Core Viewpoint - Pop Mart's trendy toy business is increasingly connecting with the luxury goods sector, as evidenced by the appointment of LVMH's Greater China President, Wu Yue, to its board of directors [2][5]. Group 1: Strategic Developments - Wu Yue's appointment may indicate Pop Mart's further exploration into the core circle of international fashion trends [3]. - The company has been compared to luxury brands like Hermes due to its high gross margin of nearly 70% since its performance explosion [3]. - Pop Mart's collaboration with LVMH and its luxury brands could signify a shift from mere marketing to deeper strategic interactions [13]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - The demand for scarcity is a common pursuit in both the trendy toy and luxury goods industries, where exclusivity enhances social status and identity recognition [6]. - Pop Mart's products, particularly in the secondary market, have seen a decline in premium pricing, indicating a cooling of consumer interest compared to previous "one toy hard to find" scenarios [4][11]. - The company aims to balance IP value, scarcity, and revenue scalability, which remains a long-term challenge [15]. Group 3: Financial Performance and Challenges - In the first half of 2025, the MEGA series generated nearly 1 billion yuan, accounting for 7% of total revenue [10]. - Pop Mart's stock price has dropped over 45% since its peak, with a market capitalization loss exceeding 200 billion HKD, reflecting investor concerns over declining resale prices and market sentiment [16][17]. - The company is facing a "availability paradox," where increased production capacity is transforming its core IP LABUBU from a scarce trend symbol to a mass-market product, potentially signaling a decline in popularity [19]. Group 4: Future Prospects - Pop Mart is expanding its international presence, with plans to open 200 new stores by the end of the year, maintaining a pace of approximately three new stores per week [14]. - The company is also diversifying its IP portfolio, with notable growth from new IPs like CRYBABY and Star People, which are expected to contribute significantly to revenue [14]. - Collaborations with major brands and the development of immersive experiences are part of Pop Mart's strategy to deepen emotional connections with consumers [27].

Group 1 - The article discusses the rise of high-quality consumer brands and the establishment of the "2025 High-Quality Consumption Brand TOP 100" by Southern Metropolis Daily, focusing on various popular sectors such as beauty economy, sports and outdoor, food and health, and pet economy [2] - The "Guzi economy" and "trendy toy economy" are emerging as significant growth points in the consumer market, indicating a shift in consumer preferences and spending habits [2][3] - The article highlights the increasing demand for high-priced collectible toys, particularly the LABUBU brand, which has seen significant price increases in the secondary market, reflecting a broader trend in consumer behavior towards emotional value and social display [3][8] Group 2 - The LABUBU brand, created by Pop Mart, has become a top-selling IP, with its products experiencing a price increase from an original price of 99 yuan to a resale price of 4,140 yuan, showcasing the high demand for collectible toys [5][11] - The market for collectible toys is shifting towards higher price ranges, with a notable increase in the proportion of mid-range to high-end products, indicating consumers' willingness to pay more for quality and design [9][8] - The article notes that the trend of showcasing toys as fashion accessories has emerged, with consumers using LABUBU figures as decorative items on bags, enhancing their social media presence and driving further sales [13][16] Group 3 - High-end consumers are increasingly investing in accessories and clothing for their collectible toys, leading to a surge in related product markets such as doll clothing and protective cases [19][27] - The article mentions that the overseas expansion of Chinese toy brands, particularly Pop Mart, has seen significant revenue growth, with international sales reaching 5.065 billion yuan in 2024, accounting for nearly 40% of total revenue [33][34] - The article emphasizes the importance of innovative design and storytelling in the toy industry, suggesting that brands need to evolve beyond being mere collectibles to become cultural symbols [36][37]

