乳业下行周期，新乳业靠低温奶扛住压力

Core Viewpoint - The company, New Dairy Industry (002946.SZ), has demonstrated a better market performance than the industry average despite the overall downturn in the dairy sector, particularly through its focus on low-temperature milk products. Group 1: Financial Performance - In 2024, the company's revenue is projected to be 10.665 billion yuan, reflecting a slight decline of 2.93%, while the dairy product segment still achieved a growth of 0.83% [2] - The overall sales of dairy products across all channels fell by 2.7% in the past year, with major competitors like Mengniu (2319.HK) and Yili (600887.SH) experiencing revenue declines exceeding 10% and 12% respectively in their liquid milk segments [4] - New Dairy Industry achieved a net profit of 538 million yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 24.8%, attributed to a higher proportion of low-temperature milk and declining raw milk costs [4] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The low-temperature milk segment has seen its penetration rate increase from 23% in 2020 to 41% in 2024, with nearly 60% of households in first-tier cities purchasing fresh milk more than twice a week [8] - Over half of New Dairy Industry's revenue comes from low-temperature products, capitalizing on the growth opportunities in this niche market [9] - The company has experienced a rise in gross margin to 28.36%, an increase of 3.8 percentage points over the past four years, driven by a higher proportion of high-margin products [12] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - The low-temperature milk market remains competitive, with no clear leader, as major brands are rapidly expanding their market shares [13] - In the second half of 2024, Guangming (600594.SH) is expected to catch up to Yili in market share, while Mengniu's high-end low-temperature brand "Daily Fresh" is gaining traction through aggressive marketing [14] - Price wars are looming, putting pressure on New Dairy Industry's mid-to-high-end products, as promotional expenses increased by 100 million yuan, while revenue growth for the "24-hour" series slowed from 40% to 15% year-on-year [15] Group 4: Strategic Initiatives - New Dairy Industry has pursued a national expansion strategy through acquisitions, having spent over 3.3 billion yuan on acquisitions since its listing, which has allowed it to operate 15 sub-brands [24][25] - The company is now focusing on "internal growth" and aims for a compound annual growth rate of double digits and a 10% reduction in debt ratio over the next five years [30] - The company plans to enhance operational quality in existing businesses while remaining open to acquisition opportunities, particularly in the growing low-temperature milk markets in second and third-tier cities [31]