Core Insights - Recent reports from NielsenIQ and Mintel highlight that today's consumers are becoming more rational, favoring retailers and brands that can deliver on trust and value commitments [2][4] - Consumer spending data supports an optimistic outlook, with significant growth in technology and durable goods sales in China during the first half of 2025, alongside a shift from "external consumption" to "internal self-investment" [2][6] - Consumers are increasingly prioritizing products that are "worth it" over those that are simply "cheap," leading to a decline in the effectiveness of price promotions [2][12] Consumer Behavior Trends - A "decision layering" phenomenon is emerging, where consumers seek extreme cost-effectiveness for essentials while still willing to indulge cautiously in categories that enhance self-value, such as health and personalized experiences [3] - Despite a complex market environment, there is a moderate optimism regarding personal financial situations, with a 10% increase in consumers feeling financially secure since 2023 [6] - In China, 50% of respondents believe their financial situation will improve by early 2026, up from 45% in 2024, indicating a growing sense of financial confidence [6] Brand Trust and Value - "Brand trust" has become a new currency, with 95% of consumers indicating that trust is crucial when selecting brands, particularly in China where expectations for brand trust are higher [8][10] - Trust is derived from actual brand performance rather than mere marketing claims, with consumers increasingly valuing brands that align with their evolving lifestyles, such as a focus on health and simplicity [10] Full-Channel Consumption - Full-channel consumption is becoming a competitive frontier, with consumers expecting a seamless, personalized, and immediate shopping experience across various platforms [12] - In the U.S., offline shopping frequency has decreased by 2.3%, while online shopping frequency has increased by 16%, highlighting a shift in consumer behavior [12] - Price promotions are losing their appeal, with only 26% of consumers purchasing during sales and 22% opting for discount stores, indicating a need for brands to compete on value rather than discounts [12] Strategic Recommendations for Brands - To succeed in a cautious consumption environment, brands must provide stable product quality, respond to new lifestyle characteristics, and offer a smooth shopping experience across channels [13] - The focus should shift from merely seeking "cost-effectiveness" to ensuring products are perceived as "worth it," with emotional connections and value transmission becoming central to consumer engagement [13] Future Consumer Trends - The rise of big data algorithms is reshaping consumer identities and relationships with brands, necessitating a balance between efficiency and meaningful engagement [14][15] - The definition of "youth" is evolving, with consumers no longer confined to traditional life milestones, presenting opportunities for brands to cater to a broader age demographic [16] - As consumers grow weary of AI-driven perfection, there will be a shift towards embracing imperfection and creativity, allowing brands to forge deeper emotional connections with consumers [18]

Core Insights - The report predicts a shift in the global beauty and personal care industry towards a new era that integrates health, experience, and humanism, with the Chinese market exhibiting characteristics of both "accelerated internal competition" and "return to rationality" [1][5]. Group 1: Key Trends - **Metabolic Aesthetics**: Consumers are increasingly focused on health from within rather than just surface beauty, with technologies like biomarker testing and continuous metabolic monitoring becoming mainstream. Brands are expected to compete with health brands, becoming gatekeepers of preventive care [1][19]. - **Sensory Symphony**: The integration of functional fragrances, neuroscience, and VR technologies is transforming daily skincare into therapeutic rituals. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for sensory experiences, indicating a shift towards emotional regulation tools [1][12][45]. - **Return to Humanism**: There is a growing consumer fatigue with AI-generated content and filtered aesthetics, leading to a preference for authenticity and imperfection. Brands that emphasize realness and craftsmanship are likely to gain more trust and market opportunities [1][5][19]. Group 2: Consumer Insights - 86% of adults believe that healthy eating is as important as beauty products, and 78% agree that brands should provide more scientific evidence to support their claims [1][31][34]. - The report highlights that consumers are becoming more discerning, seeking direct and essential value in products, particularly in the context of the booming medical beauty industry [1][5]. - The trend indicates that skincare and haircare will become accessible biomarkers for health, with consumers expecting products to not only beautify but also diagnose their internal health [1][19].

