AAC Technologies - Slight 2H25 beat; premiumisation and VC thermal scale-up cushion softer 2026 handset demand

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  • 2H25 net profit rose 30% y/y, 4% above consensus, on optics margin recovery and VC thermal scale-up; gross margin improved 0.5ppt y/y to 23.0%
  • Trim FY26F/FY27F earnings forecasts by 6.4%/4.6% to reflect softer 2026 smartphone demand and weaker-than-expected acoustics growth
  • Management guides FY26 revenue growth of no less than FY25’s 16.4%, with gross margin slightly above FY25’s 22.1%; precision mechanics to grow >30% and optics ASP to rise c.10%
  • Maintain BUY on improving AI-driven content gains in precision mechanics and optics profitability; TP lowered to HKD58.0 (prev. HKD61.0) on 20x FY26F P/E

 

2H25 results highlights
AAC Tech delivered 2H25 revenue of RMB18.5bn, up 15.0% y/y, broadly in line with consensus, while net profit rose 29.8% y/y to RMB1.64bn, 3.7% above market expectations. Gross profit increased 17.6% y/y to RMB4.26bn, and gross margin improved 0.5ppt y/y to 23.0%. Overall profitability was supported by continued optics margin recovery and a stronger contribution from higher-margin precision mechanics, particularly vapor chamber (VC) cooling products.

By segment, acoustics revenue edged up 1.6% y/y to RMB4.83bn, with gross margin down 2.5ppts y/y to 27.9%, mainly due to a richer mix of module-type projects. Automotive acoustics remained solid, with revenue up 16.1% y/y to RMB4.12bn, as AAC continued to build out full-stack system capabilities. Optics revenue rose 10.4% y/y to RMB3.08bn, while gross margin expanded 4.7ppts y/y to 12.6%, driven by higher shipments of 6P/7P lenses, OIS modules and newly ramping periscope modules. For FY25, 32MP+ camera modules accounted for over 40% of total volume, OIS shipments nearly doubled, and periscope modules entered large-scale shipment. Electromagnetic drives (haptics) and precision mechanics revenue grew 17.6% y/y to RMB7.14bn, with gross margin up 2.1ppts y/y to 25.5%, supported by market-share gains in x-axis linear motors, innovative side buttons and rapid VC thermal ramp-up. Sensors and semiconductors revenue surged 150.6% y/y to RMB963mn off a low base, with gross margin broadly stable at 14.9%, benefiting from a richer mix of high-SNR microphones.

The board proposed a final dividend of HKD0.35/share, in line with its 15% payout policy.

Management’s tone for FY26 was cautiously constructive. Despite a softer global smartphone market because of memory-cost inflation at the low end, AAC’s exposure remains skewed to mid- to high-end models where specification upgrades continue. Management expects 2026 revenue growth to be no lower than FY25’s pace (+16.4%), with gross margin slightly above FY25’s 22.1% and net profit growth that should at least keep pace with gross profit growth. By segment, acoustics should grow at mid- to high-single digits, electromagnetic drives at 5-10%, precision mechanics by more than 30%, optics to grow steadily with another c.10% ASP uplift, and sensors and semiconductors at 15-20%, with most businesses seeing stable-to-improving margins.

 

Our view
We remain constructive on AAC Tech, supported by its extensive exposure to the consumer electronics upgrade cycle. In our view, the key debate is no longer around units, but around content, ASP and mix. AAC’s exposure to premium hardware supports its ability to outgrow underlying handset demand, as customers compete through higher-value features in acoustics, optics, haptics and thermal management rather than pure volume. This leaves the company better placed than peers if weakness in 2026 remains concentrated in lower-end smartphones.

 

We slightly cut FY26F/FY27F earnings forecasts by 6.4% and 4.6% to reflect more muted smartphone shipment demand in 2026 and weaker-than-expected acoustics business growth.

We continue to see optics as the clearest earnings-recovery driver. The business has already returned to double-digit gross margin, and management’s commentary suggests further improvement ahead as plastic-lens utilisation rises, more 6P/7P projects ramp, and OIS/periscope penetration deepens. We also see growing strategic value in AAC’s WLG, hybrid-lens and micro-prism capabilities, which are increasingly relevant not only for flagship smartphones but also for AI glasses and other emerging optics applications.

Precision mechanics and thermal should provide the second engine of earnings growth. FY25 VC thermal revenue grew more than 400% y/y to RMB1.67bn. We expect precision mechanics to sustain >30% growth in 2026, driven by the ongoing AI-driven compute upgrades in flagship smartphones and tablets, plus early optionality in active cooling and data-center liquid cooling. Over the medium term, we also see upside from new AI edge devices and robotics, where AAC has already started shipping finger actuators and is leveraging its micro-drive platform into a broader set of applications.

 

Acoustics and automotive should remain resilient contributors. Although acoustics margin was diluted in FY25, as acoustics is not the focus of this consumer electronics spec-upgrade trend, we expect margin to stabilise in 2026 on easing ASP price pressure. In automotive, we view the rollout of branded system solutions as strategically important. The Zeekr 9X/Naim system is an early proof point that AAC can move up the value chain from components to full-stack audio solutions, and we expect the profitability benefits in automotive from these higher-end programs to become more visible from 2026 onward.

 

We maintain BUY on AAC Tech, supported by improving optics profitability and AI-driven content gains across precision mechanics. We lower the TP to HKD58.0 (prev. HKD61.0) on a trimmed earnings forecast and the same valuation multiple of 20x FY26F P/E. Near-term catalysts include faster-than-expected VC ramp-up, stronger optics gross margin recovery, and additional branded automotive audio wins.

 

Credit Fundamentals

AAC Tech’s total debt increased by 3.1% y/y to RMB9.6bn in Dec 25, mainly due to an increase in long-term borrowings. Net finance cost decreased from RMB219mn in FY24 to RMB202mn in FY25. The company’s debt/capital ratio improved to 27.8% from 28.8% in Dec 24, while net gearing fell to 2.1% from 3.8%. Liquidity remains strong, with cash reserves of RMB8.6bn versus short-term debt of RMB2.0bn. 

 

Operating cash flow increased from an inflow of RMB5.2bn in FY24 to an inflow of RMB7.2bn in FY25, mainly driven by higher profit and better working-capital management. Free cash flow rose from RMB3.1bn in FY24 to RMB4.6bn in FY25, despite an increase in cash capex from RMB2.1bn in FY24 to RMB2.6bn in FY25. Overall, AAC Tech’s balance sheet and liquidity profile remained solid at end-FY25. 






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