Core Viewpoint - Meitu Company held its 2025 Investor Day on October 10, 2025, focusing on the relationship between large models and applications, emphasizing that both are iteratively evolving together [1] Group 1: Market Insights - The company believes that model companies struggle to provide full-chain services in vertical scenarios, highlighting the need for deep integration and an open ecosystem in areas like e-commerce design [1] - Meitu's recent overseas market progress includes the successful launch of the "AI合照" feature, which led Meitu Xiuxiu to rank first in the App Store overall in 14 European countries and first in 28 countries in category rankings [2] Group 2: Product Development - In the productivity scene, Meitu Design Studio is focusing on online e-commerce product image design while exploring offline material needs to meet rapid design demands [2] - The current phase of the main app's Agent planning involves integrating basic agents to enhance functionality and material retrieval efficiency, with a completion target by the end of 2025 [2] Group 3: Future Business Model - The company intends to maintain a subscription model as the primary commercialization strategy, emphasizing long-term value for users, with a gradual increase in single purchase functionality over the next five years [2] - The company forecasts adjusted net profits of 960 million, 1.24 billion, and 1.52 billion RMB for 2025, 2026, and 2027 respectively, maintaining a "buy" rating [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent developments and strategic direction of Meitu, particularly focusing on its product capabilities and market performance in the overseas market, as well as its approach to AI integration and business model evolution [4][5][6]. Group 1: Product Development and Market Performance - Meitu has demonstrated its ability to develop popular features, such as the "AI Group Photo" function, which led to Meitu Xiuxiu ranking first in the App Store overall in 14 European countries and first in category rankings in 28 countries [6]. - The company believes that the success of new features relies on two main factors: the inherent shareability and playability of the function, and collaboration with creators to develop specific gameplay that drives user engagement [6]. Group 2: AI Integration and Competitive Landscape - The company maintains a positive view on the relationship between models and applications, asserting that both will evolve in tandem. In vertical scenarios, model companies struggle to provide comprehensive services, which necessitates deep integration and the establishment of an open ecosystem [5]. - Meitu's strategy includes a phased approach to integrating AI capabilities into its main app, with the first phase focusing on basic agent integration to enhance functionality and material retrieval efficiency, expected to be completed by the end of 2025 [7]. Group 3: Future Business Model - The company plans to maintain a subscription model as the primary revenue stream, emphasizing long-term value for users' imaging needs across both lifestyle and productivity scenarios. The subscription model is expected to remain dominant over the next five years, although the proportion of one-time purchases may gradually increase [7].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for Meitu Inc. (1357.HK) [7] Core Insights - Meitu Inc. demonstrates a robust fundamental performance, with continuous product enhancement driven by AI, leading to accelerated growth in subscription users and advancements in productivity and globalization [4] - The company believes that the relationship between models and applications is one of synchronous iteration, where vertical applications can outperform general models in specific scenarios [2][3] - The company has shown the ability to develop popular features, as evidenced by the recent success of the "AI Group Photo" function, which topped the App Store charts in 14 European countries [3] Financial Projections - Revenue is projected to grow from 2,696 million RMB in 2023 to 5,938 million RMB in 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 29.3% [6] - Adjusted net profit is expected to increase from 368 million RMB in 2023 to 1,525 million RMB in 2027, reflecting a significant growth trajectory [6] - The adjusted earnings per share (EPS) is forecasted to rise from 0.08 RMB in 2023 to 0.33 RMB in 2027 [6] Product Development and Market Strategy - The first phase of the Agent planning for the main app focuses on integrating basic functionalities to enhance efficiency in feature and material retrieval, with completion expected by the end of 2025 [4] - The second phase will initiate in 2026, aiming for collaborative editing and co-creation of gameplay, allowing users to share their creations through social media [4] - The company plans to maintain a subscription model as the primary revenue stream, with single purchase options gradually increasing in proportion [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the economy and industries in Fujian, highlighting the province's historical spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, which is now being applied to the digital economy and AI development [1][2]. Group 1: Economic Growth and AI Integration - Fujian's GDP is projected to approach 2.8 trillion yuan by mid-2025, with a year-on-year growth of 5.7%, driven by a 16.8% increase in high-tech manufacturing value added [1]. - As of September 30, 2025, the total market capitalization of 174 listed companies in Fujian exceeded 5.22 trillion yuan, ranking sixth nationally [1]. Group 2: Historical Context and Innovation - Fujian has a long-standing tradition of technological innovation, dating back to the establishment of the Fujian Shipbuilding School in 1866, which laid the foundation for various modern industries [4]. - The province's "AI blueprint" focuses on developing a robust digital economy, with a target of reaching 3.2 trillion yuan by the end of 2024, accounting for 55% of the provincial economy [4]. Group 3: Key Companies and Their Contributions - Guotou Intelligent, based in