Core Viewpoint - The stock market reflects the steady recovery of the real economy, with the new consumption trend gaining momentum, driven by policy support and evolving consumer behavior [1] Group 1: Market Trends - Since August, the new consumption trend has shown a resurgence, with certain trendy toy IP companies experiencing a maximum increase of over 30% [2] - The macroeconomic environment indicates a moderate recovery, with a consensus on expanding domestic demand, suggesting that the consumer sector is in a phase of stabilization and potential growth [2] - The current consumption landscape differs from the 2019-2020 period, characterized by a shift towards emotional spending and cultural confidence, requiring fund managers to adopt a bottom-up stock selection approach [2][3] Group 2: Investment Opportunities - Three main investment themes in new consumption are identified: spiritual consumption products like trendy gold jewelry, cost-effective mass consumer goods, and domestic beauty and personal care products [2][3] - The demand for trendy gold jewelry is shifting from traditional wedding uses to self-indulgence, with brands offering affordable, aesthetically pleasing products that appeal to younger consumers [3] - Cost-effective consumer goods are gaining traction as consumers prioritize value over brand loyalty, with strategies like bulk purchasing and reduced distribution costs enhancing market penetration [3] Group 3: Performance and Strategy - The funds managed by the company have shown significant growth, with net value growth rates of 29.50% and 23.84% for two products, outperforming their respective benchmarks [4] - The company aims to continue selecting companies with strong competitive advantages and barriers to entry in thriving industries to drive portfolio returns [4]

Group 1 - The consumer industry is undergoing a critical period of simultaneous iteration across three dimensions: retail efficiency revolution on the supply side, the rise of emotional consumption on the demand side, and content e-commerce innovation in communication media, each presenting unique investment opportunities [1] - Traditional retail is focusing on two core directions: quality enhancement and discount strategies, with large supermarket retailers acting as "consumer advocates" to reshape retail logic, while discount channels emphasize "consumer democratization" with a growing focus on price-performance ratio [1] - The primary consumer group aged 25-45 is characterized by cultural confidence and a willingness to pay for emotional value, prioritizing emotional experiences and psychological satisfaction over mere practicality in their shopping habits [1] Group 2 - The iteration of communication media is providing unprecedented opportunities for new consumer brands, particularly in the beauty and personal care sector, where domestic brands have advantages in price-performance ratio, consumer insights, and rapid product innovation [2] - The investment opportunities in new consumption are shifting from total volume to structural changes, indicating a transition from channel-driven to consumer-led and product-centric dynamics, with the interplay of supply, demand, and media forming a new consumer ecosystem [2] - The company aims to continuously seek new investment opportunities to capture prospects in the new consumption wave [2]

