GEM(002340) 华泰证券·2025-04-27 10:20Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company with a target price of RMB 6.86 [7][8]. Core Insights - The company achieved a revenue of RMB 33.2 billion in 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 8.75%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 1.02 billion, up 9.19% year-over-year [1]. - The core product shipments, particularly for nickel and battery materials, have shown significant growth, with a notable expansion in nickel production capacity [2][3]. - The company is positioned among the top three in global nickel production capacity, with plans to further increase its nickel resources from over 120,000 tons to over 216,000 tons by 2025-2027 [3]. Revenue and Profitability - The company reported a comprehensive gross margin increase of 3.05 percentage points to 15.29% in 2024, with specific product margins improving significantly [2]. - The sales volume of key products such as ternary precursor materials and cobalt tetroxide saw substantial growth, with increases of 5% and 88% respectively [2]. Production Capacity and Expansion - The company produced 51,677 tons of nickel metal in 2024, marking a 91% increase year-over-year, and has established a nickel resource capacity of 150,000 tons per year in Indonesia [3]. - A strategic partnership with Vale Indonesia was formed, involving a total investment of USD 1.42 billion for a hydrometallurgical project aimed at producing 66,000 tons of nickel resources annually [3]. Financial Forecast and Valuation - The earnings per share (EPS) estimates for 2025-2027 are projected at RMB 0.31, 0.47, and 0.73 respectively, reflecting adjustments based on prior sales performance [4]. - The report anticipates a price-to-book (PB) ratio of 1.70 for 2025, with a corresponding target price of RMB 6.86, indicating a favorable valuation compared to peers [4][13].