E-Star Commercial declares interim dividend despite revenue fall

E-Star Commercial Management Company Limited (06668) announced an interim dividend of HK$0.05 per share for the six months ended June 30, 2025, to be paid on December 19, 2025. The register of members will close from November 28, 2025, to December 1, 2025, to determine dividend entitlement. This dividend follows a 9.4% period-on-period decrease in the Group's revenue, which amounted to approximately RMB284.2m for the first half of 2025.

The decline was primarily observed in entrusted management services (down 11.4% to RMB185.7m) and brand and management output services (down 20.8% to RMB34.4m), attributed to fewer projects and market conditions. However, revenue from sublease services increased by 5.7% to RMB64.1m due to the steady growth of recently opened projects. The Group’s gross profit margin improved to 52.3% from 51.6% in the prior period.

Profit attributable to owners of the Company for the period decreased slightly by 2.5% to RMB86.9m. The Company reported RMB1,368.4m in short-term bank deposits and cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2025, with a gearing ratio of 44.8%. The unutilized net proceeds from the global offering, totaling RMB370.0m, are earmarked for future investments in accordance with the Company's strategic plans.