Daily Brief Credit: Longfor Group – Earnings Flash – FY 2023 Results – Lucror Analytics and more

Longfor Group’s FY 2023 results were acceptable in our view. The earnings decline was in line with expectations, driven by reduced revenue from the property development segment. The gross margin for property development was decent at 11%, relative to some distressed peers with negative to low single-digit gross margins. Recurring revenue from rentals and services rose by 6%, with recurring operating profit covering 1.4x of interest expense. Net debt declined marginally, supported by slightly positive FCF generation.

Liquidity was adequate, with Unrestricted Cash/ST Debt of 1.4x. We note positively that the company has been repaying some debt well in advance of maturity, possibly using cheaper and longer tenor loans backed against its commercial properties. We believe near-term default risk for Longfor is low, albeit its financial flexibility would gradually diminish as the company pledges more assets for funding.

Meituan has released FY 2023 numbers that were excellent in our view, with significantly improved profitability and solid cash generation. The financial risk profile has strengthened further, with a large and growing net cash position coupled with robust leverage and coverage ratios. Liquidity is sound. We expect FY 2024 to be a better year for the company.

We revise our Credit Bias on Meituan to “Positive” from “Stable”, given the material increase in profitability and strong cash-flow generation following the pandemic. That said, we do not expect ratings upgrades in the near future.

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.

• China Hongqiao
• Delta Dunia Makmur