HPG – Strong Q2 earnings on solid volume recovery – Earnings Flash
  • 2024-08-01T00:00:00
  • Company Research

HPG announced its H1 2024 results with net revenue of VND70.4tn (USD2.8bn; +26% YoY; 54% of our 2024F forecast) and NPAT-MI of VND6.2tn (USD243mn; +120% YoY; 41% of our 2024F forecast). In Q2 2024, net revenue was VND39.6tn (USD1.6bn; +28% QoQ, +34% YoY) and NPAT-MI was VND3.3tn (USD129mn; +16% QoQ, +127% YoY).

  • Robust H1 2024 top line performance driven by strong recovery in steel sales volume: H1 2024 revenue surged 26% YoY, mostly driven by 27% YoY growth of the steel segment (90%+ of total revenue). We attribute the strong H1 performance of the steel segment to a recovery in sales volume, with the two most important products, construction steel and HRC, growing 35% YoY and 26% YoY, respectively. The strong rebound in sales volume is due to (1) a gradual recovery in demand from last year’s low base, and (2) HPG gaining market share in the construction steel segment (H1 2024 market share of 38.2%, vs 34.5% in 2023). However, YoY sales volume growth outpaced net revenue growth, indicating a decline in the steel ASP - attributed to (1) a still-weak domestic real estate market pressuring both input material prices and steel selling prices, and (2) increased competition from low-priced Chinese steel imports.
  • H1 GPM expanded YoY: In H1 2024, HPG’s GPM expanded to 13.4% from H1 2023’s low base of 8.7% despite lower YoY ASP, attributed to (1) low input material prices due to sluggish demand from China, and (2) a higher factory utilization rate as volume recovered, reducing unit COGS. Q2 2024 GPM also expanded YoY to 13.3% from 10.8%.
  • Q2 financial income and expense both declined YoY: Financial income declined 13% YoY in Q2 2024, as interest income (80%/45% of Q2 2023/Q2 2024 total financial income, respectively) declined 50% YoY. This was due to (1) a lower average cash balance to fund DQSC2 capex, at VND31.4tn (USD1.2bn) during Q2 2024, vs VND35.7tn (USD1.4mn) during Q2 2023, and (2) a lower-rate environment. Q2 financial expense declined 21% YoY as interest expense (respective 75%/50% of Q2 2023/Q2 2024 financial expense) declined 45%, attributed to lower interest rates as the average debt balance expanded to VND75.2tn (USD2.9bn) during Q2 2024 from VND60.6tn (USD2.4bn) during Q2 2023.

Overall, as H1 2024 net revenue and NPAT-MI met 54% and 41% of our respective 2024F forecasts, we foresee a slight downside risk to our NPAT-MI forecast, though we expect demand to recover stronger in H2 2024 vs in H1.

HPG’s H1 2024 results

VNDbn

Q2 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

QoQ

YoY

H1 2023

H1 2024

YoY

2024F

H1 as % of 2024F

Net revenue

29,496

30,852

39,556

28%

34%

56,085

70,408

26%

130,878

54%

  Steel 

27,856

28,637

37,879

32%

36%

52,429

66,516

27%

120,504

55%

  Real estate 

162

699

134

-81%

-17%

590

833

41%

1,772

47%

  Agriculture 

1,478

1,517

1,542

2%

4%

3,066

3,059

0%

8,602

36%

Gross profit

3,195

4,154

5,247

26%

64%

4,871

9,401

93%

22,146

42%

SG&A expense

-871

-958

-1,136

19%

30%

-675

-2,094

210%

-3,773

55%

EBIT

2,324

3,196

4,112

29%

77%

4,196

7,308

74%

18,372

40%

  - Financial income

740

752

645

-14%

-13%

1,644

1,397

-15%

3,104

45%

  - Financial expenses

-1,349

-1,061

-1,065

0%

-21%

-2,679

-2,126

-21%

-4,231

50%

Net other income/loss

-13

374

42

-89%

-418%

27

415

1437%

442

94%

EBT

1,702

3,261

3,733

14%

119%

3,188

6,994

119%

17,688

40%

NPAT

1,448

2,869

3,320

16%

129%

2,785

6,189

122%

15,035

41%

NPAT-MI

1,460

2,871

3,319

16%

127%

2,812

6,190

120%

15,113

41%

  Steel 

1,342

2,413

3,032

26%

126%

1,699

5,445

220%

13,796

39%

  Real estate 

52

273

62

-77%

21%

195

335

72%

680

49%

  Agriculture 

54

183

225

24%

318%

-63

408

-752%

638

64%

GPM

10.8%

13.5%

13.3%

 

 

8.7%

13.4%

 

16.9%

 

SG&A exp./Sales

-3.0%

-3.1%

-2.9%

 

 

-1.2%

-3.0%

 

-2.9%

 

EBIT margin

7.9%

10.4%

10.4%

 

 

7.5%

10.4%

 

14.0%

 

NPAT-MI margin

4.9%

9.3%

8.4%

 

 

5.0%

8.8%

 

11.5%

 

  Steel 

4.8%

8.4%

8.0%

 

 

3.2%

8.2%

 

11.4%

 

  Real estate 

31.8%

39.1%

46.4%

 

 

33.0%

40.3%

 

38.3%

 

  Agriculture

3.7%

12.0%

14.6%

 

 

-2.0%

13.3%

 

7.4%

 

Source: HPG, Vietcap

 

HPG’s H1 2024 sales volume by steel products

Thousand tonnes

Q2 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

QoQ

YoY

H1 2023

H1 2024

YoY

2024F

H1 as % of 2024F

Construction steel

785

956

1,271

33%

62%

1,654

2,228

35%

4,167

53%

HRC

734

806

723

-10%

-1%

1,216

1,529

26%

2,796

55%

Steel pipes

135

131

188

43%

39%

295

319

8%

753

42%

Steel sheets

106

98

124

27%

17%

176

222

26%

362

61%

Source: Vietnam Steel Association, Vietcap

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