XCEC(SH:600777) Di Yi Cai Jing·2025-07-23 12:05Core Viewpoint - *ST Xinchao (600777.SH) has filed a rare lawsuit against its auditing firm, Lixin Certified Public Accountants, seeking over 3 million yuan in damages and the retraction of an audit report that expressed an inability to provide an opinion [1][3]. Group 1: Audit Dispute - The lawsuit centers on the audit of overseas oil and gas assets, with Lixin stating it could not obtain sufficient audit evidence, while *ST Xinchao claims it provided complete information [1][8]. - The company is requesting the court to annul Lixin's audit report and internal control audit report, and to refund over 3.5 million yuan in audit fees, along with 300,000 yuan in legal fees, totaling 3.801 million yuan [3][8]. - The audit reports raised concerns regarding the management of oil and gas assets, employee compensation, and royalty calculations, with Lixin unable to verify the accuracy of the reported figures [8][10]. Group 2: Financial Reporting Challenges - The 2024 annual report faced significant delays, attributed to the departure of multiple accounting firms and the need for extensive documentation [2][6]. - The report was eventually disclosed in early July after Lixin took over the audit on March 20, following the resignation of previous auditors due to internal control disagreements [6][7]. Group 3: Control Rights Controversy - *ST Xinchao is currently embroiled in a power struggle, with six minority shareholders planning to convene an extraordinary general meeting to reorganize the management [2][11]. - The management is under pressure to demonstrate its competence in internal controls amid the ongoing audit dispute, which has implications for the company's survival [11][12]. - The company has faced multiple attempts by shareholders to call for a meeting, with disputes over the legality of the self-convened meeting process [12][14]. Group 4: Shareholder Dynamics - In April, a new major shareholder, Yitai B, acquired 34.07 billion shares of *ST Xinchao, representing 50.1% of the total shares, intensifying the control rights conflict [17].