximately **1.8 million** PoS, covering over **40%** of total PoS (around **4.2 million** as of end-Q2) [1] - **Refrigerator Installations**: Completed the full-year target of adding **80,000 to 100,000** refrigerators in the first half of 2025, increasing the installation base to around **400,000** from **300,000** at the end of 2024 [1] Growth Strategy - **Product Diversification**: Focus on energy drinks' regional expansion, particularly in northern China, and targeting new customer groups such as white-collar workers and students [1][6] - **Branding Investment**: Plans to maintain advertising and sponsorship for Bushuila and increase marketing for Guozhicha, supported by favorable sugar cost trends [1] - **International Expansion**: Targeting Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, with local plant site selection in progress [1] Market Dynamics - **Competition**: Management views heightened competition in the beverage market as normal and is confident in steady expansion of energy drinks [6] - **Regional Growth**: Northern China is identified as a growth engine with sales increasing by over **70%** yoy from a low base [6] New Product Development - **Guozhicha**: Significant growth potential noted since its launch in February, attributed to strong channel profitability and effective customer promotions [7] - **Capacity Expansion**: Plans to expand capacity at four existing factories to meet rising demand and improve distribution efficiency [7] Financial Projections - **Earnings Revisions**: Minor adjustments to topline estimates for 2025-2027, with a slight decrease in SG&A expense ratio estimates by approximately **1 percentage point** [7] - **Price Target**: Maintained at **Rmb 351**, with the stock trading at **33x/26x** 2025E/2026E P/E, reflecting a **28%** NP growth from 2024 to 2027 [12] Risks and Challenges - **Key Risks**: Include lower industry growth in energy drinks, competitive landscape deterioration, slower product ramp-up, potential capacity shortages, and rising raw material costs [13] Conclusion - **Investment Recommendation**: The company is rated as a "Buy" with a target price indicating a potential upside of **22.4%** from the current price [14]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating on Eastroc, Tingyi, CR Beverage, and Nongfu, with a preference for the beverage sector within staples due to growth potential and earnings visibility [9]. Core Insights - The beverage sector in China has shown a year-to-date rally of 19%, outperforming the MSCI China staples index, which increased by 8% [1]. - Despite rising competition, the sector is expected to sustain long-term volume growth and profit visibility into 2025, driven by a solid product cycle and cost benefits [9]. - Key debates in the beverage space include the impact of freshly made drinks (FMD) due to intensified food delivery subsidies, the ongoing product cycle, and margin resilience amid competition [1][2][8]. Summary by Sections Impact of Freshly Made Drinks (FMD) - FMD has seen a volume boost from delivery subsidies, with a potential short-term impact on ready-to-drink (RTD) soft drinks due to cannibalization [2]. - The analysis suggests a limited overall impact on the beverage industry, primarily affecting nearby soft drink points of sale (POS) [2]. - A scenario analysis indicates a potential low single-digit to mid-single-digit percentage impact on daily volume sold by RTD soft drinks, assuming a 50% cannibalization rate [19]. Product Cycle Dynamics - The product cycle remains a critical driver, with sugar-free drinks, new flavors, and sports/energy drinks gaining traction [3][39]. - New product launches, such as Eastroc's Ice Tea and UPC's sugar-free tea, are expected to contribute significantly to sales in 2025 [7][41]. - The focus on health and functional benefits continues to shape consumer preferences, leading to a rise in innovative beverage offerings [39][40]. Margin Resilience and Cost Benefits - The report highlights manageable impacts from competition risks, with cost benefits expected to continue into the second half of 2025 [8]. - Unit cost deflation is revised to 2.3% to 6.3% for the beverage segments, which is anticipated to offset potential declines in average selling prices (ASP) [8][64]. - Companies are adjusting promotional strategies and scaling down promotions for classic SKUs while benefiting from ASP hikes on larger pack beverages [64].

Investment Rating - The report indicates a preference for Beverage, followed by Pet Foods, Beer, and Dairy, with specific stock ideas highlighted for Eastroc, Tingyi/CR beverage, and Tsingtao-H [9][10]. Core Insights - The industry is experiencing a bumpy recovery in demand, particularly in the spirits, beer, and dairy sectors, with recent policy changes impacting consumption sentiment [1][3]. - Emerging channel shifts, such as instant shopping and discounter channels, are gaining traction, although their overall contribution to the staples universe remains small [1][8]. - Profitability resilience is supported by cost deflation and agile investment strategies, with companies focusing on margin visibility amid muted demand trends [1][9]. Demand Recovery - The demand recovery in Q2 has been lackluster, with notable declines in spirits and dairy products, while beer performance varies across brands [2][11]. - Retail performance has been conservative, with spirits and dairy showing year-over-year declines, particularly in the upper mid-end segments [2][11]. - The beverage sector shows solid volume momentum, although mixed performance is noted across brands [2][11]. Policy Impact - Recent policy tightening on alcohol consumption has created headwinds for spirits and beer companies, particularly affecting high-end catering and on-trade consumption [3][6][34]. - The government has implemented regulations prohibiting the serving of alcoholic drinks during working meals, impacting consumption sentiment during peak seasons [3][6][34]. Emerging Trends - There is a notable shift towards discounter channels and instant shopping platforms, with companies customizing products to meet rising demand [8][10]. - The pet food and beverage categories are experiencing positive product cycles, contributing to growth despite overall market challenges [7][41]. Pricing and Cost Trends - Pricing pressures persist across various sectors, with dairy and beverages introducing more value-for-money products in response to declining raw milk prices [12][36]. - Cost benefits from declining commodity prices are expected to support margin resilience across multiple sectors, including beer and dairy [7][12]. Company Performance - Companies like Yili and Mengniu are facing weak demand trends in UHT liquid milk, while fresh milk and chilled yogurt categories are performing better [38]. - CR Beer and Chongqing Brewery are focusing on in-home consumption and premiumization strategies to counteract weak on-trade demand [35][40]. - The pet food sector remains strong, with companies like China Pet expecting significant year-over-year growth driven by new product launches [41].