Core Viewpoint - The Li family is considering relinquishing control of Black Sesame due to declining sales and financial pressures, potentially transferring 20% of their shares to a state-owned enterprise in Guangxi [1][3]. Group 1: Company Control and Ownership - The Li family has controlled Black Sesame for nearly 20 years, with the Black Five Categories Group holding 30.25% of the company's shares as of March 2023 [4]. - The Li family and their associates collectively hold 47.62% of the voting rights, indicating significant influence over company decisions [4]. - The potential transfer of shares to a state-owned enterprise may lead to a change in control of the listed company [3]. Group 2: Financial Challenges - The Black Five Categories Group has pledged 1.62 million shares, representing 21.51% of the total share capital, indicating liquidity pressures [5]. - The Li family members have also pledged shares, with a 100% pledge rate for their holdings [5]. - The company has faced financial difficulties, with revenue dropping from 40.25 billion to 30.16 billion from 2021 to 2022, and net losses of 1.09 billion and 1.40 billion respectively [8]. Group 3: Market Position and Product Performance - Black Sesame's flagship product, black sesame paste, has seen a significant decline in sales, from a peak of 952.02 million units in 2014 to only 439.47 million units projected for 2024 [11]. - The company has attempted to diversify its product offerings, launching various new products, but these efforts have not resulted in significant market success [11]. - The market for traditional paste products has diminished as instant food options have gained popularity, leading to increased competition and reduced market presence for black sesame products [10]. Group 4: Diversification Attempts - Black Sesame has made several attempts to diversify into logistics, e-commerce, and renewable energy, but these ventures have generally not aligned well with its core food business [7]. - The company invested 2.56 billion in a logistics park and 7 billion in an e-commerce platform, both of which failed to deliver expected synergies [7]. - Recent investments in renewable energy projects have also faced challenges, leading to a halt in further investments [7].

Core Viewpoint - The company "Heizhima" is undergoing a significant change in ownership, with its controlling shareholder planning to transfer approximately 20% of its shares to a state-owned enterprise in the Guangxi region, which may lead to a change in control of the company [4]. Company Overview - Founded in 1984, Heizhima Group is a large private enterprise focusing on the black sesame industry, integrating research, production, and sales of health products [7]. - Heizhima is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and is recognized as the first stock in China's black sesame industry, with its "Southern Black Sesame Paste" being a well-known brand in China [7]. Recent Developments - As of August 1, the company's stock price increased by 4.81%, closing at 6.54 yuan per share, with a total market value of 4.928 billion yuan [8]. - The company has faced scrutiny from the Guangxi Securities Regulatory Bureau due to issues such as non-operating fund occupation by controlling shareholders and inadequate corporate governance [11]. Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, the company reported a revenue of 442 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 3.74%, with a net profit of only 2.25 million yuan [11]. - From 2018 to 2022, the company's net profit declined from 59.91 million yuan to a loss of 140 million yuan, indicating a continuous deterioration in profitability [11]. Strategic Challenges - The company has attempted various cross-industry expansions, including investments in health drinks and baked goods, but these efforts have not reversed the declining performance [12]. - In 2023, the company announced plans to invest 3.5 billion yuan in lithium battery production but later decided to pause this project to refocus on the health food industry [12][13]. - The market share of its core product has significantly decreased, from 60% in the past to a projected 34.6% of revenue in 2024 [13].