Core Viewpoint - The company "Liangpinpuzi," known as the "first high-end snack stock," is facing significant financial difficulties, with a projected loss of up to 100 million yuan for the first half of 2025, alongside a drastic decline in market value from a peak of 30 billion yuan to under 5.5 billion yuan, representing an 80% decrease [2][3]. Financial Performance - In 2023, the company's net profit decreased by nearly 50%, and it is expected to report a loss of 46 million yuan in 2024, contributing to the founder's disillusionment [2]. - The company's stock price has fallen significantly, with the current price around 13 yuan, far below the pledge price of the founder's shares [3]. Shareholder Actions - The controlling shareholder, "Ningbo Hanyi," which is controlled by the founder Yang Hongchun, is preparing to sell its stake, indicating a potential exit from the company [2]. - In 2023, Ningbo Hanyi reduced its stake by 2% through the secondary market and cashed out 7.36 million yuan in June of the previous year [2]. - Major investors, including Xu Xin's Today Capital and Hillhouse Capital, have also been selling off their shares, with Today Capital executing 15 sell-offs [2]. Market Context - The company initially positioned itself as a high-end brand after its establishment in 2006, achieving rapid growth and a peak market value of 30 billion yuan post-IPO in 2020 [2]. - Despite the downturn, the snack market remains viable, with other brands like "Luxiaochan" and "Haoxianglai" emerging successfully, and companies like Wancheng Group seeing stock prices increase nearly tenfold in 2024 [3].

Core Viewpoint - The acquisition of Liangpinpuzi by Changjiang International Trade Group marks a significant shift in the company's ownership structure, transitioning from a founder-led model to a state-owned enterprise, amidst ongoing financial struggles and a challenging market environment [1][4][10]. Group 1: Transaction Details - The total transaction price for the share transfer agreements is 1.046 billion yuan, with Changjiang Guomao set to hold 21% of Liangpinpuzi's shares post-transfer [2][3]. - If both agreements are executed successfully, Changjiang Guomao will directly hold 120,259,900 shares, representing 29.99% of the total share capital, for a total price of 1.485 billion yuan [4]. - Prior to the transaction, the shareholding structure included Ningbo Hanyi with 35.23% and Dayong with 18.16%, which will change significantly post-acquisition [5]. Group 2: Financial Performance - Liangpinpuzi's stock price was 13.71 yuan before suspension, with a market capitalization of 5.5 billion yuan. After resuming trading, the stock price slightly decreased to 13.69 yuan, with a market cap of 5.49 billion yuan [6]. - The company is expected to report a net loss of 75 million to 105 million yuan for the first half of 2025, marking its worst performance since going public [9]. Group 3: Market Context and Challenges - Liangpinpuzi has faced significant operational challenges, transitioning from a leading snack brand to a company seeking survival, with questions about the value of the acquisition [7][10]. - The acquisition by a state-owned entity is seen as a potential lifeline, given the financial backing and logistical support from Changjiang Guomao, which operates in various financial and logistics sectors [12][13]. - The company has struggled with strategic direction, experiencing a decline in revenue for the first time in a decade, with 2023 revenue dropping to 8.046 billion yuan, a nearly 15% decrease year-on-year [28]. Group 4: Historical Performance and Strategic Shifts - Liangpinpuzi's history can be divided into three phases: rapid growth from 2006 to 2016, a high-end positioning strategy from 2017 to 2022, and a recent phase of strategic ambiguity and performance decline since 2023 [22][24][26]. - The company has attempted to pivot from high-end snacks to a focus on natural and healthy snacks, launching new products under the "natural health new snacks" concept [53][55]. - Despite these efforts, the company has faced criticism for lacking innovation and failing to effectively compete with emerging low-cost snack brands [38][40].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights the significant changes in the control and management of the company, Liangpinpuzi, which is facing operational challenges and a potential change in ownership [1][2]. Group 2 - Liangpinpuzi's major shareholder, Ningbo Hanyi, is planning a significant matter that may lead to a change in the company's control, with the stock being suspended for trading for up to two days starting July 11 [1]. - The company has experienced a decline in performance, with a revenue of 7.159 billion yuan in 2024, down 11.02% year-on-year, and a net loss of 46 million yuan, a drop of 125.57% [2]. - In the first quarter of 2025, the company continued to face difficulties, reporting a revenue of 1.732 billion yuan, down 29.34% year-on-year, and a net loss of 36 million yuan, a decline of 157.85% [2]. - The company is undergoing a strategic adjustment, which has impacted its gross margin and led to increased asset impairment and inventory write-downs, contributing to the decline in net profit [2]. - The management has seen significant changes, with the resignation of co-founder Yang Yinfen from the positions of chairman and general manager, and the current chairman is Cheng Hong [1].

