Core Viewpoint - The beauty market in the first half of 2025 shows a mixed performance, with a historical high in retail sales but a decline in certain segments, indicating a competitive and structurally adjusting market landscape [2][5][29]. Retail Performance - The retail sales of cosmetics in China reached 229.1 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, marking a year-on-year growth of 2.9%, which is lower than the overall retail growth of 5% [2][6]. - In June 2025, the retail sales of cosmetics experienced a 2.3% year-on-year decline, marking the first month of decline this year [2]. Online Sales Dynamics - Online beauty sales exceeded 300 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 8.6% and a transaction volume increase of over 10% [5][9]. - The five major e-commerce platforms (Taobao, JD, Douyin, Kuaishou, Pinduoduo) achieved a total transaction amount of 3210.75 million yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 8.59% [9][10]. Category Performance - Skincare remains the largest category with a transaction amount of 1971.82 million yuan, accounting for 64.4% of total online beauty sales, showing growth of 8.17% in transaction value [12][13]. - Makeup sales increased by 15.26% to 551.81 million yuan, while hair care emerged as a strong performer with a 20.67% increase in sales [15][29]. - Oral care saw a slight increase of 2.49% in transaction value but a decline in transaction volume, indicating a trend towards premiumization [15][19]. Brand Landscape - The top three brands in the beauty sector are L'Oréal, Proya, and Han Shu, with domestic brands making significant inroads but still trailing behind international brands in market share [21][23]. - In the makeup category, domestic brands captured 11 out of the top 20 positions, with notable performances from brands like Mao Geping and Huaxizi [26]. Market Trends - The rise of men's beauty products and refined personal care categories indicates a shift in consumer preferences, with significant growth in men's skincare and hair care [20][29]. - The overall market is experiencing structural adjustments, with brands needing to adapt to changing consumer demands and competitive pressures [29].

Group 1 - The "618" shopping festival in 2025 started a week earlier than in 2024, leading to significant sales growth driven by government subsidies [3][5] - Total online retail sales during the "618" period reached nearly 2 trillion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of approximately 9.8% [3] - Major platforms like Taobao Tmall, JD, Douyin, and Pinduoduo saw year-on-year sales growth of 4%, 17%, and 15% respectively [3] Group 2 - The "old-for-new" subsidy program has led to a surge in sales of home appliances and 3C digital products, with 113 brands achieving sales exceeding 100 million yuan [5] - An estimated 150 billion yuan of "old-for-new" funds were utilized from January to May, with additional central funds expected to be released in July and October [5] - The total "old-for-new" funds for the second half of the year are projected to be around 138 billion yuan, averaging 23 billion yuan per month [5] Group 3 - The proportion of second-hand housing sales in major cities has been increasing, with some cities reaching nearly 70% [8] - In June, the proportion of second-hand housing transactions was 58.2%, a 10 percentage point increase compared to the same period last year [8] Group 4 - Recent tensions between Iran and Israel have impacted global oil prices, which saw a rise before a drop after June 20 [9] - Historically, a 10% increase in international oil prices has a direct impact of approximately 0.08 percentage points on domestic CPI and 0.5 percentage points on PPI [9]

Investment Rating - Industry rating: Recommended [5] Core Insights - The beauty sector experienced a stable conclusion during the 618 shopping festival, with significant changes in platform and brand dynamics driven by reduced commission policies and interest-based content ecosystems [1][2] - The total GMV for beauty products across four major e-commerce platforms (Taobao, JD, Douyin, Kuaishou) during the 618 period was between 600-700 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year growth of over 10% [1] - Taobao maintained the largest market share at 41.3%, followed by Douyin at 35.7%, JD at 14.8%, and Kuaishou at 8.2% [1][13] Summary by Sections E-commerce Platform Dynamics - Douyin's beauty segment is rapidly growing, supported by merchant subsidies and interest-driven consumer engagement, achieving double-digit growth [2] - Douyin's promotional strategies included a 1.4 billion yuan subsidy for merchants in May, with individual merchant reductions reaching up to 2.99 million yuan [2] Skincare and Makeup Categories - In the skincare category, domestic brands like Proya and Han Shu led the market, maintaining their top positions on Taobao and Douyin [3] - The top five brands in the skincare category on Taobao remained stable, with Proya and Han Shu continuing to dominate [3] - In the makeup and fragrance category, new domestic brands are emerging, with Ti Luo Wei achieving rapid growth by focusing on base makeup products [4] International and Domestic Brand Strategies - International brands are performing well due to localized marketing strategies and a willingness to engage with local consumers [8] - Domestic brands are expected to break out of the competitive cycle focused on ingredients and efficacy, emphasizing brand influence and comprehensive user experience [8] Investment Recommendations - Focus on domestic companies with strong brand equity and comprehensive channel strategies, particularly Proya and Han Shu [9] - Highlight technology-driven skincare brands like Betaini and Juzi Biology that target specific consumer needs [9] - Consider daily chemical brands with strong cost-performance ratios and excellent management of emerging channels, such as Runben and Dengkang [9]

