ST Profit Strained; Natural Soda Ash Project Advancing
发布时间:2026-05-27 来源:华泰证券
CNSIG Chemical has posted its 2025 and 1Q26 results on 29 April:2025 revenue was RMB11.3bn(-12%YoY),attributable NP was RMB74mn(-86%YoY),and recurring NP was RMB4mn(-99%YoY);for 1Q26,attributable NP was-RMB150mn(-993%YoY,-1,058%QoQ),and recurring NP was-RMB170mn(-3,037%YoY,-3,670%QoQ).The company plans a2025 year-end dividend of RMB37mn,and combined with share buybacks of RMB67mn,the total dividend and buyback for the full year is RMB104mn,accounting for 141%of 2025 attributable NP.Given its high integration in the salt chemical industry and our positive view on the cost advantage of its natural soda ash project,we maintain OVERWEIGHT.
Oversupply in pure soda ash led to asharp decline in profits
In terms of soda ash,driven by export volume growth,the company's 2025 sales volume increased by 18%YoY to 4.32mn tonnes,but industry capacity expansion led to price declines,with soda ash revenue down 15%YoY to RMB4.9bn and GPM down 17pp YoY to 2.0%.For 2025,sales volumes of caustic soda/PVC/paste resin were 386k/422k/222k tonnes(0%/-3%/+9%YoY),with revenue of RMB1.05/1.77/1.33bn(+10%/-15%/-4%YoY).Caustic soda prices improved YoY driven by alumina demand,while PVC/paste resin prices remained weak under the influence of loose S/D dynamics.Affected by the decline in soda ash profitability,the company's 2025 overall GPM decreased by 8pp YoY to 9.5%,and the expense ratio decreased by 0.56pp YoY to 8.0%.
1Q26:prices of pure soda/chlor-alkali stayed low
In 1Q26,the company's soda ash sales volume was 1.0mn tonnes(+5%YoY,-5%QoQ).With the concentrated release of new industry capacity,soda ash prices remained low,with soda ash revenue down 18%YoY and 9%QoQ to RMB990mn,and ASP down 22%YoY and 4%QoQ to RMB994/tonne.In 1Q26,sales volumes of caustic soda/PVC/paste resin were 92k/105k/59k tonnes(+3%/+11%/+10%YoY,-24%/+4%/+4%QoQ).The YoY increase in chlor-alkali product sales volumes was due to the export tax rebate in 1Q26 boosting pre-emptive export demand.Revenue from caustic soda/PVC/paste resin was RMB200/420/330mn(-2%/+3%/-4%YoY,-27%/+5%/+4%QoQ).Affected by the decline in alumina demand and weak building materials demand,most chlor-alkali products remained at low business cycle levels.In 1Q26,the company's overall GPM was 2.1%(-7pp YoY,-4pp QoQ),and the expense ratio was 7.7%(+0.9pp YoY,+0.1pp QoQ).
Pure soda ash business climate yet to rebound
Per Oilchem.net,on 24 April,light/heavy soda ash prices were RMB1,195/1,260 per tonne,down 1/0.4%vs end-March.Due to the concentrated release of new industry capacity,prices continued to decline,with ammonia-soda process/dual-process(dual-tonne)spreads at RMB377/250 per tonne,down RMB19/90 per tonne vs end-March.The loose supply and demand situation for soda ash continues,awaiting abusiness climate recovery.According to the 2025 annual report,the company completed the solution mining test for the Tongliao 5mn tonne natural soda ash mine by end-March 2026.With the gradual progress of natural soda ash mine development,the company's scale advantage and cost competitiveness in the soda ash field should in our view be further strengthened.
Earnings forecasts and valuation
As the business climate for the soda ash industry remains at alow level,we mainly lower our soda ash price expectations,trimming our 2026/2027/2028 attributable NP forecasts to RMB130/410/600mn(2026-2027 forecasts previously at RMB510/800mn,downward revisions of 75%/49%),with EPS of RMB0.09/0.28/0.41 and BVPS of RMB8.24/8.48/8.75.We value the stock at 1.28x 2026E PB,at par with its peers'average on Wind consensus.Our target price is RMB10.55(previous:RMB8.96,based on 1.07x 2025E PB vs peers'1.07x PB).Maintain OVERWEIGHT.
Risks:weaker downstream demand than we expect;development of natural ash projects missing our estimates.