Core Viewpoint - Mido's IPO application reveals a paradox of "increasing revenue without increasing profit," with a significant revenue growth of 81.6% to $55.8 million in the first half of 2025, but a staggering net loss of $19.85 million, marking a 892-fold increase in losses [1][9][27] Financial Performance - Mido's revenue structure is heavily reliant on overseas marketing services, which accounted for 98.7% of total revenue in the first half of 2025, but the gross margin for this core business plummeted to 3.8% in 2023 and only slightly improved to 4% in 2025 [3][4][6] - The overall gross margin has remained low, fluctuating between 4% and 8%, with the first half of 2025 showing a gross margin of 4.8%, significantly below the industry average of over 20% [1][3][4] Cost Structure - Mido's sales costs are predominantly consumed by media costs, which accounted for over 98% of total sales costs, indicating a severe limitation on retained gross profit [6][7] - The company's business model operates as a middleman, purchasing advertising space from platforms like Google and TikTok and reselling it to clients, which restricts its pricing power and profit margins [6][7] Market Dynamics - The global cross-border e-commerce market is projected to grow to $123.7 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 24.3%, yet many small and medium-sized service providers, including Mido, are trapped in a cycle of low margins and fierce competition [2][15] - Mido's reliance on a concentrated supplier base, with 96.5% of procurement costs coming from its top five suppliers, poses a risk as any changes in platform policies can directly impact profitability [7][9] Competitive Landscape - The competitive environment is characterized by a high number of active service providers, with over a thousand in the market, leading to price wars and reduced margins for smaller players [15][16] - In contrast, leading companies in the industry have successfully achieved higher margins through technology and comprehensive service offerings, highlighting that low margins are not an industry inevitability but rather a result of business model choices [18][19] Future Prospects - Mido's IPO aims to raise funds for expanding its global business, developing higher-margin overseas e-commerce operations, and investing in marketing technology, but the success of this strategy is uncertain due to existing challenges [19][20] - The company has launched a new overseas e-commerce operation with a gross margin of 67.9%, but its slow revenue growth indicates that it may not significantly alter the overall low-margin situation in the short term [21][19] Industry Insights - Mido's situation reflects a broader issue within the cross-border service industry, where many small providers struggle with low margins due to reliance on platform-driven business models [25][27] - To escape the low-margin trap, service providers must focus on technology empowerment, comprehensive service offerings, and deepening customer relationships to enhance profitability [25][26]