Xiamen, aims to become a global leader in data intelligence and security services, with AI-related product revenue reaching 167 million yuan, constituting 30% of total revenue by mid-2025 [5][6]. - Kehua Data is innovating in intelligent computing and energy storage, contributing significantly to the construction of smart computing infrastructure in Fujian [6][7]. Group 4: AI Applications in Daily Life - Companies like Dineike are integrating AI into community and healthcare solutions, enhancing efficiency in clinical detection and breaking down information silos between individuals and communities [10][11]. - The application of AI in smart communities and hospitals is expected to transform urban living and healthcare management [11]. Group 5: Policy Support and Financial Infrastructure - The Fujian government is actively promoting AI applications through initiatives like the release of an AI application scenario opportunity list, which aims to accelerate technological innovation and product iteration [11]. - The establishment of a 2 billion yuan provincial fund to support specialized and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises is part of the broader strategy to enhance financing efficiency for tech companies [20][21]. Group 6: International Expansion and Market Insights - Xiamen's listed companies are increasingly focusing on international markets, with 80.9% actively pursuing overseas business, significantly above the national average [17]. - Meitu, a company that has successfully penetrated international markets, reported a global monthly active user count of 280 million, with a 15.3% year-on-year growth in overseas markets [14]. Group 7: Innovation Culture and Mechanisms - Companies in Fujian are fostering a culture of innovation that encourages experimentation and tolerates failure, exemplified by Guotou Intelligent's "Geek Model" and Meitu's internal innovation mechanisms [28][29]. - The province's supportive ecosystem for innovation includes financial incentives and a focus on nurturing technology-driven enterprises, which is crucial for transitioning from a digital economy to an innovation-driven economy [29].

Core Insights - The company has experienced significant growth in its imaging and design business, with revenue increasing by 45.2% year-on-year to 1.351 billion CNY, while advertising revenue grew by 5.1% to 434 million CNY, together accounting for 98% of total revenue [1] - The overall gross margin improved by 4.9 percentage points to 73.6%, and the adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders rose by 71.34% to 470 million CNY, aligning with voluntary announcement expectations [1] - The company is focusing on solid development of vertical models, leveraging AI to boost domestic user growth and sustain international user expansion, with monthly active users (MAU) increasing by 8.6% year-on-year to 280 million [2] Revenue and Profitability - The imaging and design business revenue reached 1.351 billion CNY, reflecting a 45.2% increase year-on-year, while advertising revenue was 434 million CNY, up 5.1% [1] - The adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders was 470 million CNY, marking a 71.34% year-on-year increase [1] - The overall gross margin improved to 73.6%, up 4.9 percentage points [1] User Growth and Market Expansion - The company reported a 42.5% year-on-year increase in subscription users, reaching 15.4 million, with a penetration rate of 5.5% [2] - Domestic MAU grew by 5.2% year-on-year to 182 million, while international MAU increased by 15.7% to 98 million [2] - The growth in international users is attributed to localized strategies and collaborations with local KOLs [2] Strategic Initiatives - The company is enhancing its AI product capabilities through the integration of third-party multimodal models and proprietary fine-tuning [2] - New AI design agent "RoboNeo" is being introduced for innovative editing and design interactions [2] - A collaboration with Alibaba is expected to be signed within the year, promoting e-commerce applications and vertical AI development [2]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" with a target price of 12.11 HKD, maintaining the rating from previous assessments [4]. Core Insights - The company's revenue from imaging and design business continues to grow, with a year-on-year increase of 45.2% to 1.351 billion RMB in the first half of 2025. Advertising revenue also saw a growth of 5.1% to 434 million RMB, together accounting for 98% of total revenue [1][10]. - The overall gross margin improved by 4.9 percentage points to 73.6%, and the adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders increased by 71.34% to 470 million RMB, aligning with voluntary announcement expectations [1][12]. - The company is focusing on AI-enabled applications in imaging and design, enhancing its product matrix to meet diverse creator needs, and has launched the AI design agent "RoboNeo" to innovate productivity tools [3][10]. Summary by Sections 1. Imaging and Design Core Business Optimization - The imaging and design product revenue is on a continuous rise, with a strategic adjustment in the beauty and other business sectors. The revenue from imaging and design reached 1.351 billion RMB, while advertising revenue was 434 million RMB, making up 98% of total revenue [1][10]. - The company is leveraging AI capabilities to enhance product offerings, focusing on both consumer and business segments, including KOLs and small enterprises [10]. 2. Overseas Strategy and Productivity Tool Layout - The company has seen a significant increase in Monthly Active Users (MAU), with an 8.6% year-on-year growth, reaching 280 million. The number of subscription users rose by 42.5% to 15.4 million, with a subscription penetration rate of 5.5% [2][15]. - The MAU in the domestic market grew by 5.2% to 182 million, while overseas MAU increased by 15.7% to 98 million, driven by localized strategies and collaborations with local KOLs [16]. - The productivity tools are entering a growth phase, with a 90% year-on-year increase in MAU and even faster growth in paid users [16].

