Core Viewpoint - Oriental Selection (1797.HK) reported a significant decline in revenue and net profit for the fiscal year 2025, primarily due to the impact of the departure of key figure Dong Yuhui and the ongoing challenges in its business operations [1][2] Group 1: Financial Performance - For the fiscal year 2025, the total revenue from continuing operations (self-operated products and live e-commerce) was 4.4 billion yuan, a decrease of 32.7% compared to 6.5 billion yuan in fiscal year 2024 [1] - The net profit for fiscal year 2025 was 6.2 million yuan, a substantial drop from 250 million yuan in fiscal year 2024 [1] - In the first half of fiscal year 2025 (June to November 2024), total revenue decreased by 9.3% year-on-year to 2.187 billion yuan, with a net loss of 96.5 million yuan compared to a loss of 161 million yuan in the same period last year [1] Group 2: Impact of Leadership Changes - The departure of Dong Yuhui on July 25, 2024, led to a 23% drop in Oriental Selection's stock price, resulting in a market value loss of nearly 3 billion Hong Kong dollars [1] - The financial impact of Dong Yuhui's departure was evident, with the total revenue for continuing operations dropping from 6.53 billion yuan to 4.39 billion yuan, a decline of 32.7% [1] Group 3: Strategic Shifts - Despite the challenges, the company's strategy to focus on self-operated products is beginning to show results, as indicated by the turnaround in net profit from a loss in the first half of fiscal year 2025 to a profit of 6.2 million yuan by the end of the fiscal year [1] - Excluding the financial impacts related to Dong Yuhui, the net profit from continuing operations increased from 104 million yuan in fiscal year 2024 to 135 million yuan in fiscal year 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 30% [2]

Core Insights - Douyin E-commerce has launched a quality inspection and warehousing integration center (QIC) to enhance transparency and standardization in the jewelry and jade industry, addressing long-standing issues such as false advertising and counterfeit certifications [1][3] - The QIC service, which began in 2020, has significantly improved consumer confidence, with 70% of consumers choosing to purchase jewelry and jade products on Douyin E-commerce due to the service's guarantees [1][3] Group 1: QIC Operations and Impact - The QIC system covers all aspects of quality inspection, warehousing, and logistics, ensuring authenticity and professionalism through a mechanism that assigns orders to different testing institutions [3] - Products undergo multiple tests for appearance, material, and weight before receiving a quality inspection report, with an average daily testing volume exceeding 20,000 orders [3] - The implementation of QIC has reduced logistics and quality inspection costs for merchants by nearly 50% per order [3] Group 2: Industry Growth and Trends - The jewelry e-commerce retail market in China is projected to reach 298.26 billion yuan in 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 16.4% [3] - The live e-commerce sector is expected to surpass 4.5 trillion yuan in gross merchandise volume (GMV), accounting for nearly one-third of online retail sales and contributing 80% to the growth of e-commerce [3] - The collaboration between Douyin E-commerce and various small and medium-sized enterprises is fostering market expansion and promoting digital transformation within the industry [4] Group 3: Case Studies and Future Outlook - Companies like Yuangan Jewelry and Cuiyu Jade have successfully integrated the QIC model, significantly reducing costs and establishing consumer trust [6] - The ongoing challenges posed by unscrupulous merchants evading scrutiny may impact consumer confidence, but Douyin E-commerce plans to continuously upgrade the QIC service to protect consumer rights and lower operational costs for merchants [6] - The QIC model is seen as a valuable reference for the industry, with expectations that improved quality inspection systems will enhance standardization and unlock further consumer potential, contributing to economic growth [6]