Investment Rating - The industry is rated as "Buy" with expectations of leading market benchmark returns by over 15% in the next 6-12 months [7]. Core Insights - The 2025 "618" promotional event saw a stable conclusion with comprehensive e-commerce platforms achieving a sales increase of 15.2% year-on-year, totaling 855.6 billion yuan, while instant retail sales grew by 18.7% to 29.6 billion yuan [1]. - The performance of brands on platforms like Tmall was strong, with 453 brands achieving over 100 million yuan in sales during the event, a 24% increase from the previous year [2]. - JD.com reported over 100% growth in overall user orders during the "618" event, with daily orders for its food delivery service surpassing 25 million [3]. - Pinduoduo leveraged multiple promotional activities, resulting in significant sales increases across various categories, with some participating merchants seeing sales double [4]. - Instant retail gained traction during the event, with platforms like Meituan, Alibaba, and JD.com incorporating instant retail into their promotional strategies, indicating a positive trend for online penetration across categories [5]. Summary by Sections E-commerce Performance - Comprehensive e-commerce platforms recorded a total sales of 855.6 billion yuan during the "618" event, marking a 15.2% increase year-on-year [1]. - Instant retail sales reached 29.6 billion yuan, reflecting an 18.7% growth [1]. - Community group buying sales fell by 9.1% to 12.6 billion yuan [1]. Brand and Consumer Insights - Tmall saw 453 brands surpassing 100 million yuan in sales, with notable brands like Apple and Xiaomi leading the performance [2]. - The number of high-net-worth 88VIP members on Tmall exceeded 50 million, with brand membership increasing by 15% [2]. JD.com Highlights - JD.com reported over 22 billion total orders during the "618" event, with significant growth in 3C and home appliance categories [3]. - The launch of the first fully live-streamed food mall in Harbin marked a new milestone for JD's offline operations [3]. Pinduoduo Strategies - Pinduoduo's promotional strategies, including "100 billion subsidies," led to substantial sales growth, particularly in agricultural products [4]. - The "government subsidy" section on Pinduoduo saw a 177% increase in sales for subsidized products [4]. Instant Retail Trends - Instant retail's inclusion in the "618" event by major platforms indicates a growing trend, with Meituan reporting over 100 million users placing orders [5]. - The focus on consumer experience and ecosystem building is expected to foster healthy development in the e-commerce sector [5].

Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Overweight" indicating a positive outlook for the sector [4][20]. Core Insights - The 2025 618 shopping festival saw a total online sales growth of 15%, with significant contributions from various platforms [4][5]. - The promotion period was extended by 11 days, allowing for a more distributed sales approach and maximizing consumer engagement [4]. - Key categories driving sales included home appliances, beauty and skincare, and cleaning products, with home appliances leading at 110.1 billion yuan, representing 12.9% of total sales [8]. - New consumption trends are emerging, with niche products and categories experiencing substantial growth, particularly in the toy and hobby sectors [4]. - Platforms are leveraging AI and simplifying promotional strategies to enhance user experience and engagement, resulting in record user activity levels [4]. Summary by Sections Sales Performance - Total sales during the 618 festival reached 8,556 billion yuan, with major platforms reporting significant year-on-year growth [4][8]. - Instant retail sales grew by 19% during the same period, indicating a strong shift towards this sales model [10]. Category Insights - Home appliances, beauty and skincare, and cleaning products were the top three categories, with sales of 1,101 billion yuan, 432 billion yuan, and 233 billion yuan respectively [8]. - The demand for national subsidy products has significantly boosted sales in these categories, reflecting a shift towards higher quality and upgraded products [4]. Platform Strategies - Major platforms like Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan have implemented various promotional strategies, including subsidies and simplified purchasing processes, to enhance consumer engagement [4]. - The competition among platforms has intensified, with each adopting unique strategies to capture market share during the promotional period [4]. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on companies such as Alibaba, Meituan, JD.com, and Pinduoduo, which are well-positioned to benefit from the ongoing trends in consumer behavior and market dynamics [4].

Core Insights - The report highlights a significant increase in Kuaishou's e-commerce sales in March 2025, driven by the "she economy" and seasonal demand, with sales heat rising by 62.70% month-on-month and promotional heat increasing by 21.97% [10][14][19] Group 1: Sales Trends - The peak sales period coincided with the 38 Shopping Festival, reflecting strong consumer demand for skincare, fresh produce, and outdoor apparel [10][14] - Gold and outdoor sports categories saw substantial sales growth, with outdoor footwear and cycling products also performing well [14][24] - The sales of beauty and skincare products, as well as children's outdoor clothing, experienced notable growth in gross merchandise value (GMV) [14][34] Group 2: Marketing Activities - Kuaishou launched various marketing campaigns such as "Spring New Arrivals" and "National Subsidy" to stimulate consumer interest [10][14] - The "New Star Plan" was introduced to support new influencers, contributing to a year-on-year increase in active merchants and GMV for products priced over 1,000 yuan during the promotional period [10][14] Group 3: Category Performance - The report lists the top-performing categories, including beauty and skincare, women's and men's clothing, and outdoor sportswear, indicating a competitive market landscape [10][14] - Seasonal fruits like papaya and durian showed significant growth, with the market expanding for these products [32][33] - The children's outdoor apparel segment is gaining traction, driven by innovative product offerings that cater to specific consumer needs [29][34]