The drop was Shein’s biggest since its Hong Kong debut on Sept. 1 and cut its market value to about $16.8 billion as of Tuesday morning, from roughly $26 billion at the time of its listing.
Rising costs and weakening demand have squeezed margins, with the deterioration accelerating in the second quarter, the Singapore-based fast-fashion retailer said Monday.
The weak showing compounds a difficult start for Shein as a public company, with revenue growth and profitability deteriorating since last year and putting pressure on executives to reassure investors. Its IPO valuation was a fraction of the roughly $100 billion it commanded at a 2022 peak, and the company had cautioned before listing that the Iran war would weigh on its first-half results.
Jefferies said earnings estimates for Shein in 2026 and 2027 may be too optimistic, as margins will face growing pressure with the European Union eliminating a customs exemption on low-value parcels in July. Second-quarter’s adjusted profit “likely missed consensus by a wide margin,” analysts including John Chou wrote in a note Tuesday.
Early indicators suggest the pressure is continuing into the third quarter. US sales fell more than 10% in the three months through August and early September, according to Bloomberg Second Measure, which analyses credit and debit card transactions. Sales have underperformed the broader apparel industry in the US since late last year, while global web traffic has also slowed.
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