Core Viewpoint - The brokerage sector, characterized by high volatility and significant investor interest, is undergoing a transformation in its survival strategies as it enters a new era of equity allocation driven by declining interest rates [1][2]. Group 1: Historical Performance and Changes - The brokerage sector was once a major wealth creation engine in the A-share market, with an average ROE soaring to 40% during the 2007 bull market and a peak PB valuation of 19 times [2]. - Following the 2012 Securities Industry Innovation Conference, a fundamental shift in the valuation logic of brokerage stocks began, leading to a significant decline in ROE and PB ratios during market downturns [4]. Group 2: Business Model Evolution - Prior to the innovation conference, brokerages heavily relied on channel businesses, with brokerage services contributing over 50% of their revenue, resulting in a strong correlation between market conditions and ROE [4]. - Post-2012, the rise of capital intermediary businesses like margin trading and stock pledges diversified revenue sources but also led to a narrowing of ROE elasticity and a restructuring of the valuation system [5]. Group 3: Current Market Dynamics - The brokerage sector is now characterized by a "triple deleveraging" effect: ROE has decreased from a 15%-20% range to 5%-10%, PB ratios have dropped from 19 times to 2 times, and the correlation with market indices has weakened by 18 percentage points since 2020 [5]. - The shift from a high-beta, performance-driven model to one where valuation and policy expectations play a larger role indicates the end of the "wild growth period" for brokerages [5]. Group 4: Path to Becoming Leading Investment Banks - The Chinese securities industry is in a critical phase of restructuring, with top brokerages pursuing mergers and innovations to enhance their competitiveness [6]. - Despite the push for creating first-class investment banks, domestic brokerages still face significant challenges in capital strength, business synergy, and internationalization compared to global peers [6][10]. Group 5: Mergers and Acquisitions - The integration of major brokerages, such as the merger between Guotai Junan and Haitong Securities, reflects a strategic move towards building a leading investment bank in Shanghai [8]. - The effectiveness of mergers varies, with firms like Huatai Securities successfully enhancing their market position through strategic acquisitions, while others like Shenwan Hongyuan struggle with integration challenges [9]. Group 6: Capital Constraints - Domestic leading brokerages generally have net asset scales below 300 billion yuan, significantly lower than international firms like Goldman Sachs, which limits their operational capabilities [10]. - The regulatory constraints on leverage ratios further hinder domestic brokerages' ability to compete in high-end financial services, where they hold less than 5% market share in areas like M&A advisory and structured financing [10].

2022 Performance Highlights - Anton Oilfield Services Group achieved revenue of RMB 3,514.9 million in 2022[14] - Profit attributable to equity holders reached RMB 293.8 million in 2022[14] - Overseas markets experienced substantial growth, with the Iraqi market growing by 48% to RMB 1,536.0 million[18], and other overseas markets growing by 16.2% to RMB 485.2 million[18] - New businesses contributed a growing percentage of total revenue, reaching 41% in 2022[21] - Free cash flow reached a historical high of RMB 426.0 million in 2022[29] - The company reduced its financial leverage, with the gearing ratio decreasing to 58.6% and Debt/EBITDA decreasing to 2.0X[32] Strategic Initiatives and Developments - Anton successfully introduced strategic investors into T-ALL inspection, financing RMB 252 million through selling 18.69% of T-ALL's interests[24] - The company is pursuing asset securitization, with plans to spin off the inspection business to the A-share market[24] - Anton is focused on precision engineering technology services, which led to a production increase of over three times in a tight sandstone gas reservoir project in North China[22] 2023 Outlook and Growth Strategies - The company aims to capitalize on the widening global oil and gas supply gap and opportunities for stable development[39, 40] - Anton plans to expand its global presence, focusing on markets like Iraq, West Africa, China, Indonesia, and other emerging regions[47] - The company intends to promote precision engineering technology to upgrade traditional business and change the competitive landscape[39, 50] - Anton will continue to develop unique and innovative businesses, including oilfield management, asset leasing, inspection, and digital services[39, 53] - The company aims to improve operating efficiency and deliver quality results through data-driven strategies[39, 74]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was $3 million, down from $3.4 million in Q1 2024, primarily due to lower service revenue from VIP enrollments [20] - Gross profit decreased to $1.5 million in Q1 2025 from $1.9 million in Q1 2024, with