Core Viewpoint - New Oriental, the parent company of Dongfang Zhenxuan, has recently navigated a public relations crisis regarding CEO Zhou Chenggang's alleged regulatory investigation, which was quickly refuted by the company and Zhou himself [6][9][11]. Financial Performance - For the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, New Oriental reported a net revenue of 4.4 billion RMB, a 32.7% decline from 6.5 billion RMB in the previous year [11][12]. - The net profit from continuing operations dropped significantly from 249 million RMB to 6.2 million RMB [11][12]. - Administrative expenses increased by 22.5% to 485 million RMB, largely due to the separation from Hui Tongxing and associated costs [15]. Strategic Transition - The company has undergone a strategic transformation, focusing on self-operated products and supply chain development after separating from Hui Tongxing [14][15]. - The decision to split was driven by the need to concentrate resources on core business areas, reduce reliance on a single top influencer, and mitigate potential public relations risks [14][15]. - Excluding the impact of Hui Tongxing, the net profit from continuing operations actually increased by 30% to 135 million RMB, indicating improved profitability in core business [16]. Market Response - Following the strategic changes, New Oriental's stock price has seen significant recovery, closing at 36.3 HKD per share, a 307% increase from the low of 8.92 HKD when Zhou Chenggang left [17]. Product Strategy - In the fiscal year 2025, the total GMV for self-operated products and live e-commerce reached 8.7 billion RMB, with self-operated products accounting for approximately 43.8% of total GMV [21][22]. - The company has expanded its product offerings from 488 to 732 SKUs, focusing on daily consumer goods and household items, enhancing user engagement and loyalty [22]. - Despite a decrease in total gross profit from 1.7 billion RMB to 1.4 billion RMB, the gross margin improved from 25.9% to 32.0%, indicating a more profitable self-operated product model [25]. Challenges Ahead - New Oriental's core product categories remain primarily agricultural, which typically have lower profit margins and higher spoilage rates, posing challenges to overall profitability [27]. - There is still room for improvement in supply chain efficiency, particularly in regional and front warehouses, as well as in reducing logistics costs for fresh produce [27][28]. - Compared to international membership retail giants like Sam's Club and Costco, New Oriental lacks offline experience and high-end brand development, which are crucial for long-term success [28].

Core Viewpoint - Zhejiang Province is taking significant measures to address the chaos in online transactions, focusing on enhancing the regulatory framework to protect consumer rights and ensure the healthy development of the platform economy [1]. Group 1: Regulatory Actions - The Zhejiang market regulatory authority is guiding 150 online trading platforms to conduct self-inspections and rectify issues related to platform rules, including optimizing 198 rule clauses such as "mandatory freight insurance" and "refund only" [3]. - A mechanism combining online monitoring and offline sampling has been established to enhance product quality supervision, with a 70% increase in online product supervision sampling compared to 2024, resulting in the identification and handling of 243 batches of non-compliant products [3][4]. Group 2: Protection of Labor Rights - To protect the rights of new employment forms, Zhejiang is advising food delivery platforms to reasonably determine order quantities and relax assessment criteria, including the gradual elimination of penalties for delivery riders working overtime [3]. Group 3: Live Streaming Regulations - Zhejiang has introduced guidelines for online live streaming marketing behaviors, regulating the use of AI technology to create misleading content, and has upgraded its monitoring platform to track 15 live streaming platforms and 180,000 live rooms, uncovering 4,841 illegal risk clues [4]. Group 4: Unfair Competition Enforcement - The province has intensified efforts against unfair competition, with 917 cases investigated this year, marking a 15.8% increase year-on-year, targeting practices such as black public relations, exaggerated product claims, and AI-driven impersonation [5].

Core Insights - The company reported FY25 revenue of 4.39 billion yuan, a year-on-year decline of 32.7%, and an adjusted net profit of 174 million yuan, down 75.5% year-on-year, primarily due to the separation from the "Yuhui Tongxing" livestream and increased marketing expenses [1][2] Group 1: Financial Performance - The company's FY25 GMV was 8.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 15.8%, with an estimated contribution of approximately 1.2 billion yuan from the "Yuhui Tongxing" livestream [1] - After excluding the "Yuhui Tongxing" livestream, self-operated product GMV reached 3.8 billion yuan, surpassing the 3.7 billion yuan from third-party products [1] - The decline in GMV has narrowed from -25% in June 2024 to -8% in May 2025, after excluding the "Yuhui Tongxing" livestream data [1] Group 2: Product Development and User Engagement - The company developed 732 self-operated products in FY25, an increase of 244 products or 50% compared to FY24, with gross margin improving from 21.5% in the first half to 24.4% in the second half of FY25 [2] - As of the end of FY25, the company had 264,000 paid fans on its app, a year-on-year increase of 33.1%, with an estimated annual consumption of 7,200 yuan per paid fan [2] - The company has a substantial follower base of 42.22 million on Douyin across various accounts, providing a solid foundation for expanding its paid user base [2] Group 3: Marketing and Competition - The company's marketing expenses for FY25 totaled 900.2 million yuan, with a marketing expense ratio of 20.5%, an increase of 7.3 percentage points from FY24 [2] - In the second half of FY25, marketing expenses were 443 million yuan, a slight decrease of 3.6% from the first half [2] - The competitive landscape in livestream e-commerce remains intense, necessitating significant marketing investments to drive sales [2]

