Core Viewpoint - The report from Dongfang Securities indicates that Huayuan Bio achieved a net profit attributable to shareholders of 162 million yuan in the first half of the year, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.67%, with a non-recurring net profit of 150 million yuan, up 37.36% year-on-year, primarily due to effective cost control [1] Financial Performance - The company's performance is closely linked to vitamin prices, which saw a rapid increase starting from the second half of last year, although there was a slight decline in vitamin prices in the latter half of 2025 [1] - Despite the stable growth in revenue expected for the year, the profit performance remains promising due to cost control and business structure [1] Strategic Development - The "one vertical and one horizontal" strategy is showing positive effects, indicating a favorable long-term development outlook for the company [1] - The company is the only global producer with a full industrial chain for VD3, holding a 70% market share in NF-grade cholesterol, the only legal raw material for VD3 production [1] Cost and Margin Analysis - In the context of declining VD3 prices, the company maintains a cost advantage, with a gross margin of 62.99% for vitamin products in the first half of 2025, an increase of 8.12 percentage points year-on-year [1] Production Capacity and Future Projects - The annual production project for 6,000 tons of VA powder has been completed, while projects for 5,000 tons of VB6 and 200 tons of biotin are in trial production preparation [1] - Other vitamin products are expected to contribute to performance growth in the near future [1] Drug Development Pipeline - The company currently has seven products under review and five in research, with the potential to re-enter an upward trajectory following the elimination of the impact from centralized procurement [1] Valuation - Based on comparable companies, a target price of 18.90 yuan is set for the company, corresponding to a 30 times price-to-earnings ratio for 2025, maintaining a "buy" rating [1]

Vitamin Sector - The vitamin sector is expected to benefit from price increases in 2024 and Q1 2025, with revenue projected to grow by 22.5% and net profit by 162.6% year-on-year in 2024 [1] - In Q1 2025, revenue and net profit are anticipated to continue their upward trend, with increases of 10.8% and 110.3% year-on-year, respectively [1] - The demand for feed-grade vitamins remains rigid, and certain concentrated supply structures are expected to support price increases for products like Vitamin E, D3, and folic acid [1] Fine Chemicals Sector - The fine chemicals sector is projected to outperform the basic chemicals sector in 2024 and Q1 2025, with a decline of only 4.2% in 2024 compared to a 5.1% drop in basic chemicals [2] - By the end of Q1 2025, the fine chemicals index is expected to rebound to 6905.55 points, reflecting an 8.5% increase year-to-date, surpassing basic chemicals by 2.4 percentage points [2] - The fine chemicals industry benefits from relatively inelastic downstream demand and high production barriers, making it more resilient during downturns and more elastic during recoveries [2] Amino Acids Sector - The amino acids sector is forecasted to see revenue growth of 8.9% and net profit growth of 55.0% in 2024, driven by recovering demand and lower raw material costs [3] - In Q1 2025, the sector is expected to continue benefiting from lower corn prices and increased export demand, with revenue and net profit projected to rise by 9.0% and 74.6% year-on-year, respectively [3] - Notably, methionine prices are anticipated to rise due to low channel inventory and market expectations, presenting potential opportunities for price increases [3] Pesticides Sector - The pesticides sector is showing signs of a cyclical rebound from 2024 to Q1 2025, despite an overall oversupply in 2024 leading to a revenue decline of 2.3% and a net profit drop of 73% [4] - In Q1 2025, certain pesticide products are expected to experience rapid price increases due to temporary supply-demand imbalances, resulting in a revenue increase of 4.5% and a net profit increase of 57.2% year-on-year [4] - Future price increases may be driven by strong demand for specific crops and supply constraints due to uncontrollable factors [4] Sweeteners Sector - The sweeteners sector is projected to show resilience in revenue with a 2.1% increase in 2024, although net profit is expected to decline by 32.5% due to price drops in core products [5] - In Q1 2025, revenue is anticipated to grow by 7.1% and net profit by 81.1%, benefiting from price increases initiated in late 2024 and ongoing demand for functional sugars [5] - The sector may see further price increases for sucralose and potential growth opportunities following the approval of natural sweetener allulose in the domestic market [5]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform the Market" rating for the company [4][20][6] Core Views - The company's first-quarter net profit reached a historical high, with a revenue of 5.44 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 20.91% and a net profit of 1.88 billion yuan, up 116.18% year-on-year [1][9] - The profitability is supported by a decrease in expense ratios and a sustained high level of R&D investment, with a gross margin of 46.70% and a net margin of 34.70% in the first quarter [1][9] - The methionine market is experiencing price increases, with the average price in 2024 rising by 14.01% compared to 2023, positively impacting the company's performance [2][11] - The company is expanding its production capacity, with a total methionine capacity expected to reach 460,000 tons per year, positioning it as the third-largest globally [2][16] Financial Performance - The company achieved a net profit of 1.88 billion yuan in Q1 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 116.18% and a slight quarter-on-quarter increase of 0.05% [1][9] - The R&D expense ratio was 4.72%, indicating a commitment to innovation and development [1][9] - The forecasted net profits for 2025-2027 are 6.49 billion, 7.09 billion, and 7.62 billion yuan respectively, with corresponding earnings per share of 2.11, 2.31, and 2.48 yuan [4][20] Market Trends - The prices of vitamins A and E are under pressure, while vitamin D3 prices are on the rise, contributing to the overall performance of the company [3][18] - The methionine market is expected to continue benefiting from rising prices and increased production capacity, supporting the company's growth trajectory [2][16]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Accumulate" rating for the company [6] Core Views - The company has shown a recovery in performance and is actively expanding into new business areas [1] - The vitamin product segment is expected to recover, while the pharmaceutical segment remains under pressure [9] - The company is implementing a "vertical and horizontal" strategy to expand its business and new product offerings [9] Financial Performance Summary - The company's revenue for 2023 was 1,095 million, with a projected increase to 1,243 million in 2024, representing a year-on-year growth of 13.6% [5] - Operating profit is expected to rise from 207 million in 2023 to 355 million in 2024, reflecting a significant growth of 71.6% [5] - Net profit attributable to the parent company is forecasted to increase from 192 million in 2023 to 309 million in 2024, a growth of 60.8% [5] - Earnings per share are projected to grow from 0.35 in 2023 to 0.57 in 2024 [5] - The gross margin is expected to be 58.4% in 2024, with a net margin of 24.9% [5] Earnings Forecast and Investment Recommendations - The report adjusts revenue forecasts for vitamin products and pharmaceuticals while increasing the gross margin for vitamin products [3] - The projected earnings per share for 2025-2027 are 0.88, 1.05, and 1.36 respectively [3] - Based on comparable companies, a target price of 14.96 is set for 2025, corresponding to a 17 times price-to-earnings ratio [3]