Broader PA Exposure to Unlock New Growth
发布时间:2026-11-12 来源:华泰证券
Cathay Biotech reported 3Q26 revenue of RMB938mn (+7.26% YoY, -8.57% QoQ) and attributable NP of RMB154mn (+8.60% YoY, -25.50% QoQ). For 9M26, revenue reached RMB2,838mn (+11.51% YoY), attributable NP RMB527mn (+16.93% YoY), and recurring NP RMB476mn (+11.13% YoY). 3Q26 net profit missed our preview estimate (RMB220mn), mainly due to lower revenue and gross margin. We lower our earnings forecasts, but the company’s continued expansion across the bio-based polyamide (PA) value chain could unlock new growth opportunities. Maintain BUY.
Lower GPM and higher expenses weigh on 3Q26 earnings
Higher costs pushed overall gross margin down to 32.57% in 3Q26, a decline of 3.92pp YoY and 2.90pp QoQ. Gross profit fell 4.26% YoY to RMB305mn. 3Q26 selling, administrative and finance expenses were RMB14mn, RMB52mn and -RMB13mn, respectively. R&D expenses rose 42.66% YoY to RMB79mn, while the R&D expense ratio increased 2.09pp YoY to 8.42%, mainly reflecting continued increases in R&D investment.
Investment in composites strengthens value-chain integration
In October 2026, Cathay Biotech announced plans to invest a total of RMB323mn through capital increases in partnerships associated with China Merchants Chuangke New Materials and China Merchants Cathay New Materials. The funds will ultimately be invested in Hefei Composites to support core business expansion, fixed-asset and equity investments, R&D and operations. Bio-based PA composites are a key downstream application for the company’s PA products, with applications in new-energy equipment, transportation and logistics, and architectural decoration progressing through product development, customer testing and small-batch deliveries. We believe the company is continuing to accelerate application development and commercialization of bio-based PA composites, strengthening its integrated value chain from monomers and resins to composites and finished products. These efforts could also support a gradual volume ramp-up in upstream bio-based PA products and could create new growth opportunities. In addition, advances in AI could significantly improve design precision and R&D efficiency in synthetic biology, helping accelerate the development and commercialization of new products.
Earnings forecast and valuation
Reflecting recent cost pressures, we lower our 2026–2028 attributable NP forecasts to RMB715mn/815mn/961mn (previously RMB848mn/943mn/1,016mn, cuts of 16%/14%/5%), implying EPS of RMB0.99/1.13/1.33. Peers trade at an average of 31x 2027E PE based on Wind consensus. Given Cathay Biotech’s technological leadership in core biomanufacturing technologies, expected PA volume growth as commercial-scale validation progresses, and the prospects for AI-enabled synthetic biology applications, we apply 45x 2027E PE, deriving a target price of RMB50.85 (previously RMB60.18 based on 51x 2026E PE).
Risks: slower-than-expected commercialization, leakage of proprietary core technologies, loss of technical talent.