On August 18, the topic of “Zhang Ziyi cashes out 300 million” trended on Weibo. The incident originated from mainland Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi’s company named “Bigfoot Investment” transferring 23% equity of the operating entity of the mother-infant brand “Newpage” (Shanghai Yiyue) to the Hong Kong-listed company “Shangmei Group” for approximately 3.045 billion yuan. With an original investment of 2.3 million, this transaction resulted in a return of over 130 times in four years, earning Zhang Ziyi the title of “new investment goddess of the entertainment industry” by the media.
According to the announcement released by the Hong Kong-listed company Shangmei Group on August 11, its wholly-owned subsidiary Shanghai Qingdao acquired 23% equity of “Shanghai Yiyue” held by “Bigfoot Investment” for approximately 3.045 billion yuan.
Information from the Tianyancha platform indicates that “Bigfoot Investment” was established in May 2018 with a registered capital of 3 million yuan, with Zhang Ziyi holding 99% of the shares and her father Zhang Yuanxiao holding 1%. “Shanghai Yiyue” is the operating entity of the infant skincare brand “Newpage,” founded jointly by Zhang Ziyi, parenting expert Cui Yutao, and the Shangmei research team in 2022.
The announcement revealed that the original acquisition cost of “Bigfoot Investment” in 2022 was only 2.3 million yuan. This means that within just four years, Zhang Ziyi turned her 2.3 million investment into over 300 million, with a return rate of over 130 times.
Following this transaction, Zhang Ziyi retains approximately 6% equity in “Shanghai Yiyue” through “Bigfoot Investment” and continues to serve as the brand’s co-founder and spokesperson. Additionally, the supplemental agreement stipulates that she holds options to request Shangmei Group to acquire the remaining 5% equity in the future, with a potential additional profit ceiling of up to 500 million yuan.
Public opinion on Zhang Ziyi cashing out 300 million yuan is divided. With this transaction achieving an astonishing return of over 130 times in just four years, the topic of “Zhang Ziyi cashes out 300 million” quickly surged in popularity.
Some netizens commented, “This is the real ‘International Zhang.’ Not only does she have impressive acting skills, but her investment acumen is also outstanding.” They were impressed by Zhang Ziyi’s business acumen, acknowledging her success not only in the entertainment industry but also in business, where she shows great practicality and a keen sense of seizing opportunities.
Following the trending topic of “Zhang Ziyi cashes out 300 million,” some netizens criticized that “celebrities earn money too easily,” questioning whether it is fair for celebrities to leverage their influence and resources to take away high premiums. There were even speculations of involvement in “money laundering” or “preparing to flee,” but these negative comments were later refuted and countered by some netizens.
According to a report by “Sina Finance,” some financial industry experts stated that Zhang Ziyi’s actions do not indicate a “cutting losses and fleeing” strategy; she still retains approximately 6% equity and continues as a spokesperson. Furthermore, analysis suggests that this windfall is a victory for the “integration of celebrity IP and industry giants,” cautioning that it may not be replicable for the general public, as they only see the case of 2.3 million turning into 300 million, not the common scenario of many celebrities blindly crossing boundaries with no returns.
In the entertainment-focused commentary section, the most popular topic is mocking Zhang Ziyi’s singer ex-husband, Wang Feng. Many netizens joked, “Wang Feng must be fainting in the bathroom now,” and “Thank goodness for the timely divorce, otherwise, he would have to split this 300 million.”
Of note, just one week after Shangmei Group announced the acquisition of Zhang Ziyi’s equity, they issued a profit warning with a significant decline in profits, expected to plummet by 76.6% to 78.4% year-on-year. On August 18, the company’s stock price plummeted by 22.77%, with a total market value falling below 9 billion Hong Kong dollars. Zhang Ziyi’s “precise exit at a high point” before the earnings decline has become a hot topic of discussion in both the financial and entertainment circles.
Zhang Ziyi, 47 years old, was born in Beijing and is known for her roles as an actress, film director, and producer. Her notable works include “The Road Home,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers,” “The Grandmaster,” and more.