Ligao Foods (300973) 华福证券·2025-04-29 11:12Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company, expecting a relative increase of over 20% in stock price compared to the market benchmark within the next six months [5][18]. Core Insights - The company reported revenue of 3.835 billion yuan for 2024, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 10%, and a net profit of 268 million yuan, which is a significant increase of 267% compared to the previous year [2][6]. - The first quarter of 2025 showed a revenue of 1.046 billion yuan, up 14.13% year-on-year, with a net profit of 88 million yuan, marking a 15.11% increase [2][6]. - The company has successfully narrowed its expense ratios, leading to improved net profit margins of 6.99% for 2024 and 8.45% for Q1 2025, despite a slight decline in gross margins due to rising raw material costs [4][6]. Financial Performance Summary - For 2024, the company achieved revenues of 3.835 billion yuan, with a net profit of 268 million yuan, and an EPS of 1.58 yuan per share [6][11]. - The projected net profits for 2025 and 2026 are 356 million yuan and 420 million yuan respectively, with corresponding EPS of 2.10 yuan and 2.48 yuan [5][6]. - The company’s gross margin for 2024 was 31.47%, with a slight decrease to 29.99% in Q1 2025, while the overall expense ratio decreased significantly, enhancing profitability [4][6]. Product and Channel Performance - The company’s frozen baking segment showed a recovery with a revenue of 6.3 billion yuan in Q1 2025, up 12% year-on-year, while the cream segment grew by 17% [3][4]. - The distribution channels for 2024 included revenue contributions of 2.221 billion yuan from distribution, 1.580 billion yuan from direct sales, and 0.07 billion yuan from retail, with the distribution channel benefiting from increased sales of cream products [3][4]. Future Outlook - The company is expected to continue leveraging growth opportunities in the frozen baking sector and UHT cream business, with ongoing improvements in production efficiency and cost management strategies [4][5].