Core Insights - The article discusses the challenges consumers face when purchasing jewelry and jade online, highlighting the need for improved market credibility and consumer experience [1] - The introduction of the Quality Inspection Center (QIC) by Douyin E-commerce aims to enhance transparency and standardization in the jewelry and jade industry [2] Group 1: QIC Overview - The QIC service integrates quality inspection, warehousing, and logistics, ensuring that products undergo multiple tests before shipping [2] - Each product is assigned a unique inspection code, and the entire inspection process is recorded for traceability, reducing risks of certificate forgery and product tampering [5] - The QIC has partnered with eight authoritative institutions, processing over 20,000 inspections daily, which has significantly increased consumer trust in Douyin E-commerce [7] Group 2: Industry Impact - The QIC model has led to a 50% reduction in logistics and inspection costs for merchants, making it easier for them to comply with quality standards [7] - The rise of live-streaming e-commerce has expanded the market for jewelry, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises to thrive and promoting digital transformation in the industry [8] - The collaboration with QIC has resulted in a doubling of order volumes for testing institutions during promotional periods, indicating a growing demand for quality assurance [8] Group 3: Future Prospects - Continuous improvement of QIC services is expected to enhance the standardization of the industry and unlock further consumer potential, contributing to economic growth [10]

Core Viewpoint - The company "交个朋友" reported a significant decline in revenue growth and net profit in the first half of the year, prompting a strategic shift to divest its traditional broadcasting business to control costs and optimize its operations [1][3][4]. Financial Performance - In the first half of the year, "交个朋友" generated approximately 620 million yuan in revenue, marking a year-on-year growth of about 9.8%, the first time growth fell to single digits [3][5]. - The net profit was 55.4 million yuan, a decrease of 37.4% compared to the previous year, while adjusted net profit was 71.28 million yuan, down from 120 million yuan in the same period last year [3][5]. - The gross profit from new media services, including live e-commerce, dropped from 300 million yuan to 270 million yuan, with a gross margin falling to 43.7% from 53.8% [3][4]. Strategic Decisions - To manage costs, "交个朋友" sold its traditional broadcasting business, completing the transaction on July 31, which was primarily driven by the rapid development of new media formats and the challenges faced by traditional broadcasting [3][4]. - The broadcasting business accounted for only 9.4% of total revenue last year, with revenue of 58.42 million yuan [4]. Expansion and Challenges - The company has expanded aggressively into multiple platforms such as Douyin, Taobao, and JD.com, but this has increased management costs and operational complexity [1][6]. - The sales cost for the first half of the year was 350 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 33.7%, reflecting the pressures of strategic expansion and talent acquisition [7]. Operational Efficiency - "交个朋友" aims to enhance operational efficiency by optimizing its live streaming content and internal resources, focusing on automation and precise data algorithms for traffic allocation [8]. - Management expenses for the new media services segment decreased by 2.8 million yuan year-on-year, attributed to digital management upgrades and better resource sharing [8]. Industry Trends - The live e-commerce sector is entering a more challenging phase, requiring companies to improve their capabilities in supply chain management, technology application, content creation, and private traffic operations [9][10]. - The integration of AI technology is becoming crucial for enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency in the live e-commerce landscape [10].

Core Viewpoint - The likelihood of the return of prominent livestreamers "Xiao Yang Ge" and "Dong Bei Yu Jie" is diminishing due to increasing regulatory scrutiny and past violations, which have led to significant penalties and loss of followers [5][6][31]. Group 1: Regulatory Environment - The Chinese market regulatory authority has publicly named "Xiao Yang Ge" and "Dong Bei Yu Jie" in a recent press conference, emphasizing the need to maintain order in online transactions and to combat irregularities in the livestreaming e-commerce sector [5][6]. - Both livestreamers faced substantial fines last year for violations, with "Xiao Yang Ge" fined nearly 700 million yuan for false advertising and "Dong Bei Yu Jie" penalized for selling counterfeit products [6][31]. - Their accounts on Douyin have been restricted, with "Xiao Yang Ge" losing 20 million followers, now totaling 104 million, and "Dong Bei Yu Jie" dropping from 24.5 million to 17.7 million followers [9][29]. Group 2: Attempts at Return - "Xiao Yang Ge" has made multiple attempts to return to the livestreaming scene, including appearing in a video in May, but has not yet returned to live selling [10][17]. - "Dong Bei Yu Jie" has also tried to re-enter the market through various means, including using a small account for livestreaming, but these efforts have been met with skepticism and have not been successful [18][21]. - Both have engaged in public activities, such as charity events, to maintain visibility, but their primary livestreaming activities remain largely inactive [24][39]. Group 3: Industry Challenges - The livestreaming e-commerce industry is transitioning from rapid growth to a more mature phase, with a projected 2024 online retail sales figure of 15.5 trillion yuan, reflecting a 7.2% year-on-year growth [41]. - The era of tolerance for problematic livestreamers is fading, making it increasingly difficult for those with past controversies to regain public trust and return to prominence [43][48]. - The challenges faced by "Xiao Yang Ge" and "Dong Bei Yu Jie" highlight the precarious nature of their business models, which heavily rely on personal branding; their absence could lead to the collapse of their respective ventures [27][28].

