Core Viewpoint - The case against the star fund manager Shi Cheng highlights the challenges faced by Guotou Ruijin in its equity investment business, revealing significant losses and management issues within the firm [1][2][3] Group 1: Fund Manager and Performance - Shi Cheng, a prominent fund manager at Guotou Ruijin, was sued by an investor for financial contract disputes, marking a significant fall from grace for a manager who once thrived in the booming new energy sector [2][3][4] - From 2022 to 2024, the six funds managed by Shi Cheng incurred losses exceeding 160 billion yuan, with annual profits recorded as -29.24 billion yuan, -32.16 billion yuan, -57.52 billion yuan, -35.71 billion yuan, -1.65 billion yuan, and -6.45 billion yuan [4][5][6] - Shi Cheng's management scale plummeted from a peak of 212.87 billion yuan in 2021 to 87.86 billion yuan by the end of 2024, a reduction of over 125 billion yuan [5][6][18] Group 2: Strategic Shifts and Compliance Risks - In 2025, Shi Cheng attempted to pivot from new energy stocks to AI-related investments, which led to a short-term performance rebound, achieving a weighted return of 68.76%, significantly outperforming the benchmark [6][19] - However, this shift raised compliance concerns as it violated the fund's contract stipulating that at least 80% of assets must be in new energy sectors [19][20] Group 3: Company Challenges and Management Issues - Guotou Ruijin has faced ongoing difficulties, with its equity investment team, including managers like Qi Fapeng and Sang Jun, also reporting poor performance and significant asset shrinkage [2][20][21] - The overall management scale of Guotou Ruijin decreased from approximately 2786.45 billion yuan in 2024 to about 2542.53 billion yuan in 2025, reflecting a loss of nearly 243.92 billion yuan [22][23] - The firm is also experiencing a "miniaturization" issue, with many of its funds falling below the 3 billion yuan threshold, raising concerns about potential fund closures [22][23] Group 4: Future Outlook and Strategic Changes - Guotou Ruijin is undergoing a strategic transformation, influenced by changes in its management team and shareholder structure, particularly following UBS's acquisition of Credit Suisse [24][25] - The dual ownership of Guotou Ruijin and ICBC Credit Suisse by UBS may impact resource allocation and strategic direction for Guotou Ruijin moving forward [25][26]