Core Viewpoint - The long-standing contract dispute involving Zhou Dasheng Jewelry Co., Ltd. has concluded, with the company ordered to pay 2.78 million yuan, while facing significant operational challenges and declining revenues in its franchise business [1][7][9]. Group 1: Legal Outcome - The court upheld the original ruling, dismissing the appeal from Shenzhen Waterbeika Information Technology Co., Ltd., which had sought 211 million yuan in damages [1][7]. - Zhou Dasheng has already made provisions for the 2.78 million yuan in bad debt, indicating that the ruling will not impact its current or future profits [1][8]. Group 2: Financial Performance - Zhou Dasheng reported a 43.92% year-on-year decline in revenue for the first half of 2025, totaling 4.597 billion yuan, with a slight decrease of 1.27% in net profit to 594 million yuan [9]. - The company's franchise business saw a drastic revenue drop of 59.12%, with a net reduction of 290 stores, leading to a closure rate of 9.16% [9][10]. Group 3: Strategic Initiatives - In response to declining performance, Zhou Dasheng is accelerating its online transformation by establishing a joint venture with Wuyou Media Group to focus on short video and live-streaming sales [10]. - The joint venture aims to leverage a "traffic + supply chain" model to enhance brand visibility and sales conversion through live streaming [10]. Group 4: Market Conditions - The jewelry industry is facing challenges due to fluctuating gold prices, with Zhou Dasheng adjusting its gold jewelry prices by 6% to 30% in response to market conditions [10][11]. - Competitors like Chow Tai Fook are also planning price increases, indicating a broader trend of rising costs in the industry [11].