Group 1 - The core point of the news is that the snack giant Three Squirrels is re-entering the pet food market by establishing a subsidiary named "Anhui E Le Ge Miao Pet Food Co., Ltd." with a registered capital of 5 million RMB, focusing on pet food and related services [2][3]. - Three Squirrels previously attempted to enter the pet industry in 2020 with the brand "Yang Le Ge Mao Hai," but exited due to strategic adjustments. Now, with recovering performance, the company is investing heavily to launch a new brand "Jin Pai Nai Ba," targeting the pet food sector [3][4]. - The pet economy in China is rapidly growing, with the industry scale reaching 592.8 billion RMB in 2023 and expected to exceed 1 trillion RMB by 2028. Pet food accounts for over 50% of this market, with cat food growing faster than dog food, indicating significant opportunities for new brands [3][4]. Group 2 - The pet food market is highly competitive, with traditional brands and new entrants from various food companies. Three Squirrels has advantages in supply chain and online sales experience, but faces challenges in gaining consumer trust in pet nutrition [4][5]. - The previous attempt with "Yang Le Ge Mao Hai" achieved sales of over 2.5 million RMB during the 2020 Double Eleven shopping festival, but was ultimately transferred due to strategic changes. The success of "Jin Pai Nai Ba" remains uncertain in the saturated market [4][5]. - Three Squirrels is also diversifying into other sectors such as alcohol, prepared dishes, and daily chemicals, aiming to create a "full-category consumption ecosystem." The success of this diversification strategy is yet to be tested in the market [4][5].

Core Viewpoint - The company, once hailed as the "national snack first stock," is now facing unprecedented challenges despite its efforts to prepare for a Hong Kong IPO, which may be a desperate attempt to cover its declining performance and seek short-term financial support [1] Financial Performance - In 2024, the company achieved revenue and net profit growth, but this trend did not continue into 2025, with Q1 financial reports showing a significant net profit decline of 22.65% year-on-year and a non-recurring net profit drop of 38.31%, indicating a clear "revenue growth without profit" phenomenon [3][4] - Sales and management expenses surged, with sales expenses reaching 695 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.24%, further eroding profit margins [3] - Operating cash flow decreased sharply, raising market concerns about the company's cash flow and financial stability [3] Seasonal Performance - The company has reported negative net profits in the second quarter for three consecutive years, with figures of -79.33 million yuan in 2022, -38.08 million yuan in 2023, and -18.58 million yuan in 2024, highlighting significant seasonal fluctuations in business performance [4] International Market Challenges - Since 2018, the company has attempted to expand into overseas markets, but by 2024, international revenue was only 696,800 yuan, accounting for a mere 0.01% of total revenue, raising doubts about the authenticity of its globalization strategy [5] - The company's new sub-brands, such as "Little Deer Blue" and "Raised a Hairy Child," have not performed well in the market, with "Little Deer Blue" generating 794 million yuan in revenue but showing a declining share of total revenue [5] Strategic Challenges - The company's founder has set an ambitious revenue target of 20 billion yuan by 2026, but the current market environment makes this goal seem distant [6] - The company faces intense competition in the offline market, particularly against merged competitors, making expansion efforts challenging [6] - Price wars in the snack industry are compressing profit margins, and maintaining competitiveness will require significant costs, further straining profitability [6]