a gross margin of 50% compared to 57% in the prior year [21][22] - Net loss for Q1 2025 was $3.9 million, slightly higher than the $3.8 million loss in Q1 2024 [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Service revenues declined as the company eliminated its VIP enrollment sales team, while product sales increased by 8% due to higher volume in pediatric guide appliances [9][20] - The number of oral appliance arches shipped increased by 87%, from 1,996 in Q1 2024 to 3,736 in Q1 2025 [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is expecting to close the acquisition of Sleep Center of Nevada (SCN), which sees approximately 3,000 sleep patients a month, in the next month or two [10][12] - The acquisition is anticipated to be accretive to revenue and gross profit, with a projected net contribution margin of 50% or better from SCN [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is pivoting to create strategic alliances or acquisitions of sleep medical providers to drive sales of OSA treatment appliances and diversify revenue streams [8][12] - The management believes that the SCN acquisition will be transformational, providing a fast path to increase patient treatment and revenue [12][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the new business model and the potential for significant cash flow and profitability by the end of 2025 [15][47] - The management team has extensive experience in acquiring and integrating professional practices, which they believe will facilitate successful future acquisitions [17][36] Other Important Information - The company has signed a non-binding term sheet for a $7.5 million senior loan to finance the SCN acquisition and working capital [10] - Cash used in operations for Q1 2025 was $3.8 million, an increase from $2.5 million in Q1 2024 [24][25] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you expand on the experience with the Rebus Alliance and its contribution? - The experience with Rebus has been slower than expected due to internal challenges, but the company proved its thesis that a significant percentage of patients would choose VIVOS treatments over CPAP [28][30] Question: What can be learned from the Rebus experience for future partnerships? - The management has learned to optimize revenues and services in a medical insurance environment and has modified deal structures to ensure a steady patient flow [34][36] Question: What is the expected impact of the SCN acquisition on the P&L? - The SCN acquisition is expected to add legacy revenue and expenses, with the potential for significant revenue generation starting in Q3 2025 [43][47] Question: Will operating expenses increase in Q3 and Q4 due to the acquisition? - Yes, there will be an uptick in operating expenses due to hiring and training new staff, but revenues are expected to quickly outpace these costs [49][50] Question: How was the acquisition price of $9 million determined? - The valuation was based on a quality of earnings report and the potential patient volume from SCN, with a combination of cash and equity as part of the deal [51][56]

Group 1: Financial Performance - The company's overall revenue in Q1 2025 decreased by 16.71% year-on-year, primarily due to proactive customer structure optimization and channel transformation [2] - The gross profit margin declined by over 5 percentage points compared to the previous year, influenced by product price adjustments and changes in product structure [3] - Operating cash flow net amount increased significantly by 56.98% year-on-year, indicating improved operational quality despite a substantial drop in net profit [3] Group 2: Business Strategy and Market Position - The company shifted its business model from direct sales to a retail and engineering channel-focused approach, leading to a decline in direct sales revenue, particularly in real estate procurement [2] - The engineering channel business continued to grow, reflecting an increase in market share, especially in non-real estate sectors [2] - Retail business showed strong growth after channel optimization, with significant revenue increases from the Deaiwei retail segment [2] Group 3: Cost Management and Efficiency - The company has implemented organizational restructuring and cost control measures, resulting in a noticeable decrease in expense ratios [3] - Continuous efforts in reducing costs and improving efficiency through streamlined processes and shared services for non-core functions [7][8] - The company aims to enhance capacity utilization by increasing market share and optimizing asset management [9] Group 4: Future Growth and Expansion - The overseas business performed well in Q1 2025, with revenue growth and ongoing construction of overseas factories, including a new facility in Malaysia [10] - The company plans to expand its product categories, with non-waterproof products already accounting for about half of the revenue from the civil construction group [12] - The construction group will focus on new product lines, including sand powder and coatings, to alleviate market demand pressure on waterproof products [13]