Core Viewpoint - Huazhi Xiao, a domestic cosmetics brand, has completed a Series B financing round exclusively invested by Proya, aiming to enhance its global expansion and supply chain integration [1][2]. Company Overview - Founded in 2016, Huazhi Xiao focuses on original design and targets the young demographic with its unique aesthetic that combines secondary dimension culture and feminine beauty [1]. - The brand has successfully completed three rounds of financing, with previous rounds led by Tiantu Investment and Kunyuan Capital [1]. Financial Performance - Huazhi Xiao's products are positioned in the affordable market, with individual product prices generally under 100 yuan. The brand is projected to achieve overall revenue exceeding 1 billion yuan by 2025 [1]. International Expansion - Huazhi Xiao has made significant strides in international markets, entering Japan in 2019 and establishing a presence in over ten countries, including the U.S. and Southeast Asia [2]. - The brand's overseas revenue currently accounts for 10% of its total revenue, with the recent financing aimed at furthering its global expansion and content innovation [2]. Strategic Partnerships - Proya's investment is seen as mutually beneficial, allowing Huazhi Xiao to enhance its brand structure and competitive edge in the cosmetics sector while Proya gains insights into international market development [3]. - Proya is also pursuing its own international strategy, recently announcing plans to issue H-shares for listing in Hong Kong to accelerate its overseas business growth [3]. Market Trends - The domestic beauty market is becoming increasingly competitive, prompting many local brands, including Proya, to seek growth opportunities in international markets [3]. - The current investment climate has shifted, with a cooling in financial institution investments in the consumer sector, presenting opportunities for industry-specific investments in brands like Huazhi Xiao [4].

Core Insights - HuazhiXiao, a domestic cosmetics brand, has completed a Series B financing round exclusively funded by Proya, with Chishan Capital serving as the long-term exclusive financial advisor [2] - Proya's investment reflects its alignment with HuazhiXiao's long-term commitment to product quality and innovation, appealing to the Gen Z consumer demographic [2] - HuazhiXiao, founded in 2016, focuses on original design and targets young consumers, becoming a popular brand amid the rise of domestic products [2] Company Development - HuazhiXiao has completed three rounds of financing, with previous rounds led by Tiantu Investment and Kunyan Capital, raising nearly 100 million yuan in the A round [2] - The brand positions itself in the affordable market, with product prices generally under 100 yuan, and is projected to achieve over 1 billion yuan in revenue by 2025 [2] International Expansion - HuazhiXiao has made significant strides in international markets, entering Japan in 2019 and establishing a presence in over ten countries, including the U.S. and Southeast Asia [3] - The brand's overseas revenue currently accounts for 10% of its total revenue, with the recent financing aimed at further global expansion and supply chain integration [3] Strategic Partnerships - Proya's investment is seen as mutually beneficial, enhancing HuazhiXiao's competitive edge in the cosmetics sector while allowing Proya to leverage HuazhiXiao's international experience [4] - Proya is also pursuing its own international strategy, planning to issue H-shares for listing in Hong Kong to accelerate overseas business development [4] Market Trends - The domestic beauty market is becoming increasingly competitive, prompting many local brands to seek growth opportunities abroad [4] - The current investment climate has shifted, with a cooling in financial institution investments in the consumer sector, presenting opportunities for industry-specific investments in brands like HuazhiXiao [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the initiatives and events organized by the China Fragrance and Cosmetic Industry Association to promote safety in cosmetic use and enhance the industry's global standing through media collaboration and scientific communication [4][12]. Group 1: Events and Initiatives - The 2025 Safety Cosmetic Use Science Promotion Week will take place from September 1 to 7, with the theme "Safe Use of Cosmetics, Science to Safeguard" [5]. - The China Fragrance and Cosmetic Industry Association aims to strengthen public awareness of safe cosmetic use and establish a new social governance model [5][12]. - The association's annual media collaboration meeting focuses on building a better media cooperation ecosystem and enhancing scientific communication within the industry [14][17]. Group 2: Key Activities - The first execution plan for the Safety Cosmetic Use Science Promotion Week includes a "Full Media Science Promotion Action" with activities such as expert-written articles and engaging multimedia content [10]. - The second plan involves a "Consumer Safety Use of Cosmetics Public Welfare Action," encouraging companies to showcase their green and sustainable development practices [11]. - The third plan, "Green Action: Empty Bottle Recycling," aims to set up around 300 recycling points nationwide and promote consumer participation in sustainability efforts [11]. Group 3: 2025 CAME Highlights - The 2025 China Fragrance and Cosmetic Industry Annual Conference and Boutique Expo (2025 CAME) will be held from September 25 to 27 in Nanjing, focusing on "Technology and Brand Co-Progress" [21][23]. - The expo will feature over 115 exhibitors and more than 500 brands, showcasing innovations in the industry, including biotechnological advancements and sustainable packaging [25][27]. - The event will also host numerous thematic conferences, inviting over 100 influential guests to discuss key industry topics, enhancing the exchange of ideas and collaboration [28][30].

