Blue Lotus Research Institute

Andy Fu

China growth and global non-US Internet equities

Blue Lotus Research is a Hong Kong Type 4 Licensed investment advisory firm focusing on Chinese growth equities and global non-US Internet equities

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>As we previously noted, Chinese housing market started 2025 with a bang but quickly deteriorated. This trend became more pronounced post CNY; </li>
<li>Is this a temporary lull from the very strong start? Or it signals something more troublesome in consumption in 2025? </li>
<li>We now think our forecasted 25% GTV growth by Beike in C1Q25 is at risk.</li>
</ul>


As we previously noted, Chinese housing market started 2025 with a bang but quickly deteriorated. This trend became more pronounced post CNY; 
Is this a temporary lull from the very strong start? Or it signals something more troublesome in consumption in 2025? 
We now think our forecasted 25% GTV growth by Beike in C1Q25 is at risk.


Fast Deterioration of Housing Transaction Post CNY Pointed to Fragile Recovery

<ul>
<li>2025's Chinese New Year (CNY)  closed with a bang. Home appliances, mobile phones and general merchandises were robust.  Catering saw steady growth and box office hit a record high;</li>
<li>Domestic travel was vibrant. So was inbound overseas travel. But outbound overseas travel was in the doldrums on several unfavorable incidents involving kidnapping in Thailand and flu in Japan; </li>
<li>We predict a 65% chance of a housing resurrection post CNY.  We observe an improvement in consumer sentiment as life gradually returning to normal. </li>
</ul>


2025's Chinese New Year (CNY)  closed with a bang. Home appliances, mobile phones and general merchandises were robust.  Catering saw steady growth and box office hit a record high;
Domestic travel was vibrant. So was inbound overseas travel. But outbound overseas travel was in the doldrums on several unfavorable incidents involving kidnapping in Thailand and flu in Japan; 
We predict a 65% chance of a housing resurrection post CNY.  We observe an improvement in consumer sentiment as life gradually returning to normal. 


2025's Chinese New Year Consumption Tiltering Towards the Positive

Equity Bottom-Up

Meituan operates as a web based shopping platform for locally found consumer products and retail services. The Company offers deals of the day by selling vouchers on local services and entertainment, dining, delivery, and other services. Meituan provides its services throughout China.

<ul>
<li>O2O has made a huge impact on China's e-commerce scene in 2024. The Coupang-invented model suits mega cities with dense population and order volumes;</li>
<li>Online drug O2O, in particular, has gained momentum because drugs, prescription and non-prescription have robust storage and distribution needs on the ground for O2O use;</li>
<li>Meituan's drug sales has grown its overall market share from 3.6% in 2022 to 7.1% in 2024. We project it to grow to 12.3% by 2030. </li>
</ul>


O2O has made a huge impact on China's e-commerce scene in 2024. The Coupang-invented model suits mega cities with dense population and order volumes;
Online drug O2O, in particular, has gained momentum because drugs, prescription and non-prescription have robust storage and distribution needs on the ground for O2O use;
Meituan's drug sales has grown its overall market share from 3.6% in 2022 to 7.1% in 2024. We project it to grow to 12.3% by 2030. 


Meituan (3690 HK): Online Drug Sales Is the First Sweet Spot of O2O Vs. E-Commerce

<ul>
<li>After 40 months of consecutive MoM decline, China's real estate market is on the brink of a somewhat sustained recovery, with particularly, pricing improvement in November;</li>
<li>Pricing is important because it entices buyers back to the market. Before that, transaction volumes have already seen meaningful rebound and the rebound has spread from existing to new homes;</li>
<li>We maintain our view that China had a moderate property bubble in the tradable housing sector but not the overall housing sector. Long term growth potential is still bright.</li>
</ul>


After 40 months of consecutive MoM decline, China's real estate market is on the brink of a somewhat sustained recovery, with particularly, pricing improvement in November;
Pricing is important because it entices buyers back to the market. Before that, transaction volumes have already seen meaningful rebound and the rebound has spread from existing to new homes;
We maintain our view that China had a moderate property bubble in the tradable housing sector but not the overall housing sector. Long term growth potential is still bright.


China's Real Estate Market Showed Beyond-Record Rebound in Year End...Will It Carry to 2025?

Agora, Inc. provides communication software solutions. The Company offers video, voice, and live interactive streaming platform to interact and engage with others online. Agora serves customers worldwide.

<ul>
<li>Agora share price rallied 34% on C3Q24 earning call. During the call Agora outlined plans for large scale layoffs and committed to turn profitable for full year 2025;</li>
<li>With the business rationalization, cooperation with OpenAI now becomes the only growth driver for the future. We believe with Agora's operation-oriented business model, there is a fair chance for success;</li>
<li>Considering the price cut speed of 10x in one year from Chat GPT, the audio GAI price lower from US$9/hour to US$1/hour could happen within one year.</li>
</ul>


Agora share price rallied 34% on C3Q24 earning call. During the call Agora outlined plans for large scale layoffs and committed to turn profitable for full year 2025;
With the business rationalization, cooperation with OpenAI now becomes the only growth driver for the future. We believe with Agora's operation-oriented business model, there is a fair chance for success;
Considering the price cut speed of 10x in one year from Chat GPT, the audio GAI price lower from US$9/hour to US$1/hour could happen within one year.


Agora (API US): Rationalizing All Biz and Zero in on OpenAI

Independent Insight Provider, Blue Lotus Research Institute

Mr. Andy (Hongyao) Fu is responsible for Consumer, Travel, Social Service, SaaS coverages at Blue Lotus. Prior to joining Blue Lotus, Andy worked at Evalueserve as a research associate, covering the China Internet sector. He received his master's degree in University of New South Wales and bachelor's degree (with Honours) in Victoria University of Wellington. Andy is a CFA charterholder.