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that the major shareholder of the company, Ningbo Hanyi, is planning a significant matter that may lead to a change in the company's control, resulting in a temporary suspension of the company's stock trading [2][4]. - After the announcement, the stock of the company surged to a limit-up price of 13.71 CNY per share, while the snack index closed down by 0.98% [4]. - The company was founded in 2006 and became the "first high-end snack stock" in A-shares in February 2020, integrating digital technology with supply chain management and multi-channel sales [6]. Group 2 - As of June 4, 2025, Ningbo Hanyi holds 141 million shares of the company, accounting for 35.23% of the total share capital, with a market value of 1.872 billion CNY [7]. - The company has faced significant operational challenges, with a revenue of 7.159 billion CNY in 2024, down 11.02% year-on-year, and a net profit loss of 46 million CNY, a decline of 125.57% [7]. - In the first quarter of 2025, the company continued to struggle, reporting a revenue of 1.732 billion CNY, down 29.34% year-on-year, and a net profit loss of 36 million CNY, a drop of 157.85% [7].

Core Viewpoint - The traditional snack giants are facing a survival crisis as they struggle against the rise of low-cost snack brands, leading to significant declines in revenue and profit margins [1][2][20]. Group 1: Performance of Traditional Snack Giants - Laiyifen reported a double-digit decline in both revenue and net profit in its 2024 annual report, marking the largest loss since its IPO [1] - Good Products also experienced its first annual loss since its listing in 2020 [1] - Three squirrels terminated the acquisition of Ailingshi and announced a strategic partnership with Snack Selection, while facing legal challenges from Ailingshi [1][2] Group 2: Rise of Low-Cost Snack Brands - Low-cost snack brands are rapidly gaining market share through a "low-margin, high-volume" model, posing unprecedented challenges to traditional snack companies [2] - Brands like "Very Busy" and "Snack Revolution" have emerged, focusing on price competitiveness and direct factory connections, undermining the brand premium of traditional players [3][4] Group 3: Changing Consumer Behavior - Young consumers are becoming more rational, with a decreasing willingness to pay a premium for brands [4] - The perception of high prices and product homogeneity among traditional brands is leading to a loss of consumer loyalty [3][4] Group 4: Challenges Faced by Traditional Giants - Three Squirrels heavily relies on online channels, with 70% of its revenue still coming from third-party e-commerce platforms in 2024 [5] - The company aimed for a "ten-thousand store plan" by 2024 but only managed to open 333 stores, closing 549 in 2022 alone [6] - Laiyifen's store count decreased by 16.28% from 2023 to 2024, highlighting the struggles of traditional retail models [6] Group 5: Profitability Issues in the Low-Cost Segment - Leading low-cost brands like "Wancheng" and "Mingming Very Busy" have achieved rapid growth but maintain low profit margins of 0.91% and 2.1% respectively [7][8] - The franchise model prevalent in low-cost brands raises concerns about sustainability, as profitability for franchisees is crucial for continued expansion [8] Group 6: Future Directions for Traditional Giants - Traditional snack companies are exploring new product lines and pricing strategies to combat the low-cost competition, with Good Products initiating a significant price reduction across 300 products [14] - However, this price-cutting strategy risks damaging brand value and consumer trust [14] - The need for operational upgrades and a complete supply chain overhaul is emphasized as essential for survival in the evolving market [17][20] Group 7: New Business Models - Three Squirrels has opened its first lifestyle store, expanding beyond snacks to include a variety of products, indicating a shift towards a more comprehensive retail approach [18] - The company is also developing a convenience store model, focusing on a low-margin strategy with a diverse product mix [18] Group 8: Conclusion - The snack industry is undergoing a transformation where traditional high-end branding is losing relevance, and the focus is shifting towards affordability and value [20] - The future of the snack market will favor brands that can deliver genuine value to consumers, necessitating a reevaluation of cost structures and value propositions by traditional giants [20]