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Proya has announced its intention to list in Hong Kong while revealing its semi-annual report, which has attracted significant attention in the capital market [1][2] - Proya's revenue for the first half of the year reached 5.362 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.21%, while net profit attributable to shareholders was 799 million yuan, up 13.80% year-on-year [3] - The growth rates of revenue and net profit have significantly slowed compared to the previous year, indicating that Proya has entered a period of more moderate growth [4] Group 2 - The main brand "Proya" reported a slight decline in revenue of 0.08% year-on-year, marking the first negative growth in five years [4] - Proya's marketing expenses have increased, with total sales expenses reaching 2.659 billion yuan, accounting for 49.59% of revenue, which is significantly higher than the revenue growth rate [6] - The company has experienced significant internal personnel changes, including the departure of several core executives and the introduction of new executives with international backgrounds [7][8] Group 3 - Proya's plan to list in Hong Kong aims to accelerate its international strategy and overseas business development, although its current overseas sales account for less than 5% of total revenue [12][13] - The company faces challenges in expanding its overseas market presence, particularly in saturated markets like Europe and North America, where established brands dominate [15] - Proya's reliance on online channels for 90% of its domestic revenue poses a challenge for its international expansion, where offline channels remain crucial [15]

Group 1: Investment and Financing - HuazhiXiao, a domestic cosmetics brand, has completed a Series B financing round exclusively invested by Proya, a leading domestic beauty group [1] - The funds from this financing will be used for global expansion, supply chain integration, and content innovation [1] - HuazhiXiao has only had two rounds of financing since its establishment in 2016, with the previous rounds being a Pre-A round led by Tiantu Investment and an A round in 2021 led by Kunyan Capital [1] Group 2: Market Trends - The domestic cosmetics market has shown signs of recovery in the first half of the year, with retail sales reaching 229.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2.9%, significantly improving from the previous year's 1% growth [1] - Only three domestic cosmetics brands have reported formal financing in the first half of this year, indicating a still cautious investment environment in the sector [1] Group 3: Brand Strategy and Market Positioning - HuazhiXiao focuses on integrating two-dimensional culture and youthful aesthetics, targeting a young demographic with its original design cosmetics [3] - The brand has successfully entered international markets, starting with Japan in 2019 and expanding to over ten countries, including the U.S. with a presence in Urban Outfitters in 2024 [4] Group 4: Proya's Strategic Moves - Proya reported a revenue of 5.362 billion yuan in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 7.21%, but with a noticeable decline in growth rate compared to previous years [4] - The company plans to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to accelerate its international strategy and enhance overseas financing capabilities [4] - Proya's chairman has indicated a focus on overseas acquisitions, particularly in the fields of children's products, perfumes, and men's skincare, as a strategy to seek new growth opportunities [4]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Recommended" rating for the company, indicating a potential upside of over 15% relative to the benchmark index [4][12]. Core Insights - The company achieved a revenue of 5.362 billion yuan in H1 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 7.21%. The net profit attributable to shareholders was 799 million yuan, up 13.80% year-on-year [1]. - The skincare segment showed steady growth, with revenue of 4.199 billion yuan in H1 2025, a slight increase of 0.20% year-on-year, while the beauty makeup segment grew by 25.79% to 837 million yuan [2]. - The company plans to list in Hong Kong to further its international strategy [1]. Financial Performance - The gross margin for H1 2025 increased by 3.56 percentage points to 73.38%, while the net profit margin rose by 0.86 percentage points [3]. - The main brand, Proya, generated 3.979 billion yuan in revenue, a slight decline of 0.08% year-on-year, while the sub-brand Cai Tang saw a revenue increase of 21.11% to 705 million yuan [4]. - The company forecasts net profits of 1.8 billion yuan, 2.08 billion yuan, and 2.35 billion yuan for 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively, with growth rates of 15.9%, 15.3%, and 13.2% [4][6]. Revenue Breakdown - In H1 2025, online sales accounted for 95.39% of total revenue, amounting to 5.109 billion yuan, while offline sales decreased by 21.49% to 247 million yuan [2]. - The revenue from the hair care segment surged by 131.25% to 320 million yuan, indicating strong performance in this category [2]. Future Projections - The company expects revenue growth rates of 10.3%, 7.8%, and 6.5% for the years 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively [6][9]. - The projected earnings per share for 2025, 2026, and 2027 are 4.54 yuan, 5.24 yuan, and 5.93 yuan, respectively [6][9]. Brand Development - The main brand Proya continues to enhance its brand strength, while other brands are also making significant progress, with Off&Relax being the fastest-growing brand, achieving a revenue of 279 million yuan, up 102.52% year-on-year [4].

