Core Viewpoint - The recent departure of Gu Mai from Shangmei Co., Ltd. (02145.HK) raises questions about the company's future strategies in the cosmetics sector, particularly regarding the NAN beauty brand, which is still in its early stages of development [1][11][13]. Group 1: Departure of Gu Mai - Gu Mai, who joined Shangmei Co. in the first half of 2025 as a brand partner for NAN beauty, has left the company less than a year after his appointment, citing personal career development as the reason [1][2]. - Prior to joining Shangmei, Gu Mai held significant positions in major companies such as Mars, Unilever, Estée Lauder, and LVMH, and was known for his role in bringing international high-end beauty brands to Tmall [2][10]. Group 2: NAN Beauty Brand Development - NAN beauty, positioned as a mid-to-high-end cosmetics brand, was first mentioned in Shangmei's 2024 annual report, indicating the company's strategic expansion into the cosmetics sector [4][10]. - The brand aims to leverage the unique combination of a professional makeup artist's IP and the growing demand in the cosmetics market, which is currently seen as a blue ocean with limited competition [5][11]. Group 3: Market Context and Comparisons - The market for cosmetics in China is competitive, with brands like Mao Geping and Proya's Caitang already establishing a presence. Mao Geping's cosmetic products generated revenue of 1.422 billion RMB in the first half of 2025, accounting for 55% of the company's total revenue [5][6]. - Proya's Caitang brand, which also focuses on professional makeup artistry, contributed 705 million RMB in revenue during the same period, increasing its share of Proya's total revenue from 8.99% to 13.17% [6][9]. Group 4: Current Status of NAN Beauty - As of January 7, 2026, NAN beauty's initial product line, launched in August 2025, includes five foundation products, but the brand is still in the incubation phase with limited market penetration [12]. - The brand's Tmall flagship store has garnered a modest following, with 2,484 fans, and its top-selling products include sample sets priced at 49.9 RMB and 59.9 RMB, with sales exceeding 10,000 and 6,000 units respectively [12].

Investment Rating - The report assigns an "Outperform" rating to multiple companies including Nike, Midea Group, JD Group, Gree Electric, Haier Smart Home, Anta Sports, and others, indicating a positive outlook for these stocks [1]. Core Insights - The cosmetics market in China reached a size of 496.267 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 3.6%. Online sales accounted for 53.97% of total sales, growing by 11.1%, while offline sales decreased by 4.1% [8][39]. - The Korean beauty market is experiencing significant changes, with at least seven brands or companies reported to be sold or seeking sale in 2025, with valuations reaching hundreds of millions [30][39]. - Kenvue has faced a decline in net sales for five consecutive quarters, indicating challenges within the company [11][39]. - The report highlights a trend of executive changes in major beauty companies, including Procter & Gamble and Coty, which may impact their strategic direction [21][22][39]. Summary by Sections Beauty News Highlights - The top three brands in GMV for cosmetics on Douyin from January to July 2025 were Hansu, Pechoin, and L'Oréal [9][39]. - Kenvue's net sales for Q2 2025 were reported at 27.578 billion yuan, a decline of 4% year-on-year, while its net profit saw a significant increase of 624.5% [16][39]. - The Body Shop appointed a new Chief Business and Brand Officer, Alia Sirina Hawa, to drive global business recovery [11][39]. Market Dynamics and Trends - The offline channel is undergoing a revival, becoming a key area for industry development [27][39]. - The report notes a rise in counterfeit cases within the beauty industry, with significant actions taken by law enforcement to combat this issue [33][39]. - The report emphasizes the importance of new retail channels and the ongoing transformation in consumer behavior within the beauty market [29][39].