Summary of Haidilao International Holding (6862.HK) Earnings Call Company Overview - **Company**: Haidilao International Holding - **Ticker**: 6862.HK - **Market Cap**: HK$82.9 billion / $10.6 billion - **Industry**: Restaurant and Food Service Key Financial Metrics - **1H25 Sales**: RMB 20.7 billion, a decline of 3.7% year-over-year (yoy) [1][4] - **Net Profit**: RMB 1.76 billion, a decline of 14% yoy, missing expectations by 8% [1][13] - **Recurring Net Income**: RMB 1.55 billion, a decline of 27% yoy [1][13] - **Interim Dividend**: HK$0.338 per share, with a payout ratio of 95% [1][14] - **Operating Income**: RMB 2.2 billion, with an operating profit margin (OPM) of 10.6%, missing expectations of 11.8% [11][16] Sales and Revenue Insights - **System Sales**: Declined by 6.5% yoy in 1H25 [3] - **Revenue from Haidilao Restaurants**: Below expectations due to a reduction in store count and lower per store sales [4] - **Delivery Revenue**: Increased due to the rapid growth of single-serving fast food business [4] - **Same-Store Sales Growth (SSSG)**: Overall group SSSG was -10% yoy, with variations across tiers [5] Operational Metrics - **Average Table Turn**: 3.8x in 1H25, down 10% from 4.2x in 1H24 [10] - **Store Count**: 1,322 stores, with 33 net closures in 1H25 [9] - **Average Selling Price (ASP)**: RMB 97.9 in 1H25, slightly up from previous periods [10] Cost and Margin Analysis - **Gross Profit Margin (GPM)**: Lower-than-expected due to increased labor and operational costs [1][11] - **Effective Tax Rate**: 33.2%, above expectations of 29% [13] - **Operating Expenses**: Increased in various categories, notably other expenses which rose by 23.4% yoy [16] Future Outlook and Strategic Focus - **Key Focus Areas for 2H25**: 1. Table turn trends and outlook 2. Pricing strategy and promotion trends 3. Margin outlook and potential for improvement 4. Store expansion plans, particularly for the Haidilao brand and new brands like Yanqing [2] 5. Progress on new brands and shareholder return plans [2] Investment Rating and Price Target - **Current Rating**: Neutral - **12-Month Price Target**: HK$15.30, with an upside of 2.8% from the current price of HK$14.88 [18][19] - **Key Risks**: Variability in table turn recovery, expansion speed, cost inflation, and food safety issues [18] Conclusion Haidilao International Holding has faced challenges in the first half of 2025, with declines in sales and net profit attributed to operational inefficiencies and increased costs. The company is focusing on strategic areas for improvement and expansion, while maintaining a stable dividend payout. The outlook remains cautious, with a neutral rating from analysts.