Event: The company's 2024H1 revenue +30.6%, net profit to mother -156.4%; 2024Q2 revenue 59.5%, net profit to mother -593.4%. In 2024 H1, the company achieved operating income of 1.41 billion yuan (+30.6% year over year) and net profit to mother - 22.24 million yuan (year-on-year change from profit to loss). 2024Q2 achieved operating income of 0.74 billion yuan and net profit of 39.98 million yuan; 24Q1/24Q2 revenue in a single quarter was +9.0%/+59.5% year-on-year, and net profit to mother changed from profit to loss year-on-year.
The gross margin of 2024H1 sales declined, and net profit margins were under pressure. 2024 H1 gross margin was 17.6% (-7.2pcts year over year). The cost rate for the period was 19.7%, of which the sales expense ratio was 8.7% (-0.9 pcts year over year); the management expenses (including R&D expenses) ratio was 9.3% (-0.6 pcts year over year); and the financial expenses ratio was 1.7% (+0.9 pcts year over year), mainly due to increased interest costs on loans. Net sales margin was -1.9% (-7.8pcts year over year). 2024Q2 gross margin was 15.6% (YoY -11.7pcts); sales expenses ratio 9.0% (YoY -3.5pcts); management expenses (including R&D expenses) ratio 9.7% (YoY -2.6pcts); financial expenses ratio 1.4% (YoY +1.4pcts).
Net sales margin was -5.9% (-11.6pcts year over year). The company's net profit declined year-on-year, mainly due to increased investment in scientific research, a year-on-year increase in operating and management expenses, and a decrease in gross margin.
The food order business is growing rapidly, and overseas market expansion has achieved remarkable results. By product, 1) 2024H1 rice seed revenue was 0.38 billion yuan (+14.1% year over year), gross margin was 31.2%, down 8.8 pcts year on year, mainly due to the low and relatively high gross margin of export business in the first half of the year; 2) the food order business achieved sales revenue of 0.48 billion yuan (+112.0% year over year), gross margin was 1.5%, down 3.8 pcts year on year, mainly due to declining grain price fluctuations this year; 3) Linton business revenue 0.2 billion yuan (-9.5% YoY), gross margin was 7.4%, up 1.4 pcts year over year. By region, 1) East China is the main region, achieving revenue of 0.53 billion yuan, +21.7%; 2) North China and Northwest China made concerted efforts to achieve revenue of 0.15/0.31 billion yuan, +112.0%/34.5% year over year; 3) Foreign revenue of 0.22 billion yuan, an increase of 147.4% year on year. The company achieved remarkable results in expanding overseas markets.
Investment advice: The company is a leader in “breeding and promoting integration” in the seed industry. It consolidates the foundation of development by strengthening R&D investment and science-enterprise cooperation, and opens up future growth space through diversified business layout through epitaxial mergers and acquisitions. We expect the company to achieve total operating income of 5.132/6.243/7.518 billion yuan and net profit to mother of 0.312/0.362/0.425 billion yuan in 2024-2026. The PE corresponding to the closing price on August 28 was 18/16/13 times, respectively, maintaining the “gain” rating.
Risk warning: risk of agricultural product price fluctuations due to natural disasters, risk of diseases and pests exceeding expectations, risk of worsening international conditions affecting agricultural product circulation, risk of product promotion falling short of expectations, risk of agricultural policy disturbances