ATA Creativity Global

Where It Passes

Where It Falls Short

• Profitability0% pass✓ 3✗ 32▾

  No clean pass — all 16 investors flag at least one profitability criterion

  Positive EPS (10 years)7/18 years positive

  ✗GrahamPositive EPS every year for 10 years

  EPS Growth (3-yr avg, 10-yr window)N/A (negative base EPS)

  ✗Graham>= 33% growth

  Net Income Positive (10+ years)7/18 years positive

  ✗BuffettPositive every year for 10+ years

  ROE (up to 5-year arithmetic mean)-55.3%

  ✗Buffett> 15% arithmetic mean (app rule)

  Operating Margin (10-yr trend)-23.9% (latest)

  ✗BuffettStable or rising over 10 years

  Free Cash Flow Proxy$-4.0M

  ✗BuffettPositive and growing

  Earnings Variance (10-yr CoV)5.21

  ✗BuffettCoV < 0.3

  Retained Earnings Effectiveness

  ✗Buffett$1 retained -> > $1 market value created

  Basic earnings-growth PEG (dividends excluded)

  ✗Lynch< 1.0 (ideally < 0.5)

  3-5 Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Lynch15-30% (Fast Grower); > 0% to pass

  ROE-149.9%

  ✗Lynch> 15%

  EBIT / Enterprise Value-21.3%

  ✗Greenblatt> 10%

  Earnings Yield + ROC AssessmentEY=-21.3%, ROC=N/A (invested capital <= 0)

  ✗GreenblattBoth EY > 10% and ROC > 25%

  Net Income / Total Assets-11.77%

  ✗PiotroskiROA > 0

  ROA Change YoY-7.90% -> -11.77% (delta: -3.87%)

  ✗PiotroskiCurrent ROA > Prior ROA

  (CFO / Total Assets) vs ROACFO/Assets=-3.88%, ROA=-11.77%

  ✓PiotroskiCFO/Assets > ROA

  Gross Margin Change YoY52.7% -> 48.6%

  ✗PiotroskiImproved YoY

  Pre-Tax Income / Revenue-19.3%

  ✗Dreman>= 8%

  Net Income / Shareholders' Equity-149.9%

  ✗Dreman> 12%

  Margin of SafetyP/B=5.4x

  ✗PabraiP/B < 1.5 or P/E < 15

  Return on Equity-75.0% (3-yr avg)

  ✗AkreROE > 20% (3-year avg)

  Discount to Intrinsic ValueN/A (negative normalized EPS)

  ✗Marks>= 20% below intrinsic value

  Positive Net Income Frequency7/17 years positive

  ✓MarksPositive net income in >= 7 of last 10 years

  Operating Income / Revenue-23.9%

  ✗Ackman>= 15%

  Net Income / Shareholders Equity-149.9%

  ✗Ackman>= 15%

  5-Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Templeton> 0% (5-year EPS CAGR)

  Operating Margin Trend-18.7% (2023) -> -23.9% (2025)

  ✗TempletonNon-negative operating-margin trend over 3 years

  Revenue growth vs. gross and operating margin trendgross margin 51.7% -> 48.6%, operating margin -18.7% -> -23.9%

  ✗SleepRevenue rising; gross margin flat or falling; operating margin holding

  Net income / market capitalization-12.97%; #4311/6340 (top 68.0%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  Gross profit / total assets+31.92%; #1325/3702 (top 35.8%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  Net income / positive book equity-149.93%; #4780/5226 (top 91.5%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  Negative 5-year standard deviation of ROA-0.0188; #1370/5884 (top 23.3%)

  ✓AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  3-5 Year Diluted EPS CAGR94.6% over 5 years

  ✗Neff7%-20% annualized

  Positive Diluted-EPS Years1/9 years positive

  ✗Schloss>= 70% positive over 5-10 observed years (app rule)
• Valuation0% pass✓ 1✗ 27▾

  No clean pass — all 13 investors flag at least one valuation criterion

  Price / 3-yr avg EPS

  ✗Graham<= 15x

  Price-to-Book Ratio5.4x

  ✗Graham<= 1.5x

  P/E x P/B

  ✗Graham<= 22.5

  Basic earnings-growth PEG (dividends excluded)

  ✗Lynch< 1.0 (ideally < 0.5)

  EBIT / Enterprise Value-21.3%

  ✗Greenblatt> 10%

  Earnings Yield + ROC AssessmentEY=-21.3%, ROC=N/A (invested capital <= 0)