Summary of Meitu Company Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Meitu Company - **Industry**: Image editing and design software Key Financial Metrics - **Revenue**: - 2024 revenue reached 3.3 billion (33 亿), a year-on-year increase of 29% - 1.8 billion (18 亿) in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 6% [2] - **Gross Margin**: - 69% in 2024, expected to rise to 74% in the first half of 2025, with a target of around 80% in the future [2][7] - **Net Profit**: - Adjusted net profit of 590 million (5.9 亿) in 2024, up 59% year-on-year - 470 million (4.7 亿) in the first half of 2025, up 71% year-on-year [2][8] - **Net Profit Margin**: - Increased from 18% in 2024 to 26% in the first half of 2025 [8] User Engagement - **Monthly Active Users (MAU)**: - Grew from 270 million (2.7 亿) at the end of 2024 to 280 million (2.8 亿) in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 7% [2][6] - **Paid Users**: - Increased from 12.61 million (1,261 万) in 2024 to 15.4 million (1,540 万) in the first half of 2025 [6] - **Payment Rate**: - Rose from 4.7% in 2024 to 5.5% in the first half of 2025, indicating increased user willingness to pay [2] Business Segments - **Core Business**: - Image and design products accounted for 62% of revenue in 2024 and 74% in the first half of 2025, with a strong growth rate of 44% [2][6] - **Non-Core Business**: - Significant reduction in beauty services, with a nearly 90% decline, impacting overall revenue growth [6] Competitive Landscape - **Market Position**: - Meitu Xiuxiu holds a 56% market share in image editing, followed by ByteDance's Xinkit with about 30% [4] - In video editing, Meitu has seen MAU surpass competitors, with a market share second only to ByteDance's Jianying [4][5] - **AI Integration**: - AI technology has lowered operational barriers, enhancing Meitu's competitive edge in B-end markets [4][11] Future Development Focus - **Key Areas**: - Increasing domestic payment rates, expanding overseas MAU, and leveraging AI technology for B-end market expansion, particularly in e-commerce [2][9] - **AI Applications**: - New AI features include AI model generation and product image creation, targeting the creator economy [15][20] Market Potential - **Overseas Market**: - The overseas market is fragmented, presenting opportunities for Meitu to capture a larger share, with potential MAU doubling if market share reaches 10%-20% [14] - **Pricing Strategy**: - Higher pricing for overseas products compared to domestic offerings, enhancing revenue potential [14] Profitability Outlook - **Future Profit Projections**: - Expected adjusted net profits of over 1 billion (10 亿) and around 1.4 billion (14 亿) for 2025 and 2026, respectively, with a compound annual growth rate exceeding 50% [22]

Core Insights - In August, the domestic 65% tungsten concentrate price increased by 32.3% to 262,500 CNY/ton, with APT rising by 31.6%, tungsten carbide by 35.7%, and tungsten powder by 36%. In Q2, the domestic 65% tungsten concentrate price surged over 80%. The report suggests that China's control over tungsten metal will have a long-term positive impact on tungsten prices, similar to the effects seen with rare earths [3]. Advanced Manufacturing Group - BYD reported a revenue of 371.3 billion CNY for the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 23%, with a net profit of 15.5 billion CNY, up 14% year-on-year. The growth is attributed to a 32.49% increase in revenue from the new energy vehicle segment, a 50.49% rise in overseas revenue, and a 53.05% increase in R&D investment [6]. - Despite strong revenue and profit figures, concerns were raised regarding a 191.8 billion CNY gap between accounts payable and receivable, high inventory levels at 145.5 billion CNY, low technology R&D conversion rates, and a significant drop in Q2 net profit, which fell to 6.4 billion CNY, down 31% quarter-on-quarter and 30% year-on-year [6]. Consumption Group - Meitu Inc. reported an adjusted net profit of 467 million CNY for the first half of 2025, a substantial increase of 71.3% year-on-year, exceeding market expectations. The adjusted net profit margin reached 25.7%, up 8.8 percentage points year-on-year. The core imaging and design business generated 1.35 billion CNY in revenue, a 45.2% increase, accounting for 74.2% of total revenue [9]. - The growth strategy focused on "focusing on core + efficiency improvement," which involved shrinking non-core businesses to concentrate resources, leading to improved profitability driven by the high growth of the imaging and design business [9].