Core Viewpoint - After two years of rapid growth, the company "交个朋友" is now facing performance pressure, with its revenue growth falling to single digits and net profit declining by over 30% in the first half of 2025 [1][4]. Financial Performance - For the first half of 2025, the company's revenue reached approximately 618.861 million RMB, a year-on-year increase of about 9.8%, marking a significant slowdown in growth [3][4]. - The net profit for the same period was 55.367 million RMB, a decrease of 37.4% compared to the previous year [4]. - Adjusted net profit was 71.279 million RMB, down from 115.312 million RMB in the same period last year [3][4]. - Gross profit from the new media services segment fell from 303.186 million RMB to 270.687 million RMB, with the gross margin dropping from 53.8% to 43.7% [4]. Business Strategy and Cost Management - The company has decided to divest its traditional broadcasting business to control costs, completing the sale of 100% of its subsidiary by July 31, 2025 [4][6]. - The broadcasting segment accounted for only 9.4% of total revenue in the first half of 2024, with revenue of 58.42 million RMB [5]. - The company is focusing on optimizing its asset structure and improving financial metrics post-divestment [6]. Expansion and Operational Challenges - The company expanded aggressively across multiple platforms, including Douyin, Taobao, and JD.com, but this has increased management costs and operational difficulties [1][8]. - Sales costs rose by 33.7% year-on-year, reaching 350 million RMB, driven by strategic expansion and compliance needs [9]. - The company aims to balance the expansion of live streaming accounts with quality improvement, as indicated by the CEO's comments on operational optimization [9][10]. Industry Trends - The live commerce sector is experiencing a slowdown, with growth rates for major promotional events like "6·18" declining significantly from 124% in 2022 to 12.1% in 2024 [11]. - Companies in the live commerce space are increasingly focusing on refined operations and leveraging technology, such as AI, to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency [11].

Investment Rating - The industry rating is "Outperform the Market" (maintained rating) [6] Core Insights - The report indicates that the company has successfully navigated a challenging adjustment period in FY25, with core ongoing business showing healthy growth despite a significant drop in overall revenue and profit due to the divestment of the "Yuhui Tongxing" business [3][4] - The total GMV for FY25 is reported at 8.7 billion, a year-over-year decrease of 39.2%, with self-operated products accounting for 43.8% of this total [4] - The company has strengthened its self-operated product development, launching 732 SPUs by May 2025, up from 488 SPUs in FY24, with a diverse range of products including health foods and pet supplies [4] Summary by Sections Financial Performance - For FY25, the company reported revenue of 4.4 billion, with a net profit from ongoing operations of 620 million, and an adjusted net profit of 1.74 billion. Excluding "Yuhui Tongxing," revenue was 4.2 billion, a year-over-year decrease of 31%, while ongoing net profit was 1.35 billion, a year-over-year increase of 30% [1][2] Sales and Marketing Expenses - Sales and marketing expenses for ongoing operations were 902 million, a year-over-year increase of 4.2%, primarily due to increased advertising spending [2] Self-operated Products and Channels - The self-operated product revenue reached 3.5 billion, with a GMV of 3.8 billion, representing 43.8% of total GMV. The self-operated products on the company's app accounted for 28.8% of all self-operated product GMV [1][4] - The company's app channel has seen rapid growth, with GMV from the app increasing to 15.7%, generating revenue of 1.1 billion, up from 900 million in FY24 [5] User Engagement and Satisfaction - The number of paid app subscribers reached 264,000, a year-over-year increase of 33.1%, with user satisfaction rising to 98.7% [5]