CHINA ENERGY ENGINEERING(03996.HK):INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT TO STABILIZE GROWTH "ACCUMULATE"
Net loss of RMB300.1 mn was recorded in 1Q2020, in line withexpectation. Revenues, gross profit and operating profit of the Company in1Q2020 decreased YoY by 22.7%/ 30.1%/ 56.3% to RMB35,851 mn/RMB4,192 mn/ RMB1,172 mn, respectively. Hit by the outbreak of COVID-19in China, a net loss in the amount of RMB300.1 mn was recorded during theperiod, which is consistent with the profit warning that the Company issued inmid-April 2020. Newly signed contracts in the first quarter of 2020 reachedRMB127.706 bn, up YoY by 0.7%.
We expect domestic infrastructure investment growth in 2020 to fallbetween 4% and 6%. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China,China FAI in the first 4 months of 2020 dropped YoY by 10.3% toRMB13,682.4 bn, narrowing from 16.1% YoY decline recorded in 1Q2020.
Domestic infrastructure investment growth in the first 4 months of 2020reached -11.8%, which was up by 7.9 ppt from the growth rate of -19.7% seenin 1Q2020. Further, nationwide power sector investment in the first 4 monthsof 2020 surged YoY by 10.7% to RMB155.9 bn, with power engineeringinvestment jumping 45.7% YoY to RMB88.9 bn. We expect domestic powersector investment in 2020 to hit RMB900 bn, implying 12.6% YoY growth.
We maintain "Accumulate" investment rating and TP of HK$1.00. As the1Q2020 operating results of the Company met expectation, we maintain ourearnings forecasts unchanged. Our EPS estimates from FY20 to FY22 areRMB0.152/ RMB0.185/ RMB0.206, respectively. Our TP translates to 6.0x/4.9x/ 4.4x FY20-FY22 PER or 0.5x/ 0.5x/ 0.4x FY20-FY22 PBR.