中通快递-2025 年第四季度前瞻：盈利展望维持不变；2025 年 12 月市场份额持续提升

Summary of ZTO Express 4Q25 Preview Conference Call Company Overview - Company: ZTO Express (ZTO.N) - Industry: Transportation & Infrastructure - Market: Hong Kong/China Key Points Earnings Outlook - The earnings outlook for 4Q25 remains largely unchanged compared to the management discussion post-3Q25 [1] - ZTO is expected to achieve a net profit of approximately Rmb2.7 billion, which is flat year-over-year [3] Market Share Dynamics - ZTO is projected to gain 1 percentage point in market share in 4Q25, recovering from a loss of 0.6 percentage points in 3Q25 and 0.3 percentage points in 1H25 [2] - Industry volume growth is anticipated to slow from 13% in 3Q25 to 5% year-over-year in 4Q25, attributed to decreased low-value parcels and a high base from the previous year [2] - ZTO's market share gains resumed in October 2025, leading to a 1 percentage point year-over-year gain in 4Q25 [2] Profitability Metrics - Unit operating profit is expected to improve by Rmb0.05 quarter-over-quarter to Rmb0.30 in 4Q25, despite a slight increase in unit costs during the peak season [3] - The unit profit is projected to remain stable at Rmb0.26, with higher operating profit offset by lower tax credits [3] 2026 Outlook - The outlook for 2026 indicates continued market share gains for ZTO, with manageable downside risks to unit profit [4] Investment Recommendation - The recommendation for ZTO remains "Overweight" (OW), with sustained market share gains being a key focus for investors [5] - The stock is currently trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12x for 2026 estimates, with a forward free cash flow yield of 6-8%, which is attractive compared to the peer average of 1% [5] - A reduction in capital expenditures is expected to enhance shareholder returns [5] Valuation and Risks - The valuation methodology includes a discounted cash flow approach with a probability-weighted scenario analysis: 15% bull case, 75% base case, and 10% bear case [12] - Key assumptions include a weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of 13.2% and a terminal growth rate of 3% [13] - Upside risks include faster-than-expected market share gains and better cost control, while downside risks involve intensified competition and potential market share losses [15] Financial Metrics - Current market capitalization is Rmb119.7 billion, with an enterprise value of Rmb108.1 billion [7] - Earnings per share (EPS) estimates for the next fiscal years are Rmb11.76 for 2025 and Rmb12.93 for 2026 [7] Additional Insights - The company is positioned to achieve approximately 10% year-over-year profit growth in 2026 under the base case scenario [10] - The bear case scenario suggests potential challenges in achieving both earnings growth and market share gains [10] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the ZTO Express conference call, highlighting the company's performance, market dynamics, and investment outlook.