Investment Rating - The investment rating for the retail industry is "Positive" (maintained) [1] Core Views - The report highlights the strong performance of domestic brands in the skincare and cosmetics sectors on platforms like Douyin, with significant market share gains [5][25][28] - The report emphasizes the importance of emotional consumption trends driving growth in various retail segments, particularly in jewelry, cosmetics, and offline retail [30][31] Summary by Sections Retail Market Overview - The retail industry index decreased by 2.22% during the week of July 28 to August 1, 2025, underperforming the Shanghai Composite Index by 1.28 percentage points [7][14] - The professional chain segment showed the largest increase among retail sub-sectors, while the jewelry sector led the year-to-date performance with a 25.38% increase [17][20] Key Industry Dynamics - In July, Douyin's skincare brand Han Shu ranked first, with domestic brands occupying 15 out of the top 20 spots in the skincare category [25][28] - The cosmetics sector also saw domestic brands excel, with 19 out of the top 20 positions in the makeup category, driven by cushion products and other high-demand items [28][29] Investment Recommendations - Investment focus areas include: - **Jewelry**: Recommend brands with differentiated product offerings like Laopuhuang and Chaohongji [30][33] - **Offline Retail**: Highlight companies like Yonghui Supermarket and Aiyingshi that are adapting to consumer trends [30][31] - **Cosmetics**: Emphasize domestic brands with strong market positions such as Maogeping and Pola [31][32] - **Medical Aesthetics**: Focus on companies with unique product lines like Aimeike and Kedi-B [31][32] Company-Specific Insights - **Laopuhuang**: Achieved revenue of 8.506 billion yuan (+167.5%) and a net profit of 1.473 billion yuan (+253.9%) in FY2024, with strong growth expected in H1 2025 [32] - **Yonghui Supermarket**: Reported a revenue of 17.479 billion yuan (-19.3%) and a net profit of 148 million yuan (-80.0%) in Q1 2025, with ongoing transformation efforts [32] - **Maogeping**: Recorded a revenue of 3.885 billion yuan (+34.6%) and a net profit of 881 million yuan (+33.0%) in FY2024, indicating strong brand momentum [32]

Core Viewpoint - The rise of purchasing agents in county-level cities is significantly impacting traditional supermarkets, as consumers increasingly seek higher quality products and unique shopping experiences [11][12][22]. Group 1: Consumer Behavior - Many consumers in county-level cities are turning to purchasing agents for products from brands like Sam's Club and Pang Donglai, driven by the desire for quality and variety [2][8]. - A survey indicated that 68% of county consumers choose purchasing agents to buy items unavailable locally, while 55% trust the quality of these brands [11]. - The purchasing behavior reflects a shift towards higher quality expectations, with consumers no longer satisfied with the offerings of traditional supermarkets [12][20]. Group 2: Impact on Traditional Supermarkets - Traditional supermarkets are experiencing a significant decline in customer traffic, with over 60% of operators reporting a drop of around 20% in recent years [21]. - The competition from purchasing agents has led to a loss of approximately 30% of mid-to-high-end customers for some traditional stores [9][21]. - Traditional supermarkets face challenges such as low supply chain efficiency, high procurement costs, and a lack of digitalization, which hinder their ability to compete effectively [18][19]. Group 3: Market Trends - The county retail market is evolving, with consumers adopting shopping habits similar to those in first- and second-tier cities due to improved internet access and logistics [20]. - The future of county retail is expected to focus on online-offline integration, differentiated positioning, and community-based services [21][22]. - Traditional supermarkets must adapt by understanding local consumer needs and offering tailored products and services to survive in the changing market landscape [23].

Core Viewpoint - Traditional hypermarkets in Nanjing, such as Carrefour and Walmart, are facing significant challenges and are undergoing transformations into community commercial complexes and cultural tourism centers due to the rise of new generation complexes and online retail [1][4][6]. Group 1: Transformation Projects - The newly opened Daxing Palace Underground Square, covering over 40,000 square meters, has been transformed into a tourism distribution center themed around Yangtze River city culture, featuring a parking area for over 500 cars and 50 tourist buses [2][3]. - The former Carrefour store on Dajie South Road has been converted into a 20,000 square meter community commercial complex, with the main store, Hema, attracting 3,000 to 4,000 customers daily and generating over 500,000 yuan in revenue within the first five days [2][3]. Group 2: Challenges Facing Traditional Hypermarkets - Traditional hypermarkets are struggling due to the emergence of larger, more diverse commercial complexes and the impact of online retail, leading to a significant decline in customer traffic and sales [4][5]. - The number of large chain supermarket stores in China decreased by 8.7% year-on-year, with 1,263 closures, marking the highest number in nearly a decade [8]. Group 3: Successful Adaptations - Some hypermarkets, like Walmart's Sam's Club, have successfully adapted by focusing on high-end customer segments, increasing membership, and enhancing online delivery services, achieving annual sales of 2.7 billion yuan [9]. - Dazhonghua's M membership stores have seen significant growth, with one store achieving annual sales of 2 to 3 billion yuan after transformation [10]. Group 4: Future Directions - The transformation of hypermarkets should focus on community integration, emphasizing daily needs and convenience, as seen in the successful adaptations of Carrefour and Walmart in Nanjing [6][11]. - Innovations in operational models, such as the introduction of community markets and enhanced customer experiences, are essential for traditional hypermarkets to remain competitive in the evolving retail landscape [7][11].

