CLSA Raises LI NING (02331.HK) Price Target to $18, Maintains Hold Rating; Earnings Recovery Uncertain
Retail Sales Performance: LI NING's 4Q25 retail sales were moderate and in line with expectations, but year-to-date sales have not shown improvement according to CLSA's research.
Earnings Recovery Concerns: CLSA expressed uncertainty regarding LI NING's earnings recovery for FY2026, citing increased investments for the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics, along with ongoing pressures from conservative store expansion and discounts.
Target Price Adjustment: CLSA raised LI NING's target price from $16 to $18 while maintaining a "Hold" rating, indicating that further evidence is needed to support a rebound in retail sales.
Market Context: The short selling ratio for LI NING stands at 9.155%, with a reported short selling amount of $29.23 million, reflecting cautious market sentiment.
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ANTA SPORTS Acquisition: ANTA SPORTS announced the acquisition of a 29% stake in Puma for EUR1.5 billion, making it Puma's largest shareholder upon completion.
Market Reaction: Citi reports that the market has largely priced in the negatives related to the acquisition, maintaining a Buy rating on ANTA SPORTS with a target price of HKD107.
Short Selling Data: ANTA SPORTS has a short selling amount of $63.93M with a ratio of 10.045%, indicating significant market activity.
Industry Comparisons: Citi's stock picks favor ANTA SPORTS over competitors like TOPSPORTS and LI NING, all of which are rated Buy.
Li Ning's Financial Activities: Li Ning's subsidiaries have made several structured deposit subscriptions totaling RMB1.93 billion, with varying terms and expected annual return rates ranging from 0.6% to 3%.
Short Selling Information: The company is experiencing significant short selling activity, with a total of $79.79 million shorted and a short selling ratio of 24.382%.

4Q25 Performance: ANTA SPORTS' 4Q25 results met market expectations, but management's cautious outlook for 2026 revenue and profit margins may negatively impact market sentiment.
Market Sentiment: The conservative view on future sales, combined with rumors of potential acquisitions, could lead to fluctuations in ANTA SPORTS' stock price.
Long-term Outlook: Despite short-term concerns, Goldman Sachs maintains a positive long-term growth outlook for ANTA SPORTS, keeping a Buy rating while lowering the target price from HKD115 to HKD108.
Comparative Performance: ANTA SPORTS outperformed competitors LI NING and POU SHENG INT'L in 4Q25, highlighting its effective multi-brand strategy and cost control in a challenging market.

Market Opening: The HSI, HSCEI, and HSTECH opened lower, with declines of 0.3% and 0.7%, reflecting a negative market sentiment.
ANTA SPORTS Performance: ANTA SPORTS saw a 5.6% drop in share price due to low retail sales growth and management's indication of a challenging investment year ahead.
Other Stock Movements: LI NING and POP MART also experienced declines, while SINOTRUK reported a significant block trade despite a slight opening increase.
Financial Sector Trends: Major financial stocks like HSBC, HKEX, and AIA faced minor declines, while gold-related stocks like CHINAGOLDINTL and ZIJIN MINING saw gains amidst rising gold prices.
LI NING's Recovery Efforts: JPMorgan recognizes LI NING's management efforts to revitalize the brand, although the company is expected to face a low earnings base with declines projected from 2023 to 2025.
Earnings Forecast: A modest earnings increase of only 2% is anticipated for LI NING in 2026, which is significantly lower than the expected over 10% increase for competitors ANTA SPORTS and XTEP INT'L.
Broker Ratings: UOB Kay Hian has maintained a Hold rating on LI NING, raising its target price to HKD 20.2, while keeping the target price at HKD 14.6 and an Underweight rating.
Short Selling Data: As of January 19, 2026, LI NING has a short selling ratio of 21.243% with $128.12M short sold, compared to lower ratios for ANTA SPORTS and XTEP INT'L.

Market Performance: The Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell by 78 points (0.3%) to close at 26,844, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) dropped 46 points (0.5%) to 9,220, with a total market turnover of $255.08 billion.
Active Heavyweights: Notable declines were seen in Xiaomi (-2.0%), Ping An (-1.3%), and Tencent (-0.7%), while Alibaba experienced a slight increase of 1.0%.
Significant Movers: Pop Mart saw a significant drop of 5.6%, while Techtronic Industries and Li Ning reported gains of 4.9% and 4.3%, respectively, with some stocks hitting new highs.
Top Gainers in HSMI & HSSI: Synagistics surged by 17.8%, followed by XXF with a 13.1% increase, and several other stocks also reported substantial gains, indicating a mixed performance across different sectors.







