Expanding Into Bio-based Material Industrial Chain
发布时间:2026-08-24 来源:华泰证券
Cathay Biotech’s 1H26 revenue/attributable NP were RMB1,900/373mn (+13.73/+20.75% YoY), with a recurring NP of RMB329mn (+10.88% YoY). For 2Q26, revenue/attributable NP were RMB1,026/207mn (+14.60/+20.56% YoY, +17.28/+24.92% QoQ). The attributable NP exceeded our prior estimate of RMB180mn, due to a marked improvement in the bio-based polyamide (PA) business. We think that, with the expansion of the product matrix and the maturation of the bio-based PA business industrialization, the company’s future growth space is set to open up. We maintain our 2026-2028 attributable NP forecasts. Reiterate BUY.
Profit grew on key business ramp-up and GPM expansion
In 1H26, the company’s long-chain dicarboxylic acid (LCDA) and downstream derivative product series generated revenue of RMB1,707mn, up by 14% YoY, with a gross margin of 42.64%, up by 0.6pp YoY. During the reporting period, LCDA products continued to expand market space, with steady growth in sales volume across the series. The development and promotion of bio-based PA resins and modified products accelerated, with long-chain PA modified products achieving scaled sales. For 1H26, the bio-based PA series generated revenue of RMB108mn, up by 64% YoY, with the gross margin recovering to 0.57%, a marked improvement from the -14.69% gross margin for full-year 2025. On the expense side, selling/admin/R&D expenses increased by 4.51%/8.97%/2.81% YoY in 1H26, while financial expenses increased due to USD/RMB exchange rate fluctuations.
Earnings forecasts and valuation
We maintain our 2026/2027/2028 attributable NP forecasts at RMB848/943/1,016mn (+51/+11/+8% YoY), with EPS of RMB1.18/1.31/1.41. Factoring in the company’s technological leadership in bio-manufacturing, potential PA volume growth driven by industrial partnerships, and AI-catalyzed synthetic biology application prospects, we value the stock at 51x 2026E PE, above its peers’ average of 42x on Wind consensus, for our target price of RMB60.18 (previous: RMB68.44, based on 58x 2026E PE). Maintain BUY.
Risks: Slower commercialization than we expect, leakage of core technologies, loss of key technical personnel.