Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-11-14 01:36Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent challenges faced by Pop Mart, including a negative report from Bernstein and internal employee dissatisfaction, while highlighting the continued wealth accumulation of its founder, Wang Ning, amidst these issues [1][2][3]. Group 1: Company Performance and Market Reaction - Bernstein has categorized Pop Mart as a speculative toy company and has issued a "underperform" rating, marking the second time the firm has expressed a bearish outlook on the company [1][2]. - Despite the negative sentiment, Wang Ning's wealth has surged to 182 billion yuan, an increase of nearly 40 billion yuan in five months, making him the top U40 entrepreneur according to the Hurun report [2][8]. - Following a live-stream incident where employees criticized the pricing, Pop Mart's stock initially dipped but later rebounded, with a notable increase of over 8% on November 10 [7][8]. Group 2: Employee and Consumer Sentiment - Employees have expressed skepticism about the brand's value, with one incident during a live stream revealing internal discontent regarding pricing strategies [3][4]. - The company has faced over 26,000 complaints on the Black Cat Complaints platform, primarily concerning product quality and poor after-sales service [6]. Group 3: Product and Market Dynamics - Pop Mart's products, particularly the DIMOO series, continue to sell well, with significant price premiums observed, such as a 7.3 times increase for certain items [7][9]. - The company reported a 245% year-on-year revenue growth in Q3, with a gross margin of 70.3%, surpassing major luxury brands [12]. Group 4: Future Challenges and Market Trends - Bernstein's bearish outlook is partly due to signs of slowing growth, with a notable decline in transaction volumes and market interest for key products like LABUBU [14]. - Competitors such as Miniso's TOPTOY and 52TOYS are emerging, posing threats to Pop Mart's market share by adopting aggressive pricing and targeting different consumer segments [14][15].