  ✗GreenblattBoth EY > 10% and ROC > 25%

  Price / EPS

  ✗Dreman< 12x✗Templeton< 12x (fixed ceiling; proxy for the market's cheapest 40%)

  Price / (CFO / Shares)N/A (negative CFPS)

  ✗Dreman< 8x

  Price / Book Value per Share5.4x

  ✗Dreman< 1.2x✗Templeton< 1.5x✗SchlossP/B <= 0.80x (app cutoff)

  Valuation ReasonablenessOE Yield=-16.0%

  ✗MungerP/E < 25 or Owner Earnings Yield > 5%

  P/E or FCF YieldFCF Yield=-4.6%

  ✗PabraiP/E < 15 or FCF Yield > 10%

  P/B or P/E vs. Historical AverageP/B=5.4x

  ✗MarksP/E < 15 or P/B < 2.0

  Discount to Intrinsic ValueN/A (negative normalized EPS)

  ✗Marks>= 20% below intrinsic value

  Price / FCF per ShareN/A (negative FCF)

  ✗Ackman<= 25

  Price vs. Trailing Low118% of trailing low ($0.33)

  ✓Templeton<= 120% of trailing low (certified split-adjusted live window)

  Net income / market capitalization-12.97%; #4311/6340 (top 68.0%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  Positive book equity / market capitalization+0.0865; #4822/6449 (top 74.8%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  Price / Diluted EPS

  ✗NeffP/E <= 15x (app proxy for a P/E 40%-60% below the market)

  (EPS CAGR % + Dividend Yield %) / P/E

  ✗Neff> 0.7 (Neff's published traditional edge)

  Price / Tangible Book Value per ShareN/A (non-positive TBVPS)

  ✗SchlossP/TBV <= 1.00x (app cutoff)

  Book Value per Share Change-85.2%

  ✗SchlossLatest BVPS >= earliest BVPS over >= 3 years (app rule)

  Revenue / market capitalization+0.7238; #2161/5247 (top 41.2%)

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  (Operating cash flow - capex) / market capitalization-4.62%; #2951/4519 (top 65.3%)

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  Trailing six-month price return through the evaluation date-25.00%; #4207/6202 (top 67.8%)

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section
• Cash Flow0% pass✓ 1✗ 11▾

  No clean pass — all 10 investors flag at least one cash flow criterion

  Free Cash Flow Proxy$-4.0M

  ✗BuffettPositive and growing

  FCF Positive and Growing$-2.4M

  ✗LynchPositive and growing

  Operating Cash Flow$-2.3M

  ✗PiotroskiCFO > 0

  (CFO / Total Assets) vs ROACFO/Assets=-3.88%, ROA=-11.77%

  ✓PiotroskiCFO/Assets > ROA

  Price / (CFO / Shares)N/A (negative CFPS)

  ✗Dreman< 8x

  P/E or FCF YieldFCF Yield=-4.6%

  ✗PabraiP/E < 15 or FCF Yield > 10%

  FCF Positive8/16 years FCF positive

  ✗MarksPositive FCF in majority of recent years

  (OCF - CapEx) / Market Cap-9.9%

  ✗Ackman>= 4%

  Price / FCF per ShareN/A (negative FCF)

  ✗Ackman<= 25

  Positive Operating Cash Flow frequency8/16 years positive

  ✗SleepPositive OCF in >= 70% of available years

  Operating Cash Flow - Capital Expenditures$-2.4M

  ✗Neff> $0 (app proxy for a strong fundamental case)

  (Operating cash flow - capex) / market capitalization-4.62%; #2951/4519 (top 65.3%)

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section
• Verdicts0% pass✗ 15▾

  Split decision: 15 FAIL · 1 NEUTRAL

  Overall verdict

  ✗GrahamFAIL (0/9)✗BuffettFAIL (0/9)✗LynchFAIL (2/7)•GreenblattNot ranked✗PiotroskiFAIL (F-Score 3)✗DremanFAIL (2/11)✗MungerFAIL (0/4)✗PabraiFAIL (0/3)✗AkreFAIL (1/6)✗MarksFAIL (1/5)✗AckmanFAIL (2/9)✗TempletonFAIL (3/8)✗SleepFAIL (2/6)✗AsnessFAIL (Rank #2095/2370 (Top 88.4%))✗NeffFAIL (1/6)✗SchlossFAIL (1/7)•OshaughnessyNEUTRAL (Not ranked)
• Growth13% pass✓ 4✗ 9▾

