Summary of the Conference Call for Guiding Compass Company Industry and Company Overview - The conference call pertains to Guiding Compass Company, which operates in the financial information services industry, focusing on stock trading software and brokerage services. Key Points and Arguments 1. **Product Sales Strategy**: - The company emphasizes high-end product "Thinker" in Q1 and terminal product "Qilong Version" in Q2 and Q3, indicating a seasonal sales pattern [2][7][9]. - Pricing for high-end products is set at 20,800 RMB (one-year) and 35,000 RMB (four-year), while terminal products range from 7,800 RMB (one-year) to 11,800 RMB (three-year) [2][7]. 2. **Revenue Recognition**: - Revenue is recognized using a cash installment method, with 60% of the upfront payment counted as current revenue and the remaining 40% allocated based on the purchase month [2][8]. 3. **Investment Income**: - For the first three quarters of 2025, the company reported an investment income of approximately 201 million RMB, including over 65 million RMB from the fair value reassessment of Vanguard [2][5]. 4. **User Acquisition Costs**: - The cost to acquire new registered users remains stable at 80-100 RMB, while converting these users to paying customers costs about 800-1,000 RMB [2][12]. 5. **Sales Expenses**: - Sales expenses increased significantly, primarily due to advertising and sales personnel salaries, each accounting for roughly half of the total increase [2][10]. 6. **Market Environment**: - The overall business performance in the first three quarters of 2025 is stable, benefiting from a recovering domestic capital market [4]. 7. **Integration of Acquisitions**: - The integration of Vanguard Fund is progressing similarly to the previous acquisition of Maigao Securities, with team integration and business restructuring nearly complete [3][11]. 8. **Customer Engagement**: - Customer activity is high, and the willingness to purchase or upgrade software has increased, indicating a positive trend in user engagement [4][12]. 9. **Governance Changes**: - A new chairman, Mr. Wu, was elected on October 15, and an independent director with an AI background was appointed to enhance strategic development and transition towards a fintech-focused internet brokerage [4][17]. 10. **AI Applications**: - The company utilizes its IT team for big data-driven customer acquisition and targeted advertising, although AI applications in backend cost management are still limited [18]. 11. **Future Plans**: - There are currently no plans for overseas expansion, such as acquiring a Hong Kong brokerage [19]. 12. **Market Positioning**: - Guiding Compass differentiates itself by focusing solely on C-end users, offering unique features like analyzing large stock trades to assist investors, which appeals to retail investors [15]. Additional Important Information - The company is actively engaging in live streaming for customer acquisition, which has shown promising results [16]. - The sales rhythm is adjusted based on market conditions and customer return cycles, with a balanced investment in advertising throughout the year [4][15].