CTIHK (06055), the designated overseas platform for China Tobacco International, saw its stock price surge by 9.29% in intraday trading, reaching a new all-time high of HK$40.8. The impressive rally comes on the heels of the company's recently released interim results, which showcased robust growth and prompted positive analyst commentary.

According to the company's financial report, CTIHK achieved a revenue of HK$10.316 billion in the first half of the year, representing a significant year-on-year increase of 18.52%. The profit attributable to shareholders reached HK$706 million, up 9.79% compared to the same period last year. In light of this strong performance, the company has proposed an interim dividend of HK$0.19 per share.

Huatai Securities, in their analysis of CTIHK's results, highlighted the impressive revenue performance, attributing it primarily to the excellent showing of the company's tobacco leaf import and export business. The firm maintains a bullish outlook on CTIHK, citing its exclusive operating position, which creates substantial competitive barriers and strong pricing power. Analysts expect the core tobacco leaf import and export business to continue its steady growth trajectory, while emerging segments like cigarettes are anticipated to provide additional performance boosts. Furthermore, as the designated platform for China Tobacco International's capital market operations and global business expansion, CTIHK is well-positioned for external growth opportunities. Consequently, Huatai Securities has reiterated its "Buy" rating on the stock, expressing confidence in the company's "organic growth + external expansion" strategy.