Strong Momentum in Methionine and Vitamins to Support Growth
发布时间:2026-05-07 来源:华泰证券
NHU released its 1Q26 results on 28 April.For 1Q26,revenue reached RMB6.3bn,+16%YoY/+12%QoQ.The attributable NP was RMB1.83bn,-3%YoY/+27%QoQ.The recurring NP was RMB1.78bn(-6%YoY/+26%QoQ).For the quarter,the attributable NP was slightly below our preview estimate of RMB1.9bn,mainly because the period expense ratio was slightly higher than we had forecast.We maintain our 2026-2028 attributable NP forecasts.As flavors and fragrances and new materials continue to ramp up,and as methionine(met)and vitamins enter an upcycle,we expect the company to maintain its earnings growth.Maintain BUY.
Met price hikes as new capacity ramps up;vitamins bottom out
According to Boyar,average prices in 1Q26 for solid met,liquid met,VA,and VE were RMB25/kg,RMB17/kg,RMB69/kg,and RMB65/kg,with YoY changes of+18%/+6%/-38%/-52%and QoQ changes of+26%/+11%/+11%/+27%,respectively.Met prices rose sharply,supported by export demand,lower overseas supply,and higher costs.The company’s 180ktpa liquid met capacity also started to ramp up gradually.For vitamins,average prices in 1Q26 declined YoY because of ahigh base in the same period last year.However,factors such as geopolitical conflict increased overseas cost pressure,and VA and VE prices have risen sharply since March,lifting average prices on aQoQ basis as well.We also expect flavors and fragrances and new materials such as PPS to maintain solid growth.The company’s quarterly blended gross margin was 42.9%,-3.8pp YoY/+0.8pp QoQ.The period expense ratio was 9.5%,+2.5pp YoY/-2.4pp QoQ.Within this,the financial expense ratio was 2.3%,+3.4pp YoY/+0.4pp QoQ.
Strong met and vitamin momentum,more global share gains
According to Boyar,as of 28 April,market quotes for solid met,liquid met,VA,and VE were RMB43.5/kg,RMB36/kg,RMB99.5/kg,and RMB97.5/kg,respectively,+147%/+154%/+59%/+76%from the start of the year.The main reason is that surging overseas energy and raw-material costs,together with raw-material shortages,have put overseas supply under pressure.Competitors in met,vitamins,and related products are mainly based in Europe,Japan,and South Korea.Against such abackdrop,we think that NHU is likely to keep expanding its global market share by leveraging the stability of China’s energy and raw-material supply chain,as well as its cost and technology advantages.In the near term,wider product spreads should support ameaningful earnings recovery.
Nutrition and flavors&fragrances ramp up steadily
According to the company’s 2025 annual report,the 180ktpa liquid met project,adjusted to pure-content terms and jointly invested with Sinopec,started production in 2025.Meanwhile,the company has upgraded its solid met capacity to 370ktpa through technical revamps,further strengthening its scale advantage.In flavors and fragrances,the aldehyde series projects and the Phase Ifragrance industrial park project are progressing steadily,and the product pipeline should continue to expand.In new materials,the nylon industry chain project at the Tianjin base has completed compliance approvals for energy,land,and other resources,and construction has officially started.Capacity expansion for PPS and other products is also moving forward on track.At the Heilongjiang base,the bio-manufacturing product pipeline is also expanding.As new capacity comes on stream and new-material projects are implemented,we think that the company is likely to unlock the next leg of growth.
Earnings forecasts and valuation
We estimate attributable NP at RMB10.5bn/RMB11.6bn/RMB12.0bn for 2026/2027/2028,unchanged from our previous forecasts,with aCAGR of 21%.Based on 17x 2026E PE,in line with the average PE for comparable companies on Wind consensus,our target price is RMB58.14(previously RMB54.72,based on 16x 2026E PE).Maintain BUY.
Risks:Overseas supply contraction uncertainty;demand falls short of our expectations;the competitive landscape deteriorates.