Shein shares slide in Hong Kong debut on worries about trade and regulatory risks
On its debut, Shein is valued well below its 2022 peak of nearly US$100 billion.
A customer holding shopping bags with a Shein logo at a department store in Paris, France, on Nov 5, 2025. (File photo: Reuters/Sarah Meyssonnier)
HONG KONG: Shares in online fast-fashion retailer Shein dropped 4 per cent in their first day of Hong Kong trade on Tuesday (Sep 1), as investors worried about the impact of setbacks that long delayed its listing and have undermined its competitive advantages.
Known globally for selling US$5 tops and US$10 dresses, Shein has been humbled by tariff and duty changes in the US and Europe that have contributed to a dramatic decline in valuation for the company.
Founded in China in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore since late 2021, Shein spent years touting its credentials as a global company before re-embracing its Chinese roots to list in Hong Kong.
That capped a four-year quest to go public after failing to list in New York and London. Intense scrutiny of its business practices also hampered its attempts that were ultimately blocked by Chinese authorities.
Its shares traded at HK$46.62 by mid-session, down from its HK$48.56 IPO price but recovering somewhat from an earlier slide of as much as 10 per cent. That values the company at about US$25.3 billion, compared to its peak of nearly US$100 billion in 2022.
"As a new company listed in Hong Kong, we will continue to innovate, optimise, and cooperate with our supply chain partners for mutual benefit and win-win results," Shein Chief Financial Officer Leigh Gui said at the opening gong ceremony.
Founder and CEO Sky Xu, known for disliking the limelight, did not speak at the event, though later took pictures with Shein employees on stage. He declined to respond to Reuters' questions.
VALUATION STILL SEEN AS EXPENSIVE
Investors and analysts have worried about Shein's slower growth, higher trade costs and tighter regulatory scrutiny.
"I think the weak debut shows that even after the huge valuation reset, investors still don't see Shein as obviously cheap," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo.
She said Shein was valued at 15 times forward earnings, more than double the multiple for PDD, the owner of rival Temu, which meant "investors were being asked to pay a premium despite weaker growth visibility and significant regulatory and trade risks".
Demand for Shein's stock during the IPO was tepid compared to high-profile offerings from the AI and robotics sectors.
The retail tranche was subscribed 5.63 times, while the international portion was subscribed 2.59 times. Some deals have been hundreds of times oversubscribed, especially from Hong Kong's army of retail investors who track IPOs very closely.
Despite Shein's growth worries, existing investors who participated in the IPO included billionaire Michael Bloomberg's family office Willett Advisors, French billionaire entrepreneur and investor Xavier Niel, and Microsoft, a filing showed on Monday.
Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance also bought more shares in Shein, according to the filing, as did Bolivian American billionaire Marcelo Claure's Claure Group, and the SoftBank Vision Fund.
The amount sold in the IPO represents about 6.6 per cent of Shein's enlarged share capital. Cornerstone investors took about one-fifth of the IPO and are locked up for six months, leaving roughly 5 per cent freely tradeable.
FIRST-QUARTER LOSS, NEW STRATEGIES
Last year, the US ended the de minimis duty exemption for e-commerce shipments under US$800 that had powered Shein's direct-shipping model. The European Union recently followed suit, imposing fees on low-value packages.
Shein's net income slid 39 per cent last year and it swung to a loss in the first quarter.
Shein has said it expects first-half operating profit margin to be slightly lower than in the first quarter, hurt by higher customs duties, tariffs, fees and logistics costs in Europe and the Middle East.
"Daily active users in Europe have fallen around 45 per cent since the EU scrapped its duty exemption on small parcels, and Temu has seen a similar drop," said Josh Gilbert, lead analyst for Asia-Pacific at eToro.
"This is less a Shein problem, but more so the end of an era for cheap cross-border shipping. The brand's reach is unquestionable, but a large share of that loyalty has always belonged to the price tag."
Shein has been trying to widen beyond its own-label ultra-cheap fast fashion, having expanded its third-party marketplace and bought US apparel brand Everlane in May.
Regulatory risks remain a concern.
Shein has disclosed an ongoing US Federal Trade Commission consumer protection investigation that could result in significant penalties. The European Commission is also examining the company's handling of illegal products, the potentially addictive design of its platform and the transparency of its recommendation systems.
The IPO has helped Shein compensate early investors who invested at much higher valuations. The company has agreed to make cash payments totalling about US$3.5 billion and share adjustments to some preferred shareholders.
"This IPO is not just a fundraising event - it is also, and probably more of, a capital-structure event," said Jianggan Li, CEO of consultancy Momentum Works.
