Core Viewpoint - Beijing Haixue Education Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Haixue") has submitted its listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, but the company has faced significant financial losses and ongoing issues related to customer complaints and refund difficulties [1][7]. Financial Performance - Haixue reported losses of RMB 1.86 billion, RMB 1.75 billion, RMB 906.9 million, and RMB 1.58 billion for the years 2022 to 2024 and the first half of 2025, with the loss in the first half of 2025 exceeding both the same period last year and the total for the previous year [1][2]. - The company's revenue for the same periods was RMB 4.00 billion, RMB 4.72 billion, RMB 5.11 billion, and RMB 2.32 billion, showing a decline of 5.5% in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year [2][5]. Business Model and Revenue Sources - Haixue primarily provides online vocational training services, with a significant portion of its revenue derived from construction-related vocational qualification courses, which accounted for 68.2%, 61.5%, 59.3%, and 59.8% of total revenue from 2022 to the first half of 2025 [4][5]. - The company has a high gross profit margin, with rates of 78.6%, 81.1%, 81.6%, and 85.8% for the same periods, but high marketing expenses have led to net losses [4][5]. Customer Complaints and Refund Issues - Haixue has been criticized for misleading advertising, inducing students to take loans for courses, and difficulties in obtaining refunds, with over 8,400 complaints filed on the Black Cat Complaints platform as of November 6, 2025 [1][7]. - The company's contract liabilities reached RMB 301 million by the first half of 2025, with a rising refund rate of 15.9%, indicating increasing customer dissatisfaction [12][7]. Employee Structure and Marketing Expenses - As of the first half of 2025, Haixue employed 1,258 full-time staff, with 80% (1,006 employees) dedicated to sales and marketing, reflecting a heavy reliance on marketing to drive revenue [4][5]. - Marketing expenses for the years 2022 to 2025 were RMB 2.85 billion, RMB 3.15 billion, RMB 3.30 billion, and RMB 1.47 billion, with corresponding sales expense ratios of 71.3%, 66.8%, 64.7%, and 63.4% [4].

Core Viewpoint - The company Lakala, once a leader in the digital payment sector, is facing significant challenges as it prepares for its IPO in Hong Kong, with declining revenues, increasing complaints, and compliance issues overshadowing its market position [1][3][25]. Group 1: Company Performance - Lakala claims to be a leading digital payment and business solutions provider in Asia, with a market share of 9.4% in the independent digital payment service sector, amounting to over 4 trillion yuan in total payment volume for 2024 [5][4]. - The company's revenue from 2022 to 2024 shows a decline, with figures of 5.361 billion yuan in 2022, 5.928 billion yuan in 2023, and 5.754 billion yuan in 2024, while profits fluctuated from a loss of 1.438 billion yuan in 2022 to a profit of 457 million yuan in 2023, and a profit of 351 million yuan in 2024 [7][10]. - In the first three quarters of 2025, Lakala reported a revenue of 4.068 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 7.32%, and a net profit of 339 million yuan, down 33.9% year-on-year, attributed to pressures in the bank card payment business [8][11]. Group 2: Business Structure and Challenges - The company’s core digital payment services account for 89% of its revenue, indicating a heavy reliance on a single business line that is facing industry growth bottlenecks [11]. - Lakala's cross-border payment business saw a significant increase of 77.56% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025, reaching 60.2 billion yuan, but this still represents less than 2% of the company's total payment volume [11]. - The company has acknowledged potential liquidity risks due to net current liabilities recorded as of December 31, 2022, and June 30, 2025, which may limit operational flexibility [11]. Group 3: Compliance Issues - Lakala is currently facing a compliance crisis, with over 100,000 complaints filed on the Black Cat Complaint platform, highlighting issues such as unauthorized fees and poor service [26][30]. - The company has been penalized multiple times for regulatory violations, including a fine of 2.5 million yuan for various infractions related to transaction management and customer due diligence from 2022 to June 2025 [33][34]. - Recent fines include 250,000 yuan for violations of acquiring business management regulations and 4.06 million yuan for failing to meet customer identification requirements [33][34]. Group 4: Shareholder Actions - The founder's family and early investors are reducing their stakes in Lakala, with significant sell-offs by major shareholders, including a total cash-out of 493 million yuan by the founder's brother [16][19]. - Lenovo Holdings, the largest shareholder, has also been gradually reducing its stake, from 26.54% to 23.54%, raising concerns about the company's attractiveness to investors [19][22].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges faced by Lakala, a prominent player in the digital payment industry, as it prepares for its IPO in Hong Kong amidst declining performance, compliance issues, and significant shareholder exits [1][2][3]. Group 1: Performance Decline - Lakala's revenue and net profit have shown a downward trend, with revenues of 5.361 billion RMB in 2022, 5.928 billion RMB in 2023, and a projected 5.754 billion RMB in 2024, while net profits were -1.438 billion RMB, 0.457 billion RMB, and 0.351 billion RMB respectively [4][6]. - In the first three quarters of 2025, Lakala reported a revenue of 4.068 billion RMB, a year-on-year decrease of 7.32%, and a net profit of 0.339 billion RMB, down 33.9% year-on-year [6][11]. - The company attributes its revenue decline to pressure on its card payment business, with digital payment revenue decreasing by 7.63% [6][11]. Group 2: Shareholder Exits - The article highlights significant shareholder exits, including the complete divestment of the founder's brother, Sun Haoran, who has sold shares worth 493 million RMB [16][20]. - Lenovo Holdings, the largest shareholder, has also reduced its stake from 26.54% to 23.54%, cashing out approximately 580 million RMB [20][23]. Group 3: Compliance Issues - Lakala faces a severe compliance crisis, with over 100,000 complaints on the Black Cat Complaint platform regarding service issues and unauthorized charges [26][27]. - The company has been fined multiple times for regulatory violations, including a fine of 2.5 million RMB for various infractions related to payment processing and customer due diligence [36][38]. - The cumulative fines from 2022 to mid-2025 amount to 16.76 million RMB, indicating significant operational challenges [38]. Group 4: Future Outlook - Lakala is attempting to pivot towards cross-border payments, which saw a 77.56% increase to 60.2 billion RMB in the first three quarters of 2025, but this still represents less than 2% of its total payment volume [11][12]. - The company acknowledges potential liquidity risks and challenges in maintaining profitability, raising concerns about its financial health as it seeks to expand through its IPO [11][12].