[ET Net News Agency, 31 March 2021] Daiwa Research cut its target price for WH Group
(00288) to HK$8.1 from HK$8.6 and maintained its "buy" rating.
The research house said WH's net profit fell by 85% in 4Q 2020 but better than Daiwa's
estimate. It was mainly dragged down by operating margin pressure in the upstream US
operations and one-off expenses (retirement expenses and bonus) incurred in both China and
the US.
Daiwa expects the cost pressure to linger in the US in 1H 2021 and thus lowered its
packaged meat unit profit assumptions for China. It also cut its 2021-22 EPS forecasts by
1-18%. (KL)