Core Viewpoint - Zhongrong Co., Ltd. (301223.SZ) announced that its actual controller, chairman, and general manager Huang Huanran has been placed under residential surveillance by the Zhongshan Public Security Bureau, which casts a shadow over the company's already fragile investor reputation amid declining performance and long-term stock price underperformance [2][10]. Company Performance - The company's main business is the research, production, and sales of paper printing and packaging products, with key products including folding color boxes (71.54% of revenue), gift boxes (11.99%), and color cartons [5]. - From 2018 to 2022, the company's revenue showed a growth trend, with figures of 1.886 billion, 2.063 billion, 2.177 billion, 2.544 billion, and 2.473 billion respectively, while net profit attributable to shareholders was 118 million, 175 million, 186 million, and 212 million [7]. - However, post-listing, the company's performance began to decline, with net profit attributable to shareholders projected to be 204 million and 144 million for 2023 and 2024, representing year-on-year declines of 4.4% and 29.6% respectively [9]. Financial Metrics - The company's gross margin decreased from 22.41% in 2022 to 18.31% in 2024, attributed to declining sales prices and the lack of scale effects from new product lines [9]. - In 2024, the company's operating cash flow net amount was 267 million, down 12.43% year-on-year, with accounts receivable increasing by 51.19% to 960 million [9]. Stock Performance and Investor Sentiment - Since its IPO in October 2022, Zhongrong's stock has consistently underperformed, opening at 26.28 yuan but immediately falling below the issue price, leading to ongoing investor complaints about the stock's performance [10]. - Despite the company implementing buyback and dividend strategies, the effectiveness of these measures remains uncertain, with only 13.11 million repurchased against a plan of 25 million to 50 million [10][11]. - The company has distributed over 150 million in dividends from 2022 to 2024, but most of this has benefited the two largest shareholders, who hold over 70% of the shares [11]. Acquisition Strategy - In July of the previous year, the company acquired 70% of Mozihua Printing Co., Ltd. for 192 million, claiming it would enhance market responsiveness and competitiveness [11]. - Despite a 27.5% year-on-year increase in revenue to 699 million in the first quarter, the net profit attributable to shareholders fell by 4.67%, indicating a situation of revenue growth without profit improvement [11].

Core Viewpoint - The actual controller, chairman, and general manager of Zhongrong Co., Huang Huanran, has been placed under residential surveillance by the Zhongshan Public Security Bureau, which raises concerns about the company's governance and potential operational impacts [2][3]. Company Operations - Zhongrong Co. has stated that it has made proper arrangements for related work, and other board members and senior management are continuing their duties normally. The board of directors is operating as usual, and the company has a sound governance structure, internal control mechanisms, and effective management systems [5]. - The daily operations are managed by the executive team, and the production and operational order of the company and its subsidiaries remain normal. The recent events are not expected to have a significant impact on the company's normal production and operations [5]. Financial Performance - In 2024, Zhongrong Co. achieved an operating income of 2.782 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.3%. However, the net profit attributable to the parent company was 144 million yuan, a decrease of 29.6% compared to the previous year [11]. - For the first quarter of 2025, the company reported an operating income of 699 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 27.5%, while the net profit attributable to the parent company was 39.36 million yuan, down 4.67% year-on-year [11]. - The company’s main business includes the research, design, production, and sales of paper-based printing and packaging products, with key products such as folding color boxes, gift boxes, color cartons, pulp molding, labels, and promotional tools [13]. Management and Shareholding - Huang Huanran, aged 63, has been with the company since 1990 and currently holds 45.32 million shares through Zhongrong Printing Group Co., Ltd. His annual salary is 1.4611 million yuan, which reflects a decrease of 123,400 yuan compared to the previous year [6][7][9]. - As of May 13, the stock price of Zhongrong Co. was 16.85 yuan per share, with a total market capitalization of 3.3 billion yuan [13].