Diesel Engine Demand Will Fall As Electrification Expands

Key Takeaways

• Long-term revenue and profit growth face risks from tightening emissions regulations, shifting to electric powertrains, and increased competition in core markets.
  
• Heavy dependence on traditional engines and specific geographic markets exposes the business to policy changes, regulatory shifts, and potential demand declines.
  
• Strategic growth in alternative fuels, exports, and OEM partnerships, supported by strong cash flow and capacity expansion, positions the company for sustained revenue and margin improvement.

Catalysts

Manufactures, assembles, and sells diesel and natural gas engines for trucks, buses, pickups, construction and agricultural equipment, and marine and power generation applications.

• The current high valuation may reflect investor optimism about China Yuchai's ability to sustain extraordinary export growth and market share gains despite signs that replacement and expansion demand in trucks, buses, and construction vehicles may plateau as the effects of urbanization and infrastructure investment in China and ASEAN normalize; this could create downside risk to future revenue growth if end-market demand reverts to mean levels.
  
• Recent results may be benefiting from a temporary surge in demand for diesel and gas engines for data center backup power due to rapid digitalization and infrastructure build-out, but over the long term, global shifts towards electric vehicles and zero-emissions regulations could significantly reduce addressable markets and pressure topline revenue.
  
• The company's high margins and earnings growth may be unsustainable as China Yuchai faces rising R&D costs and operational complexity from pivoting to alternative powertrains while traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) business faces structural headwinds, which could compress net margins and earnings in coming years.
  
• Overreliance on the Chinese domestic market and exports to emerging economies with less stringent emissions regulations may expose future revenue and profitability to policy risk, geopolitical disruption, and eventual regulatory catch-up that could adversely affect volumes and margins.
  
• Recent financial outperformance and elevated cash positions may not be repeatable as competitors accelerate advancements in electric and hybrid technologies, intensifying price competition and threatening long-term market share, thereby creating risks to sustained profit growth.

China Yuchai International Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming China Yuchai International's revenue will decrease by 1.4% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 2.0% today to 1.9% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach CN¥408.9 million (and earnings per share of CN¥10.87) by about August 2028, down from CN¥448.5 million today. The analysts are largely in agreement about this estimate.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 11.7x on those 2028 earnings, down from 17.6x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Machinery industry at 23.8x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 7.0% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 8.31%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

China Yuchai International Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• Robust outperformance of industry peers and market share gains: China Yuchai achieved 34% revenue growth and nearly 30% increase in engine units sold, while the broader market experienced declines, indicating potential for continued top-line revenue growth through ongoing penetration and competitive displacement.
  
• Diversification and growth in new energy and export segments: Strategic R&D investments in hydrogen, methanol, ammonia and gas engines, coupled with export growth and partnerships (especially in ASEAN markets), position the company to capture long-term secular trends in alternative fuel adoption and international demand, underpinning sustained revenue and margin expansion.
  
• Strong balance sheet and cash flow generation: Large and growing cash balances, along with consistent dividend payments and positive cash flow, provide flexibility for increased shareholder returns, reinvestment, or strategic acquisitions-bolstering confidence in future net earnings and potential for higher payout ratios or capital deployment.
  
• Capacity expansion supporting future growth: Plans for a 30% increase in high-horsepower engine capacity, coupled with fully booked order books and ongoing demand from data center and power generation applications, lay a foundation for rising production, revenue, and potential economies of scale, benefiting future net margins.
  
• Deepening OEM partnerships and aftermarket growth: Strengthened relationships with Tier 1 and Tier 2 OEMs in China, increased share of export sales, and rising demand for aftermarket services (aided by a large service network and adoption of telematics/IoT) create structural advantages that support stable or increasing long-term revenue and earnings resilience.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of $17.49 for China Yuchai International based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $21.82, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $13.16.
  
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be CN¥21.7 billion, earnings will come to CN¥408.9 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 11.7x, assuming you use a discount rate of 8.3%.
  
• Given the current share price of $29.35, the analyst price target of $17.49 is 67.8% lower.
  
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.