Summary of Betterware (BWMX) Conference Call - June 11, 2025 Company Overview - Betterware operates as a direct-to-consumer house of brands with two main brands: Betterware (household products) and Jafra (beauty products) [2][3] - The company has approximately 1,240,000 sellers and distributors, primarily operating in Mexico, with expansion plans into Latin America and the U.S. [3][8] - In 2024, Betterware reported revenues of MXN 14,000 million, achieving a 22% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 23 years [3][19] Financial Performance - Net revenues grew by 8.4% in 2023, with a 22.4% CAGR over 23 years [19] - EBITDA margin was reported at 19.7% in the previous year, with a 2% growth from 2023 to 2024 [4][20] - The company has maintained a strong cash flow conversion rate of 52% on average, excluding outliers from 2023 and 2024 [20][21] - Consistent dividend payments have been made for 25 consecutive quarters, totaling USD 5.2 million with an average yield of 10.55% [22] Market Position and Growth Opportunities - Betterware holds a 4% market share in the fragmented household goods market in Mexico, with Walmart being the largest player at 20% [12][36] - The company has a dominant position in the direct selling space, owning 65% of the market for household goods in Mexico [12] - Jafra has seen a significant turnaround, achieving a net revenue CAGR of 12.1% and an EBITDA CAGR of 17.2% since its acquisition [24][47] - The direct selling model is growing in Mexico at a CAGR of 4.6%, with Betterware outpacing this growth [15] Strategic Initiatives - The company focuses on three main pillars for growth: business intelligence, product innovation, and technology [16][17] - Betterware aims to expand the Jafra brand and introduce new product categories in both beauty and household markets [25][26] - Geographic expansion plans include entering the U.S. market with Jafra and expanding Betterware into Guatemala and Ecuador [27][28] Competitive Landscape - Betterware differentiates itself through innovative products and strong marketing strategies, targeting middle and low-middle-income markets [10][11] - The company has successfully modernized its direct selling model, leveraging technology and business intelligence to enhance seller efficiency [6][17][46] - Jafra's growth strategy includes focusing on brand development and innovation, which had been lacking prior to its acquisition [44][45] Additional Insights - The company emphasizes its asset-light model and strong cash flow generation capabilities [30] - Betterware's management team consists of experienced professionals with a focus on replicating successful business practices across brands [31] - The company does not classify itself as a multilevel marketing firm, focusing instead on direct sales and customer satisfaction [58][59] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the conference call, highlighting Betterware's business model, financial performance, market position, growth strategies, and competitive advantages.

Group 1 - The new consumption sector in A-shares is gaining significant attention, with multiple brokerages hosting themed strategy meetings, indicating strong market interest [1] - Recent trends show a rise in popularity for industries such as pet products, snacks, health supplements, and beauty care, attracting analysts from other sectors like new energy and technology [1] - The increasing focus on the new consumption trend is likely to influence stock price volatility and enhance overall market activity in the consumption sector [1] Group 2 - The North Exchange 50 Index has reached a historical high, reflecting strong market confidence, with several thematic funds achieving returns exceeding 70% this year [2] - The performance of North Exchange funds has been bolstered by individual stock selection strategies, with many funds successfully identifying stocks that have doubled in value [2] - Industry experts suggest that the weight stocks and new stocks on the North Exchange still hold investment value, indicating potential mid- to long-term investment opportunities [2] Group 3 - Public funds have invested nearly 10 billion yuan in private placements this year, demonstrating confidence in certain A-share companies [3] - Among the stocks favored by public funds, Haohua Technology received significant attention, with multiple funds participating in its private placement, totaling over 1.6 billion yuan [3] - Other companies like Guolian Minsheng, Dizhe Pharmaceutical, and Anning Co. also attracted substantial investment from public funds, each exceeding 500 million yuan [3] Group 4 - In a low-interest-rate environment, private equity strategies are shifting towards equity assets, with a preference for Hong Kong internet and dividend-paying stocks [4] - The difficulty of bond investments has increased, making equity assets more attractive, especially with ongoing policy support and increased stock buybacks [4] - Companies benefiting from AI development and those with high dividend yields are highlighted as worthy of attention, potentially driving capital inflows into these sectors [4]

Group 1 - The new consumption sector in A-shares is gaining momentum, with various themes such as pets, snacks, health products, trendy toys, and beauty care emerging as hot topics [1][8] - In the past 10 days, multiple securities firms, including Huafu Securities, CITIC Securities, and Guojin Securities, have held consumption industry strategy meetings, indicating a shift in focus from technology to consumption [2][10] - The enthusiasm for consumption-themed events contrasts sharply with two years ago when such events saw minimal attendance, highlighting the current interest in the sector [5][11] Group 2 - The performance of the consumption sector has outpaced that of the technology sector this year, with significant gains in sub-sectors such as personal care products (up 33.65%), animal health (up 26.55%), and cosmetics (up 21.3%) [7][11] - New consumption trends are leading the market, with a focus on keywords like pets, snacks, and health products, rather than traditional sectors like liquor [8][10] - Recent strategy reports from various securities firms indicate a strong interest in new consumption, with nearly 30 reports published recently, compared to only about 10 related to technology [11]