BOC International has revised its earnings forecast for China Unicom (00762) for the years 2026 to 2028, reducing estimates by 11.8%, 9.1%, and 5.5%, respectively. The firm reiterated its "Buy" rating on the stock, although it lowered the target price from HK$11.93 to HK$9.55. In the first quarter of this year, China Unicom reported a 0.9% year-on-year decline in service revenue to RMB 90.1 billion, primarily due to the impact of an increase in the value-added tax rate effective from 2026. Net profit for the period fell by 17.6% to RMB 4.9 billion. The bank noted that the VAT rate for relevant services has been raised from 6% to 9%, making the first quarter the first full period to reflect the tax adjustment. BOC International highlighted that the company's strong free cash flow and a dividend payout ratio of 61% for 2025 provide valuation support.