Production/Sales Volume Up Yoy/qoq, Inventory Consumed
发布时间:2024-11-04 来源:华泰金融(HK)
Falling lithium prices weighed on Tianqi Lithium’s (Tianqi) 3Q24 earnings. The company logged revenue/attributable net profit (NP) of RMB3,646/-496mn (-57.48/-130.11% yoy, -4.90/+62.14% qoq) in 3Q24, and RMB10,065/-5,701mn (-69.87/-170.40% yoy) in 9M24. Tianqi’s 3Q24 earnings aligned with its previous profit alert with expected losses of RMB5.85-5.45bn. In light of Tianqi’s ongoing production capacity expansion, ownership of high-quality spodumene mines and salt lakes, and the gradual digestion of high-cost inventory, we foresee continued improvement in its profitability. Maintain OVERWEIGHT for both its A-/H-shares.
Production/sales grew yoy/qoq, high-priced inventory consumed
According to Tianqi’s 3Q24 results, Tianqi’s production and sales volumes of lithium compounds and derivatives rallied yoy/qoq both in 9M24 and 3Q24, driven primarily by steadily increasing capacity at newly established plants. Specifically, sales volumes for lithium compounds and derivatives rose 67.71% yoy for 9M24, with 3Q24 sales up 24.69% qoq. Additionally, as high-priced inventory is being gradually consumed, the cost of chemical-grade lithium concentrates is converging toward current purchase prices across Tianqi’s facilities, and the timing mismatch in lithium concentrate pricing is diminishing, leading to a qoq reduction in 3Q24 losses.
Capacity under construction well on track
Tianqi’s ongoing projects are progressing well: 1) The phase III Talison lithium concentrate expansion project aims to produce its first batch by 4Q25. 2) On 16 August, 2024, Shenghe Lithium obtained the opinion letter on the preliminary examination of the land used for a construction project and site selection from the Yajiang County Natural Resources and Planning Bureau regarding the Tebaigou tailings storage facility project of Cuola Spodumene Mine, laying the foundation for the planning and construction of the Tebaigou tailings storage facility. 3) The lithium carbonate project in Anju, Suining, with a 20,000-tonne annual capacity, has reached intended operational status.
Lithium prices to bottom out amid fluctuation
Given ongoing large-scale, low-cost mine expansions and new projects, we expect the lithium supply surplus to persist. However, as concentrate prices approach cost levels at mines like Mt Marion, Wodgina, and other Australian operations, and with limited cost reductions feasible in Africa leveraging ore grade in 2024, an improvement in S/D dynamics is contingent on whether low lithium carbonate prices could trigger production cuts in 2025. All included, we believe lithium prices will continue bottoming out amid fluctuations, and await potential exit of inferior overseas capacity.
Maintain OVERWEIGHT
In view of falling lithium prices, we estimate Tianqi’s 2024/2025/2026 EPS at RMB-2.5/1.5/2.58 (previous: RMB-2.13/2.03/3.23), with 2025E BPS at RMB28.39. In light of Tianqi’s ongoing production capacity expansion and ownership of high-quality spodumene mines and salt lakes, we value the A-share at 1.4x 2025E PB, a premium over its Wind consensus-based peers’ average of 1.33x. Its average A-H premium over the past three months was 43.21%. Our target prices for the A-/H-shares are RMB39.75/HKD30.20 (previous: RMB34.23/HKD26.34), based on HKD1=RMB0.919 as of 30 October 2024. Maintain OVERWEIGHT.
Risks: new capacity commissioning falling short of our expectations, downstream demand missing our expectations.