Group 1: Rise of Purchasing Agents in County Towns - The emergence of purchasing agents for brands like Sam's Club and Pang Donglai in county towns is notable, with groups forming for pre-ordering products [2][6] - A county hospital doctor reported that her colleagues actively participate in purchasing groups, indicating a shift in shopping behavior towards these agents [2][6] - The local retail landscape includes both traditional supermarkets and new purchasing channels, with the latter gaining popularity due to better pricing and product variety [3][4] Group 2: Decline of Traditional Supermarkets - Traditional supermarkets in county areas are experiencing a significant decline in customer traffic, with some reporting a drop of about 20% in footfall [14] - The competition from purchasing agents has led to a 30% reduction in mid-to-high-end customers for local supermarkets, particularly affecting women aged 30-45 [6][7] - Many traditional supermarkets struggle with outdated business models, low supply chain efficiency, and a lack of digital integration, making them vulnerable to new retail formats [12][14] Group 3: Changing Consumer Preferences - Consumers are increasingly seeking higher quality products, with 68% of county consumers choosing purchasing agents to access items unavailable locally [7][8] - The popularity of brands like Sam's Club and Pang Donglai is attributed to their unique product strategies and high-quality offerings, which contrast sharply with traditional supermarket products [8][15] - The shift in consumer behavior reflects a broader trend towards premiumization and a desire for differentiated shopping experiences [8][15] Group 4: Challenges and Opportunities for Traditional Supermarkets - Traditional supermarkets must adapt to the changing market dynamics by enhancing their product offerings and customer service to remain competitive [15] - The future of county retail is expected to involve a blend of online and offline strategies, with a focus on community-oriented services [14][15] - Supermarkets that can effectively understand and meet local consumer needs will have opportunities for growth despite the challenges posed by purchasing agents [14][15]

Core Insights - Yonghui Supermarket has opened its 11th "Pang Donglai" model store in Xi'an, marking a significant step in its strategy to deepen its presence in the core areas of Xi'an and enhance its store transformation efforts [1][2] - The newly opened store has already seen impressive performance, with sales in the first month increasing by nearly 324% year-on-year and customer traffic soaring by 214% [1] - Four stores in Xi'an have entered a stable profit phase after three months of operation, indicating the success of Yonghui's store transformation strategy in the region [1] Store Transformation Strategy - The opening of the Xi'an Fenghe Wanda Plaza store is part of Yonghui's broader strategy to optimize consumer experience and expand its footprint in key urban areas [2] - The company aims to provide better product selection, a more comfortable shopping environment, attentive service, and reliable consumer protection through localized adaptations of the "Pang Donglai" model [2] - Following the opening of the new store, Yonghui will have a total of 148 transformed stores nationwide, with plans to reach 200 by the end of September [2]

Core Insights - Yonghui Supermarket has opened its 11th "Fat Donglai" model store in Xi'an, marking a significant step in its strategy to adapt and learn from the successful model [1] - The store's transformation aims to meet local consumer demands for freshness, convenience, quality, and affordability, showcasing a replicable model for future upgrades in the Northwest and nationwide [1] Group 1: Store Transformation - The new store has undergone a significant product restructuring, removing 7,949 items and adding 5,364 new products, resulting in a new product ratio exceeding 50.1% [1] - The adjusted product structure aligns closely with the "Fat Donglai" model, achieving 80% similarity, with imported products making up 11% of the total [1] - Fresh produce categories have been enhanced, focusing on high-end organic and green products, while the deli section has been fully upgraded [1] Group 2: Employee Welfare and Training - The employee welfare system has been improved, offering 10 days of paid annual leave after one year of service, along with additional facilities and benefits [2] - Yonghui Supermarket is implementing a "Craftsman Plan" aimed at cultivating a high-level professional technician workforce, targeting the training of "10,000 technicians" [2] Group 3: Sales Performance and Market Impact - The first month of operation for the Xi'an Zhongtrade Plaza store saw a remarkable sales increase of nearly 324% year-on-year, with customer traffic rising by 214% [2] - Four stores that have been in stable operation for over three months have achieved profitability, indicating the effectiveness of Yonghui's store transformation strategy in the Xi'an market [2][3] Group 4: Standardization and Local Adaptation - The successful transformation of the 11 "Fat Yonghui" stores validates the local feasibility of adapting the "Fat Donglai" model and has created valuable replicable experiences [3] - A standardized transformation framework has been established, including product replacement, store renovation, service upgrades, and food safety enhancements [3] - A collaborative mechanism has been formed to ensure unified direction while integrating local characteristics into the transformation process [3]

