Summary of Anhui Conch Cement (0914.HK) Earnings Review Company Overview - **Company**: Anhui Conch Cement - **Stock Codes**: 0914.HK (Hong Kong), 600585.SS (Shanghai) - **Market Cap**: HK$126.8 billion / $16.3 billion - **Industry**: Basic Materials, specifically Cement Production Key Financial Highlights - **1H25 Net Profit**: Rmb4.6 billion, EPS of Rmb0.874/share, up 33% YoY [1] - **Recurring Net Profit**: Rmb5.1 billion, up 32% YoY, excluding one-offs [1] - **Interim Dividend**: Proposed Rmb0.24/share, 27% payout ratio, compared to nil in previous interims [1] - **Sales Volume**: 126 million tons of self-produced cement, flat YoY, outperforming national market decline of -4.3% [23] - **Gross Profit from Cement**: Increased by 34% YoY, driven by higher unit profit in domestic and overseas markets [23] Earnings Estimates and Projections - **2025E Recurring Earnings**: Revised down by 13% due to persistent low cement margins in China [2] - **2026E and 2027E Earnings Growth**: Expected growth of 34% and 3% respectively [2] - **Price Target**: Revised to HK$31.00 / Rmb32.00, implying a 2026E P/E of 10.4x [2] - **Free Cash Flow (FCF)**: Expected to be Rmb6.7-12.7 billion in 2025-26E, with a FCF yield of 5.5-10.5% [22] Operational Insights - **Cement Operations**: Contributed 84% of total gross profit, with improved overseas margins from pricing recovery in Uzbekistan and Cambodia [23] - **Aggregate and RMC Operations**: Gross profit above expectations, with RMC sales up 3% YoY [24] - **Cost Management**: Total SG&A better than expected due to lower administrative costs [25] - **Cash Flow**: Operating cash flow increased by 21% YoY in 1H25A, with slight improvements in working capital management [26] Market and Industry Outlook - **Cement Pricing**: Expected to improve in 2026E and 2027E due to industry control on unauthorized capacity [2][38] - **Risks**: 1. Weaker-than-expected property and infrastructure demand affecting utilization and pricing [40] 2. Slower exit from unauthorized cement capacity leading to depressed prices [40] 3. Increased competition and potential new production lines affecting market share [40] 4. Rising raw material costs impacting margins [40] Valuation Metrics - **P/E Ratios**: 2025E at 11.4x, 2026E at 7.9x [13] - **P/B Ratios**: 2025E at 0.6x, 2026E at 0.6x [13] - **Dividend Yield**: Expected to be 4.3% in 2025E and 6.5% in 2026E [22] Conclusion - **Investment Recommendation**: Maintain Buy rating on Anhui Conch Cement, with an attractive risk-reward profile based on potential margin improvements and strong cash flow generation [2][38]