The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 19. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Chinese $1.2 Bln Takeover of Norway’s Opera Fails, Pursues Alternative Deal (English article)
Didi Chuxing Raises Prices in Multiple Markets to Slow Cash Burning (Chinese article)
Hot Pot Chain Haidilao Makes IPO for Yihai International (HKEx: 1579) Unit (Chinese article)
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 16-18. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) Aims to Buy AC Milan Soccer Club for $437 Mln – CCTV (Chinese article)
WeChat International Team Leader Defects to Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) (Chinese article)
Samsung Seeks Stake in China Electric Carmaker BYD (HKEx: 1211) (English article)
China Telecom (HKEx: 728) to End Domestic Roaming Fees, Focus on Internet of Things (Chinese article)
LeEco (Shenzhen: 300104) Denies Plans to Acquire Low-Cost TV Maker Vizio (Chinese article)
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 14. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Singapore’s GIC Buys 5 Pct of China Telecom’s (HKEx: 728) H-Shares (HKEx announcement)
Inspur, Ericsson (Stockholm: ERICb) Form Tie-Up in Cloud, Internet of Things (Chinese article)
Yum (NYSE: YUM) Shares Rise After CEO Signals China Momentum (English article)
Wanda to Bring First International Soccer Tournament to China (company announcement)
Tishman Teams With Lenovo (HKEx: 992) on South China Real Estate Development (English article)
Bottom line: China Logistics’ IPO could rise 5-10 percent in its trading debut, while AirAsia could list in Hong Kong by year end and online lender Qufenqi could follow with an IPO in the first half of 2017.
AirAsia Eyes Second listing in HK
Hong Kong IPOs continue to heat up as we head into the heart of summer, with word of a major new listing from China Logistics Property and reports that budget carrier AirAsia may also be eyeing an offering in the market. Meantime, Qufenqi, the hot online lender that targets students, has just raised a hefty 3 billion yuan ($450 million) in new funding, in a prelude to what could become one of next year’s hottest IPOs. All of this comes against the backdrop of a looming mega offering by China’s Postal Savings Bank, whose $8 billion fund-raising target would make it the world’s biggest IPO since Alibaba’s (NYSE: BABA) blockbuster $25 billion offering 2 years ago. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 12. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU), Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) Face Profit Hit From New Search Ad Rules (English article)
AirAsia Eyes HK Kisting as It Expands in North Asia (English article)
Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Opens Experience Center in Shenzhen, China Homecoming Signal? (Chinese article)
China Has Too Many Mediocre Electric Carmakers, Researcher Says (English article)
Canadian Solar (Nasdaq: CSIQ) Secures 6.2 Bln Yen Green Solar Financing in Japan (PRNewswire)
Bottom line: Telefonica is likely to finalize its divorce with Unicom in the next 2 years, following the latest halving of its holdings in its Chinese partner to 1 percent as part of a sell-down of non-core assets.
Telefonica dumps more Unicom shares
For some reason that’s not completely clear to me, Spanish telco Telefonica (Madrid: TELF) doesn’t want to admit that its decade-long marriage with China Unicom (HKEx: 763; NYSE: CHU) was a dud and is headed for divorce. That’s my latest assessment, following reports that the Spanish carrier has further sold down its stake in its Chinese partner, leaving it with a miniscule 1 percent of Unicom’s shares. This particular sale was probably driven mostly by a need for cash. But I really don’t understand why Telefonica didn’t just completely dump the rest of its shares and finally end this marriage that never produced anything useful for either side. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 9-11. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Installment Plan E-tailer Qufenqi Raises 3 Bln Yuan in Pre-IPO Funding (English article)
Telefonica Raises $364 Mln from China Unicom (HKEx: 762) Share Sale: Sources (English article)
Striking Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) Workers in China Return to Work – For Now (English article)
China Logistics Said Poised to Price $433 Mln IPO at Top End (English article)
Bottom line: HNA’s bid for a major aircraft lessor and purchase of a top airline catering firm extend a buying spree that could top $10 billion and position it as a major global player for travel-related products and services.
HNA chases aircraft lessor, buys Swiss caterer
The recently acquisitive HNA Group is continuing its global buying spree, with reports that it’s a leading contender to buy one of the world’s leading aircraft lessors, and that it’s agreed to purchase a top global airline caterer. The first deal has HNA bidding for the aircraft leasing business of CIT Group (NYSE: CIT), which is valued at $3-$4 billion; while the second has HNA agreeing to buy Gategroup for $1.5 billion. These latest deals come just months after HNA has made major investments and purchases in the travel sector in Australia, South America and Europe. Read Full Post…
Bottom line: Huawei’s new lawsuits against Samsung in China and T-Mobile in the US are designed to show the company is now a major global player, and could also be preemptive to deflect attention from upcoming bad news.
Huawei files new suits against Samsung, T-Mobile
China’s latest smartphones superstar Huawei is suddenly getting quite aggressive in the courtroom, with word the company has filed new lawsuits against global leader Samsung (Seoul: 005930) and US wireless carrier T-Mobile (Nasdsaq: TMUS). Those reports are coming as new data show that Huawei boosted its position as China’s leading smartphone brand with 17.3 percent of the market in the second quarter. (English article) Huawei’s sales surge continues an ongoing trend, though the sudden courtroom aggression is relatively new for the company, which was more used to getting sued in the past than suing other companies over patent violations. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 8. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) Said to Narrow Bids for $2 Bln China Rights (English article)
Huawei files with Second China Court in Samsung (Seoul: 005930) Patent Suit (English article)
Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) Gets $3 Bln Loan to Support Privatization (Chinese article)
HNA, Li Ka-shing Firm Short-Listed for CIT Plane Leasing Unit Sale: Sources (English article)
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on July 7. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Drops to Fifth in China’s Mobile Market as Locals Rise (English article)
Huawei Files US Patent Lawsuit Against T-Mobile (Nasdaq: TMUS) (Chinese article)
SAIC, Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) to Mark Chinese Foray Into Connected Cars With SUV (English article)
Canadian Solar (Nasdaq: CSIQ) Sells Solar Power Projects in China (PRNewswire)
China Resources Beer (HKEx: 291) Plans $1.2 Bln Rights Issue to Buy SABMiller’s JV Stake (English article)
