CNBC's The China Connection: Sam's Club Thrives Amid China's Consumption Concerns
China's Consumption Trends: Recent data indicates a significant decline in consumer spending in China, reaching its lowest point in nearly three years, yet membership warehouse clubs like Sam's Club are thriving by offering premium goods and unique shopping experiences.
Walmart's Expansion in China: Walmart is rapidly expanding its Sam's Club outlets in China, with plans to open 10 new stores this year, capitalizing on the growing demand for curated products and a shopping experience that contrasts with traditional supermarkets and online retailers.
Challenges for Traditional Retail: The hypermarket format has struggled in China due to the rise of digital retail, leading Walmart to close many of its hypermarkets while Sam's Club continues to grow, becoming one of the fastest-growing foreign retailers in the country.
Market Dynamics and Consumer Behavior: Despite a general consumer slump, warehouse clubs offering quality goods at reasonable prices are emerging as successful players, while local competitors face challenges in scaling and replicating their unique value propositions.
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- New Delivery Service Launch: JD.com has launched JoyExpress in 2026 to provide fast and reliable last-mile delivery services in Europe, supporting its new retail platform Joybuy, which is expected to enhance customer satisfaction and market competitiveness.
- Wide Coverage: JoyExpress offers same-day or next-day delivery in major cities like the Netherlands, UK, Germany, and France, significantly improving order fulfillment efficiency and meeting consumer demand for rapid delivery.
- Integrated Logistics Solutions: The service includes not only standard delivery but also installation services for large appliances, further enhancing customer experience and showcasing JD.com's technological advantages and market adaptability in logistics.
- Future Expansion Plans: JoyExpress plans to gradually offer logistics services to external business partners after the launch of Joybuy, indicating JD.com's long-term strategic positioning and growth potential in the European market.
- Stake Increase: North of South Capital increased its JD.com holdings by 180,081 shares in Q4 2025, valued at approximately $5.63 million, indicating confidence in JD's future growth despite a nearly 20% stock drop during the period.
- Value Decline: The quarter-end value of JD's position fell by $20.41 million, reflecting the impact of market volatility on the investment portfolio, highlighting the need for investors to monitor market dynamics and company fundamentals closely.
- Performance Metrics: JD's Q3 net revenue rose 14.9% year-over-year to RMB 299.1 billion, with service revenue up 30.8%, showcasing strong performance in the e-commerce sector, although overall operating margin turned negative due to rising marketing and fulfillment costs.
- Long-term Investment Potential: With over 700 million annual active customers and RMB 12.6 billion in trailing twelve-month free cash flow, if JD stabilizes margins while sustaining double-digit revenue growth, its current depressed valuation could present an attractive opportunity for long-term investors.
- Stablecoin Licensing Plan: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is set to review 36 stablecoin issuer applications by March, indicating Hong Kong's intent to explore digital assets despite China's longstanding opposition to cryptocurrency activities.
- Legal Framework Establishment: Hong Kong passed the Stablecoins Ordinance in May, mandating licenses for entities issuing stablecoins locally, with the law taking effect in August, marking significant progress in cryptocurrency regulation.
- Cross-Border Payment Potential: Stablecoins are viewed as potential tools for enhancing cross-border payments and tokenized deposit systems, with payment technology firms claiming that Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoins would expedite refunds and improve transparency in foreign exchange rates.
- Regulatory Environment Challenges: While Hong Kong seeks to advance in the stablecoin sector, Chinese regulators maintain a conservative stance on cryptocurrencies, emphasizing that stablecoins could threaten state control over money and capital flows, highlighting the complexity of the policy landscape.
- Stablecoin License Issuance: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority plans to issue its first stablecoin licenses in March, despite China's long-standing opposition to cryptocurrency, indicating a cautious experiment under a regulatory framework aimed at attracting international investors and enhancing its fintech status.
- Market Potential of Stablecoins: Stablecoins account for over half of the transaction value recorded on blockchains, and Hong Kong's plans are seen as potential applications for cross-border payments and tokenized deposit systems, which could accelerate transaction transparency and efficiency, thereby driving innovation in Hong Kong's financial market.
- Regulatory Environment Challenges: While Hong Kong is taking proactive steps in the stablecoin space, opposition from Chinese regulators may hinder its development, especially as stablecoins are viewed as a challenge to national monetary control, potentially limiting the liberalization of Hong Kong's cryptocurrency market.
- International Competitive Pressure: Hong Kong's stablecoin initiative is perceived as a potential challenge to U.S. financial leadership, although China maintains strict regulations on cryptocurrencies; this move could provoke broader competitive and regulatory responses in the global financial landscape.
- Exit Transaction: On February 4, 2026, Knuff & Co LLC disclosed to the SEC that it sold 147,651 shares of JD.com, with an estimated transaction value of $5.16 million, indicating a significant reduction in confidence towards the stock.
- Poor Market Performance: JD.com's stock price has declined by 31.1% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 45.1 percentage points, highlighting its ongoing struggles in the competitive e-commerce landscape.
- Portfolio Adjustment: Following this transaction, Knuff & Co LLC no longer holds any JD.com shares, removing the company from its reportable 13F assets, which signifies a major shift in its investment strategy.
- Long-term Performance Analysis: Over the past three years, JD.com’s stock has retreated nearly 68%, resulting in a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -20.3%, contrasting sharply with the S&P 500's 91% growth during the same period, reflecting diminishing confidence from institutional investors.