Core Insights - Chinese潮玩 has transformed the global IP market, with brands like Labubu and Molly gaining significant recognition alongside major players like Marvel and Disney [1][3] - The success of Pop Mart's "blind box + IP" model has attracted substantial capital market interest, leading to its listing as the first Chinese潮玩 stock on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange [3] - Pop Mart holds a leading market share of approximately 10.97% in the Chinese潮玩 market, maintaining its position despite increasing competition [4] Market Performance - In Q1 2025, Pop Mart reported impressive growth, with domestic market growth between 95%-100% and overseas market growth reaching 475%-480%, including an 895%-900% increase in the Americas and a 600%-605% increase in Europe [6] - Pop Mart's product categories include: - Figures series: Revenue of 6.94 billion yuan (+44.7%), accounting for 53.2% of total revenue - Plush toys: Revenue of 2.83 billion yuan (+1289%), accounting for 21.7% - MEGA collectibles: Revenue of 1.68 billion yuan (+146.1%), accounting for 12.9% - Derivative products: Revenue of 1.59 billion yuan (+156.2%), accounting for 12.2% [10] Business Model - Pop Mart's business model centers on a strong IP matrix and deep emotional connections with consumers, targeting the Z generation's psychological needs [16] - The "blind box" sales format leverages consumer psychology, creating excitement and a sense of community among collectors [18][19] - Pop Mart operates a diverse IP matrix, with 93 IPs as of the end of 2023, including 12 proprietary IPs and collaborations with over 350 artists [21][26] Global Expansion - Pop Mart views overseas markets as a strategic growth area, with plans to increase overseas revenue to over 10 billion yuan by 2025 [36] - The company has adopted a localized approach in international markets, successfully integrating local culture into its product offerings [37] Challenges and Opportunities - Despite its success, Pop Mart faces challenges such as the lifecycle of IPs, regulatory scrutiny of the blind box model, and increasing market competition [39][40] - Opportunities include the growing global潮玩 market, potential for IP diversification, and support for cultural exports [41][42]

Core Viewpoint - Pop Mart has demonstrated remarkable financial performance in 2024, achieving a revenue of 13.038 billion yuan, more than doubling its revenue from 2023, and an adjusted net profit of 3.403 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 185.9% [3][23]. Financial Performance - In 2024, Pop Mart's revenue reached 13.038 billion yuan, a 106.9% increase compared to 2023, while the adjusted net profit was 3.403 billion yuan, up 185.7% year-on-year [23]. - The company's revenue growth was particularly notable compared to global toy giant Mattel, which reported a revenue of approximately 39.27 billion yuan and a net profit of only 3.96 billion yuan in the same year [3]. Market Dynamics - Pop Mart's stock price rebounded significantly, reaching a historical high of 177.2 HKD per share by April 23, 2024, with a total market capitalization of approximately 237.283 billion HKD [5]. - The company faced skepticism regarding its business model and the collectible toy market, especially after a period of stagnation in 2022 when revenue growth was only 2.8% [4]. Key IP Contributions - The success of the LABUBU character from the "THE MONSTERS" series significantly contributed to Pop Mart's revenue, generating 3.041 billion yuan in 2024, a staggering 726% increase year-on-year, and accounting for 23.3% of total revenue [17][19]. - Other IPs like MOLLY, SKULLPANDA, and CRYBABY also performed well, with each surpassing 1 billion yuan in revenue [17]. International Expansion - Pop Mart's overseas revenue reached 5.066 billion yuan in 2024, marking a 375.2% increase and accounting for 38.9% of total revenue, with Southeast Asia being the fastest-growing market [31]. - The company has strategically opened stores in key international markets, including Thailand, where the first store achieved sales ten times the average of all stores [34]. Product Diversification - In 2024, Pop Mart's revenue from plush products exceeded 10 times that of the previous year, contributing 21.7% to total revenue, while the contribution from collectible figures dropped to just over half [56]. - The company is actively pursuing a diversification strategy beyond blind box products, including collaborations with well-known IPs like Disney and Harry Potter, and expanding into new product categories such as building blocks [54][55]. Operational Strategy - Pop Mart has adopted a Direct to Customer (DTC) strategy, reducing reliance on third-party distributors and focusing on direct retail, which has led to a more controlled expansion and higher profit margins [42][53]. - The company has also implemented a new product development structure that allows for more creativity and responsiveness to market demands, resulting in successful new product lines like LABUBU plush toys [56].