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the artificial intelligence industry [2] Core Insights - The report focuses on the progress and boundaries of model capabilities and applications, highlighting the differentiated development of overseas models and the cost-effectiveness considerations of enterprises [4][5] - Interest recommendation has emerged as the most significant application scenario for AI empowerment, particularly in advertising and gaming industries [4][6] - The competitive relationship between models and application enterprises is explored through five typical scenarios, indicating a shift in market dynamics [4][6] Summary by Sections Model Development and Market Share - Overseas models, particularly those from Google and Anthropic, dominate the market with significant shares due to their competitive pricing and advanced capabilities [9][10] - Domestic models are making steady progress, with no significant technological gaps observed among various players [9][10] Application Scenarios - Interest recommendation in advertising has shown substantial growth, with companies like Meta, Reddit, Tencent, and Kuaishou leveraging AI technologies to enhance ad performance [4][6] - The gaming sector, exemplified by platforms like Roblox, has also benefited from AI-driven recommendation algorithms, leading to increased exposure for new games [4][6] Competitive Dynamics - The report identifies five scenarios illustrating the competition between large models and traditional products, emphasizing the transformative impact of AI on existing business models [4][6] - The analysis suggests that AI products may replace traditional revenue streams, while also enhancing operational efficiency in areas like programming and customer service [4][6] Investment Recommendations - The report recommends investing in Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), Kuaishou (1024.HK), Alibaba (9988.HK), and Meitu (1357.HK) due to their potential for performance release driven by enhanced model capabilities [4]

Core Viewpoint - The company reported better-than-expected adjusted net profit for 1H25, driven by a significant increase in high-margin subscription business, despite a sharp decline in beauty solutions revenue [1][2]. Financial Performance - 1H25 revenue increased by 12.3% to 1.82 billion, lower than expectations due to an 89% drop in beauty solutions revenue [1]. - Adjusted net profit rose by 71.3% to 470 million, attributed to a higher proportion of high-margin subscription services [1]. - Subscription revenue grew by 45.2% to 1.35 billion, driven by an increase in paying users [2]. - The company maintained a dividend payout ratio of 40% of adjusted net profit, transitioning to semi-annual distributions [1]. User Growth and Engagement - The company’s MAU increased by 8.5% to 280 million, with overseas MAU growing by 15.3% to 98 million [1]. - The number of paying members rose by 42.5% to 15.4 million, with a slight increase in the paying rate to 5.5% [1]. - The launch of the AI Agent product, RoboNeo, achieved over 1 million MAU in its first month [1]. Revenue Quality and Cost Management - Gross margin reached 73.6%, up 8.7 percentage points, due to a higher share of high-margin imaging business [2]. - The company expects to maintain a 15% annual growth rate in R&D expenses over the next three years, while sales expenses are projected to stabilize around 16% of core revenue [2]. Profit Forecast and Valuation - Revenue forecasts for 2025 and 2026 were adjusted down by 8% and 4% to 3.9 billion and 4.8 billion, respectively, while adjusted net profit forecasts were raised by 11% and 10% to 900 million and 1.2 billion [2]. - The target price was increased by 50% to 10.8 HKD, reflecting a 4% upside from the current stock price, with the stock trading at 45/35 times 2025 and 2026 Non-IFRS P/E [2].