- The report discusses the "Volume Timing Signal" model, which is used to gauge market sentiment based on trading volume. The model's construction involves analyzing the volume of trades to determine whether the market sentiment is optimistic or cautious. As of August 29, 2025, the volume timing signals for the CSI 1000, ChiNext Index, and Beijing 50 Index are cautious, while other major broad-based indices show optimistic signals[26][27] - The "Number of Rising Stocks in CSI 300" sentiment indicator is another model mentioned in the report. This model calculates the proportion of stocks in the CSI 300 index that have positive returns over a given period. The formula is: $$ \text{Proportion of Rising Stocks in CSI 300 over N days} = \frac{\text{Number of CSI 300 stocks with positive returns over N days}}{\text{Total number of CSI 300 stocks}} $$ This indicator helps capture market sentiment by identifying periods when a majority of stocks are performing well, which often indicates market optimism. The recent value of this indicator is around 94%[27][28][30] - The "Moving Average Sentiment Indicator" is also discussed. This model uses the eight moving averages of the CSI 300 index to determine market trends. The moving averages used are 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, and 233 days. The model assigns values based on the number of moving averages that the current price exceeds. If the current price exceeds more than five moving averages, the market sentiment is considered optimistic. The formula for the moving average sentiment indicator is: $$ \text{Number of Moving Averages Exceeded by Current Price} $$ The recent analysis shows that the CSI 300 index is in an optimistic sentiment zone[35][36][37] - The "Cross-sectional Volatility" factor is used to measure the dispersion of stock returns within an index. Higher cross-sectional volatility indicates a better environment for alpha generation. The recent values for cross-sectional volatility are: - CSI 300: 1.76% - CSI 500: 1.91% - CSI 1000: 2.23% These values suggest that the short-term alpha environment is improving[41][43] - The "Time-series Volatility" factor measures the volatility of individual stock returns over time. Higher time-series volatility also indicates a better environment for alpha generation. The recent values for time-series volatility are: - CSI 300: 0.53% - CSI 500: 0.38% - CSI 1000: 0.22% These values suggest that the short-term alpha environment is improving[44][46] Model and Factor Performance Metrics - Volume Timing Signal: - CSI 1000: Cautious - ChiNext Index: Cautious - Beijing 50 Index: Cautious - Other major indices: Optimistic[26][27] - Number of Rising Stocks in CSI 300: - Recent value: 94%[27][28][30] - Moving Average Sentiment Indicator: - Recent sentiment: Optimistic[35][36][37] - Cross-sectional Volatility: - CSI 300: 1.76% - CSI 500: 1.91% - CSI 1000: 2.23%[41][43] - Time-series Volatility: - CSI 300: 0.53% - CSI 500: 0.38% - CSI 1000: 0.22%[44][46]

