Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the cosmetics and medical beauty sector, particularly highlighting companies like Shiseido and Up Beauty for their strong performance and growth potential [12][14]. Core Insights - The cosmetics and medical beauty sector underperformed the market during the week of August 1 to August 8, 2025, with the Shenwan Beauty Care Index growing by 1.7%, which is lower than the overall market performance [5][6]. - There is a notable divergence in the performance of domestic beauty brands in July, with strong growth observed in skincare brands like Han Shu and Marubi, while color cosmetics lagged due to weather and promotional timing [11][12]. - Up Beauty's H1 2025 performance exceeded expectations, with revenue projected between 4.09 to 4.11 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 16.8% to 17.3% [12][13]. Summary by Sections Industry Performance - The Shenwan Cosmetics Index increased by 1.3%, underperforming the Shenwan A Index by 0.6 percentage points, while the Shenwan Personal Care Index rose by 4.2%, outperforming the Shenwan A Index by 2.3 percentage points [5][6]. - The top-performing stocks in the sector included Up Beauty (+18.4%), Reliable Shares (+13.7%), and Lafang Home (+11.3%) [7]. Key Company Updates - Up Beauty's H1 2025 earnings report indicated a significant profit increase, with net profit margins improving due to optimized channel structures and a higher proportion of high-margin brands [12][13]. - Shiseido reported a 7.6% decline in sales for H1 2025, marking the largest drop in five years, with a notable decrease in the Chinese market [24]. E-commerce Insights - In July 2025, domestic beauty brands showed varied performance on major e-commerce platforms, with Han Shu achieving a 58% increase in GMV on Douyin, while color cosmetics faced challenges [20][21]. - The overall retail sales of cosmetics in June 2025 saw a decline of 2.3%, attributed to the pre-promotion of the 618 shopping festival [21][24]. Market Trends - The report highlights a shift in market dynamics, with domestic brands gaining market share against international competitors, particularly in the skincare segment [34][35]. - The Chinese skincare market is projected to reach 271.2 billion yuan in 2024, despite a 3.7% decline in growth [34][35].

Summary of Shangmei Co., Ltd. Conference Call Company Overview - Shangmei Co., Ltd. is a leading multi-brand cosmetics company in China, with its main brand, Han Shu, generating 56 billion yuan in revenue for 2024, accounting for 82% of total revenue [2][4] - The company adheres to a multi-brand group strategy and plans to expand into six major cosmetics categories over the next decade, including mass skincare, personal care, maternal and infant products, medical skincare, color cosmetics, and high-end skincare [2][4] Financial Performance - For the first half of 2025, Shangmei Co., Ltd. reported impressive performance, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% in revenue and 130% in net profit attributable to shareholders [2][5] - The Douyin channel revenue is projected to recover from 2.7 billion yuan in 2022 to 5-6 billion yuan in 2024, indicating strong growth in online sales [2][5][6] Development Stages - The company's development can be divided into four stages: 1. **Startup Phase (2003-2007)**: Establishment of the Han Shu brand 2. **Rapid Growth Phase (2008-2018)**: Expansion through CS and e-commerce channels 3. **Adjustment Phase (2019-2022)**: Challenges in offline channels and online positioning 4. **Transformation Breakthrough Phase (2023-Present)**: Focus on box sets and Douyin strategies leading to high growth [7][8] Management and Ownership - As of the end of 2024, the founder holds over 60% of the shares, ensuring concentrated control and stability within the company [2][7] - The management team is relatively young, with most core executives under 50 years old, and the inclusion of professional managers supports the group's development [7] Marketing Strategies - The company employs celebrity endorsements and sponsors popular variety shows to enhance brand visibility [9] - It has successfully utilized live e-commerce and launched differentiated products like the Hongmai Oxygen Box to meet the needs of the Douyin market [9][10] Supply Chain and Pricing Strategy - Shangmei Co., Ltd. has developed its own supply chain since 2006, with production bases in Suzhou, Shanghai, and overseas, allowing for competitive pricing and improved gross margins [10] - The company uses high cost-performance promotions to attract consumers, successfully applying these strategies in both traditional and online channels [10] Future Development Outlook - Future growth is expected in three core areas: multi-category expansion, all-channel strategy, and multi-brand development [11] - The Han Shu brand is expanding its product lines, including new essence products and the X peptide series, while also enhancing its presence in various channels [11][12][13] Sub-brands and New Initiatives - The company has traditional sub-brands like Yiyezi and Hongse Xiaoxiang, and has launched new brands such as New Page, which focuses on infant skincare [14] - New Page achieved 380 million yuan in revenue in 2024, indicating strong growth potential [14] Overall Performance and Future Expectations - In the first half of 2025, the company's net profit margin improved significantly, supported by multi-category and all-channel expansion [15] - The diversified coverage of sub-brands is expected to bolster the group's development, indicating a positive outlook for future growth [15]