Core Viewpoint - Yonghui Supermarket plans to raise up to 3.992 billion yuan through a private placement to improve its store and logistics infrastructure, as well as to supplement working capital or repay bank loans [1][2]. Fundraising Details - The fundraising will primarily focus on store upgrades, with 3.213 billion yuan allocated for this purpose, accounting for 80.49% of the total funds raised [2]. - The logistics and warehouse upgrade project will receive 309 million yuan, representing 7.74% of the total, while 470 million yuan will be used for working capital or loan repayment, making up 11.77% [2]. Financial Condition - As of March 31, 2025, the company reported total liabilities of 34.9 billion yuan and a debt-to-asset ratio of 88.73%, indicating significant repayment pressure [2]. - The company has experienced four consecutive years of net profit losses from 2021 to 2024, leading to a strategic transformation initiative [2][4]. Store Operations - As of July 30, 2025, Yonghui Supermarket operates 517 stores, a reduction of nearly one-third from over 770 stores at the end of 2024 [4]. - The company has already completed the upgrade of 146 stores and plans to reach 200 upgraded stores by the end of the third quarter of this year [4]. Strategic Transformation - The company is undergoing a deep transformation, referred to as the "Pang Donglai model," focusing on various aspects such as product structure and shopping experience [2][4]. - Despite short-term losses, the fundraising is expected to support long-term improvements in store upgrades and supply chain optimization [4]. Shareholding Structure - As of the announcement date, Jun Cai International holds 2.668 billion shares, representing 29.40% of Yonghui Supermarket's total shares, making it the largest shareholder [5].

Group 1 - The core issue for Sam's Club is a misunderstanding of consumer psychology and brand positioning, leading to a significant backlash from consumers [4][5][6] - Consumers are frustrated with the presence of common brands in Sam's Club, which they feel do not align with the premium image they expect from a membership-based store [2][3][13] - Sam's Club's partnerships with popular but lower-tier brands have damaged its brand equity, as consumers associate these brands with lower quality [6][13][18] Group 2 - Sam's Club generates over 100 billion yuan in revenue annually in China, indicating its strong market presence [20] - The company has historically relied on its ability to select high-quality products, which has contributed to its positive reputation among consumers [21][22] - The shift towards local partnerships with mainstream brands may be a strategic move to cater to the broader Chinese market, but it risks diluting the brand's premium image [25][30][50] Group 3 - The consumer base for Sam's Club in China is relatively small, with only about 10 million members, representing less than 1% of the population [37][39] - Many consumers who pay for membership expect access to high-quality products, not common brands that are easily available elsewhere [41][43] - The backlash against Sam's Club's partnerships with larger domestic brands highlights a disconnect between consumer expectations and the company's product offerings [44][59] Group 4 - The limited SKU strategy of Sam's Club, which focuses on a smaller number of products, may lead to challenges in meeting diverse consumer preferences in the Chinese market [63][68] - As the company expands, the difficulty of maintaining its model of offering only a few products as "bestsellers" will increase, given the varied tastes of Chinese consumers [68][69] - The need for localization in product offerings is crucial for Sam's Club to remain competitive in the evolving Chinese retail landscape [25][27][28]

东吴证券研报指出，永辉超市拟定增融资40亿元，主要用于支持门店调改。公司拟通过门店升级改造项 目的建设，进一步对298家门店进行"胖东来模式"调改；通过物流仓储升级改造项目建设，引进自动分 拣线、AGV机器人等先进自动化设备，并配置WMS智能仓储管理系统、TMS物流运输管理系统等先进 的数字化、智能化物流仓储配送系统。期待公司加速调改和关闭长尾门店之后，中长期业绩逐步实现修 复。考虑公司调改和关店进度快于预期，该行对公司财务模型进行调整，将2025-27年归母净利润预期 从-8.7/2.4/14.3亿元，调整至-8.7/4.4/10.9亿元，考虑调改店推进和关闭长尾门店之后公司远期业绩有望 展现较好弹性，仍维持"增持"评级。 ...

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the report is that Dongwu Securities has given Yonghui Supermarket (601933.SH, latest price: 4.88 yuan) an "overweight" rating due to its strategic initiatives and financial plans [2] - The company plans to raise 4 billion yuan through a private placement, primarily aimed at supporting store upgrades and renovations [2] - Yonghui Supermarket is actively advancing the renovation of old stores and closing long-tail stores, indicating a focus on optimizing its retail footprint [2]