老乡鸡港股冲刺：30亿项目缺钱，超8成门店困在华东，社保欠缴风险仍在

Core Viewpoint - The company, Lao Xiang Ji, is attempting to go public in Hong Kong after previous failed attempts in A-shares, aiming to become the first Chinese fast-food brand listed in Hong Kong. The IPO is crucial for funding its extensive supply chain and store expansion plans, but past issues may hinder its progress [1][9]. Financial Performance - Lao Xiang Ji's revenue has shown significant growth, with figures of 45.28 billion, 56.51 billion, and 62.88 billion for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively, along with 21.2 billion for the first four months of this year. Net profit increased from 2.52 billion in 2022 to 4.09 billion in 2024, with 1.74 billion in the first four months of this year [2]. Store Expansion - The growth in revenue is largely driven by the increase in franchise stores. The number of franchise stores surged from 118 at the beginning of the year to 653 by April 2023, while the number of direct-operated stores decreased from 1007 to 911 during the same period [2][3]. Regional Concentration - Despite the expansion, the company's store distribution remains heavily concentrated in the East China region, with 79.69% of direct-operated stores and 94.79% of franchise stores located in Anhui and the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area. Overall, these regions account for approximately 86% of total stores, with Anhui being the primary base at 48% [3][4]. Supply Chain Challenges - The company's supply chain is primarily based in East China, which poses challenges for expansion outside this region. Transportation costs are significant, and the company may face increased expenses and logistical issues when opening stores further away from its supply base [5][6]. Operational Efficiency - Lao Xiang Ji's central kitchen utilization rates are high, exceeding 100% for chicken processing and reaching 94.5% for overall food processing by 2024. However, the company needs to expand its central kitchen capacity to support future store openings [6]. Financial Constraints - The company is facing a financial gap, with total current assets of 10.47 billion and cash equivalents of 4.97 billion, which may hinder its ability to independently fund new projects, such as a 30.6 billion investment in a new food processing and logistics base [6]. Franchise vs. Direct-Operated Stores - While the franchise model has expanded the company's footprint, operational metrics indicate that franchise stores underperform compared to direct-operated ones. For instance, the average daily sales per franchise store are approximately 1.24 million, compared to 1.6 million for direct-operated stores [7][8]. Compliance Issues - The company has faced scrutiny for failing to fully pay employee social security and housing fund contributions, with significant shortfalls reported over the years. This issue could lead to potential fines and legal challenges, complicating the IPO process [9][10][11].