Industry Overview - The beauty industry is witnessing significant developments, including financial reports from various companies and the successful registration of new raw materials like Ursolic Acid [1] - Major brands are launching new products and entering new markets, indicating a dynamic and evolving landscape [1] Company Performance - Up Beauty reported a record revenue of 4.108 billion yuan for the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 17.3%, with a net profit of 556 million yuan, up 34.7% [2] - Giant Biological achieved a revenue of 3.113 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, reflecting a 22.5% year-on-year growth, with a net profit of 1.182 billion yuan, up 20.6% [21] - Huaxi Biological reported a revenue of 2.261 billion yuan, with net profit figures showing no growth, but signs of strategic adjustments beginning to take effect [22] - Marubi Biological's revenue for the first half of 2025 reached 1.769 billion yuan, a 30.83% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of 186 million yuan, up 5.21% [23] New Product Developments - Up Beauty is preparing to launch a new makeup brand called "Dan Cai" in collaboration with a renowned makeup artist [2] - COSMAX announced breakthroughs in anti-aging and whitening products, including a new NAD-based anti-aging cosmetic and a new whitening powder [3] - LV Cosmetics has begun global pre-sales, indicating a strong push into the market [15] Executive Changes - Proya appointed new executives, including Xue Xia as the board secretary and Guo Xiao as the Chief Marketing Officer, both bringing extensive experience in the consumer sector [4] - Givaudan announced a leadership change, with Gilles Andrier stepping down as CEO in March 2026, to be succeeded by Christian Stammkoetter [5] Market Trends - The beauty and skincare market saw sales of 235.23 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, a 10.1% year-on-year increase, with anti-aging products showing a significant growth of 30.3% [24] - The introduction of innovative products and strategic partnerships, such as COSMAX's collaboration with Korea University for climate-proof cosmetics, reflects the industry's adaptability to changing consumer needs [15]

Listing Dynamics - Proya plans to issue H-shares and list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to enhance its international strategy and overseas business development, aiming to improve its overall competitiveness [3] - The company is currently discussing the details of the issuance with relevant intermediaries, and the issuance will not change the control of the major shareholders [3] Mergers & Acquisitions - Apollo Global Management is one of the few potential buyers in preliminary talks with Coca-Cola regarding the sale of Costa Coffee, although a formal bid may not be submitted [5] - Coca-Cola's decision to sell Costa Coffee is seen as a move to offload heavy assets and recover cash, potentially sparking a new wave of mergers in the coffee sector [5] Brand Dynamics - Tims China reported Q2 2025 revenue of 349 million yuan, with system sales up 1.4% to 409.5 million yuan, driven by stable cash flow from franchise and retail operations [11] - The company’s franchise business continues to grow rapidly, with the number of franchise stores increasing to 449, up from 333 year-on-year [11] - Meituan's Q2 2025 revenue reached 91.84 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 11.7%, but operating profit fell significantly, indicating intense competition in the food delivery market [12][14] Corporate Governance - The control of Wahaha has been solidified with Zong Fuli inheriting 29.4% of the shares from Zong Qinghou, resulting in a new governance structure combining state-owned and family interests [8][9] - Yum! Brands appointed Chris Turner as a board member and future CEO, marking the beginning of a new leadership era [29]

Group 1 - A-share companies are increasingly planning to list in Hong Kong, indicating a trend in the market [1] - A total of 29 A-share listed companies have disclosed plans for Hong Kong listings this month [1] - Notable companies involved in this trend include Huaxin Cement, Shengbang Co., Dongcheng Pharmaceutical, and others [1]