  7 of 8 flag AACG's growth — Graham, Lynch, Dreman +4 more

  EPS Growth (3-yr avg, 10-yr window)N/A (negative base EPS)

  ✗Graham>= 33% growth

  Basic earnings-growth PEG (dividends excluded)

  ✗Lynch< 1.0 (ideally < 0.5)

  3-5 Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Lynch15-30% (Fast Grower); > 0% to pass

  Inventory Growth vs Revenue GrowthN/A (no inventory)

  ✓LynchInventory growth < Revenue growth

  EPS Growth Direction$-0.12 (2009) -> $-0.11 (2025)

  ✗DremanPositive over recent years

  EPS CAGR58.3% CAGR over 8 years

  ✓Dreman> 5% annualized

  Positive Net Income Frequency7/17 years positive

  ✓MarksPositive net income in >= 7 of last 10 years

  3yr Median Revenue Growth5.0%

  ✗Ackman>= 5%

  Positive EPS Growth Frequency2/5 years with positive EPS growth

  ✗AckmanPositive EPS growth in >= 3 of last 5 years

  5-Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Templeton> 0% (5-year EPS CAGR)

  Revenue growth vs. gross and operating margin trendgross margin 51.7% -> 48.6%, operating margin -18.7% -> -23.9%

  ✗SleepRevenue rising; gross margin flat or falling; operating margin holding

  5-year Revenue CAGR9.0%

  ✓SleepCAGR > 7%

  3-5 Year Diluted EPS CAGR94.6% over 5 years

  ✗Neff7%-20% annualized
• Efficiency13% pass✓ 2✗ 9▾

  7 of 8 flag AACG's efficiency — Graham, Buffett, Greenblatt +4 more

  Current Ratio0.32

  ✗Graham>= 2.0

  ROIC (3-5 yr avg)-56.9%

  ✗Buffett> 10%

  ROIC - WACC-66.9%

  ✗BuffettPositive (WACC = 10%)

  EBIT / (NWC + Net Fixed Assets)N/A (invested capital <= 0)

  ✗Greenblatt> 25%

  Current Ratio Change YoY0.19 -> 0.32

  ✓PiotroskiIncreased YoY

  Revenue / Total Assets Change YoY0.59x -> 0.66x

  ✓PiotroskiImproved YoY

  Current Assets / Current Liabilities0.32

  ✗Dreman> 1.5

  Return on Invested Capital-105.3%

  ✗Munger> 15%

  ROIC (high and growing)FY2023: ROIC=unavailable; FY2024: ROIC=unavailable; FY2025: ROIC=-105.3%

  ✗AkreLatest 3 consecutive FYs: ROIC > 15% in each

  Reinvestment Rate x ROICN/A (non-positive net income)

  ✗AkreReinvestment Rate * ROIC > 10%

  ROIC (5-year)0/3 years above 12% (latest -105.3%)

  ✗SleepROIC > 12% in a majority of years
• Debt & Leverage17% pass✓ 5✗ 10▾

  10 of 12 flag AACG's debt & leverage — Graham, Buffett, Lynch +7 more

  LT Debt vs Net Current AssetsLT Debt $2.1M vs NCA $-33.3M

  ✗GrahamLT Debt <= Net Current Assets

  Debt/Equity & Interest CoverageD/E: 0.50, IC: -160.8x

  ✗BuffettD/E < 0.5 AND Interest Coverage > 5x

  Total Debt / Equity0.50

  ✗Lynch< 0.33

  Cash - Long-term Debt$10.0M

  ✓LynchPositive preferred

  LT Debt / Total Assets Change0.00% -> 3.68%

  ✗PiotroskiDecreased YoY

  Current Assets / Current Liabilities0.32

  ✗Dreman> 1.5✗SchlossCurrent ratio >= 1.50x (app cutoff)

  Total Debt / Shareholders' Equity0.50

  ✓Dreman< 0.8✓Templeton< 1.0 (fixed cap; proxy for below-sector-median leverage)✓SchlossD/E < 1.00x

  Debt Levels0.50

  ✗MungerDebt/Equity < 0.5✗AkreDebt/Equity < 0.3

  Interest Coverage & Debt/EBITDAIC=-160.8x, D/EBITDA=N/A

  ✗MarksInterest Coverage > 3x; Debt/EBITDA < 4x

  Total Debt / Shareholders Equity0.50

  ✓Ackman<= 1.0

  Negative debt-to-equity (higher means less debt)-0.5003; #2464/4210 (top 58.5%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section