Core Viewpoint - Hong Jiu Fruit has faced delisting from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange due to serious governance issues, financial irregularities, and a significant decline in stock value, reflecting broader challenges in the fruit retail industry [1][2][16]. Company Summary - Hong Jiu Fruit received a delisting decision from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on October 3, 2025, citing five core issues including incomplete investigations, management integrity concerns, and internal control deficiencies [1]. - The company's stock price plummeted by 95.65% from its IPO price of 40 HKD to 1.74 HKD, resulting in a market capitalization drop from 671 billion HKD to under 30 billion HKD [1]. - The founder, Deng Hong Jiu, transitioned from a humble beginning to leading a billion-dollar company, but the company faced severe financial and operational challenges post-IPO [2][21]. Governance Issues - The company exhibits a family-run structure with over 46% ownership by the Deng family, leading to a lack of independent oversight and governance failures [3][6]. - The resignation of three independent non-executive directors in May 2025 left the audit committee incapacitated, further eroding external supervision [6]. - The management structure is heavily dominated by family members, which has resulted in ineffective governance and a lack of professional managerial talent [6][8]. Financial Irregularities - A significant financial scandal involved a 34.2 billion HKD prepayment to suspicious new suppliers, leading to the resignation of the auditing firm KPMG due to insufficient evidence for proper auditing [7][19]. - The company’s financial management was characterized by a high reliance on prepayments and long receivables periods, resulting in a cash flow crisis [9][14]. - The company's accounts receivable surged from 3.86 billion HKD in 2021 to 9.35 billion HKD, while cash reserves dwindled to approximately 500 million HKD, indicating severe liquidity issues [13][14]. Industry Context - The challenges faced by Hong Jiu Fruit are reflective of broader issues within the fruit retail industry, including high supply chain costs and shrinking profit margins [16][18]. - Other leading companies in the industry, such as Baiguoyuan and Xianfeng Fruits, are also experiencing significant operational difficulties, highlighting a collective crisis in the sector [16][20]. - The industry is grappling with a shift in consumer preferences towards high-cost efficiency, which has not been adequately addressed by traditional fruit retailers [20].
“水果第一股”的坠落：洪九果品从600亿市值到强制退市警示录