Core Viewpoint - The Chinese white goods industry is facing a challenging transformation period in 2025, characterized by intense competition and growth pressure, with production plans for white goods companies being cut by over 10% [1] Industry Overview - The overall outlook for the white goods industry during the Double Eleven shopping festival is pessimistic, with some companies experiencing negative growth in production since September [1] - The expiration of national subsidy policies at the end of 2024 and the delayed implementation of new subsidy guidelines in the first half of 2025 have led to increased consumer hesitation, suppressing short-term demand [1] - The real estate market's downturn is negatively impacting new demand, as the volume of new home deliveries continues to decline, leading to reduced demand for renovation-related appliances [1] - The saturation of the existing market has resulted in a prolonged replacement cycle for major appliances, extending to 8-10 years [1] Company Analysis: Gree Electric Appliances - Despite reports of declining market share, Gree Electric Appliances maintains a solid foundation, with a low sales expense ratio compared to its peers [1][2] - Gree has the highest net profit margin in the Chinese white goods industry, a position it has sustained from 2020 to 2025 across multiple financial reporting periods [1] - Gree's sales expenses for the first three quarters of 2025 were 75.89 billion yuan, accounting for only 5.5% of total revenue, significantly lower than its competitors [8][11] Financial Performance - Gree's revenue for the first three quarters of 2025 was 137.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year decline of 6.62%, while net profit was 21.46 billion yuan, down 2.27% year-on-year [3][4] - The net profit margin for Gree has shown a significant increase, with figures of 14.31%, 15.36%, and 17.72% for the first three quarters, respectively [4][6] - In comparison, Midea's revenue for the same period was 364.7 billion yuan, but its net profit margin was significantly lower at 10.64% [4][6] Marketing Strategy - Gree's low marketing expenses are attributed to its reliance on a deeply integrated dealer system, which takes on much of the terminal promotion and inventory costs [11] - Gree's chairperson, Dong Mingzhu, personally endorses the brand, saving substantial costs on celebrity endorsements and advertising [10][14] - Dong's high visibility and controversial statements have paradoxically increased brand exposure, despite her declining public image [2][16] Competitive Positioning - Gree's net profit margin has consistently outperformed its competitors, with a notable increase over the past three years, while Midea and Haier's margins have improved at a slower rate [7] - Gree's marketing strategy, which relies heavily on Dong Mingzhu's personal brand, has allowed the company to maintain a strong market presence without incurring high marketing costs [10][14]