CITIC Steel(000708) 国盛证券·2025-03-20 02:39Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company, citing its leading position in the special steel industry and improving capacity integration capabilities [4][6]. Core Views - The company reported a limited decline in performance, with a revenue of CNY 109.2 billion in 2024, down 4.22% year-on-year, and a net profit of CNY 5.126 billion, down 10.41% year-on-year [1][2]. - The company's sales gross margin showed improvement expectations, with quarterly gross margins increasing from 12.31% in Q1 to 14.39% in Q4 of 2024 [2]. - The long-term demand for special steel in downstream industries is expected to grow, supported by favorable manufacturing policies [2]. Financial Performance - In 2024, the company achieved a net profit of CNY 5.126 billion, with a decrease of 10.41% year-on-year, while the non-recurring net profit was CNY 4.975 billion, down 5.48% year-on-year [2]. - The company’s sales volume of steel remained stable at 18.89 million tons in 2024, with an export volume of 2.02 million tons, and a target of 2.65 million tons for 2025, representing a 20.3% increase [3]. - The company’s earnings per share (EPS) for 2024 was CNY 1.02, with projections of CNY 1.08, CNY 1.18, and CNY 1.25 for 2025, 2026, and 2027 respectively [5]. Market Outlook - The report highlights a positive outlook for high-end product sales, with significant growth in automotive and energy steel products, indicating a robust demand in the special steel sector [3]. - The company is expected to benefit from the ongoing upgrades in the manufacturing sector, which will support its profit recovery trend [4].