The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on October 18. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) Files Patent Suits Against Meizu in US, Germany, France (Chinese article)
US Approves NXP (Nasdaq: NXPI) to Sell Standard Products Business to China Buyer (GlobeNewswire)
Wanda Hires ex-Disney (NYSE: DIS) Exec to Lead Theme Park Drive – Source (English article)
Qunar (Nasdaq: QUNR) Resumes Relationship With Airlines After 3 Month Break (Chinese article)
Suntech Announces Withdrawal from EU Price Undertaking (PRNewswire)
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on October 15-17. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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ChemChina, Sinochem in Talks on Possible $100 Bln Merger: Sources (English article)
Tencent (HKEx: 700) to Sign $3.5 Bln Loan to Finance Supercell Purchase (Chinese article)
Weibo (Nasdaq: WB) Has Nearly Eclipsed Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) by Market Value (English article)
Smartisan Denies Rumors to be Aquired by NetEase (Nasdaq: NTES) (Chinese article)
Tongcheng Eyes IPO in 3 Years After Merger with Wanda Travel (Chinese article)
Bottom line: Tim Cook’s latest China trip and his announcement of a new R&D center in Shenzhen are part of a campaign to boost Apple’s profile and should help to stabilize its sliding position in the market.
Apple’s Tim Cook back in China
Apple CEO Tim Cook just can’t seem to get enough of China, with word that he’s back in the world’s largest smartphone market just 2 months after his last visit. But unlike past visits, which were mostly confined to bureaucratic Beijing, Cook was in the far more entrepreneurial city of Shenzhen this time, where he attended an innovation conference and announced Apple would open a new R&D center. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on October 13. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) to Set Up R&D Center in Shenzhen, Bolster China Ties (English article)
Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) Forms 20 Bln Yuan Internet Project Investment Fund (English article)
Supermarket Operator RT-Mart Closes Stores for First Time in 19 Years (Chinese article)
GM (NYSE: GM) Ventures into China Car-Sharing with App Developer Investment (English article)
Sky-mobi (Nasdaq: MOBI) Announces Shareholder Meeting to Vote on Privatization (PRNewswire)
Bottom line: Yum’s China operation could see profit growth accelerate as it steps up its expansion, providing a boost for its newly listed stock over the next 3-5 years.
Yum China eyes big KFC expansion
Fast food giant Yum (NYSE: YUM) is kicking off a publicity blitz in the run-up to the formal spin off of its China business, discussing ambitious growth targets for its biggest global market. It’s not surprising that the operator of the KFC and Pizza Hut brands is focusing on the future, since its China data in the present is far from impressive. That includes a surprise same-store sales decline in its latest quarterly report, and unimpressive profit growth of around 15 percent. Read Full Post…
Bottom line: Lenovo and other Chinese firms need to abandon their approach that targets declining, older brands for global M&A, and instead focus on organic growth and more strategic assets with better growth potential.
Lenovo eyes Fujitsu’s PC business
The acquisitive Lenovo (HKEx: 992) was in M&A headlines again last week, when media reported it was in talks to buy the aging PC business of Fujitsu, an operation that is largely inconsequential outside its home Japanese market. Such a purchase would continue a trend dating back more than a decade, which has seen Lenovo purchase declining global brands for bargain prices with hopes of resuscitating those names to expand its global footprint. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on October 8-10. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Lenovo (HKEx: 992) in Talks to Take Over Fujitsu’s PC Business: Source (English article)
NetEase (Nasdaq: NTES) Media Arm Submits Draft Registration to SEC for US IPO (PRNewswire)
Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) Doubles Stake in JD.com (Nasdaq: JD) Moving Further Into China (English article)
It’s Official: LeEco (Shenzhen: 300104) Will Break US Boundaries on October 19 (English article)
Hollywood’s Digital Domain Takes Citic and SoftBank China as Strategic Investors (Businesswire)
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on September 29. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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China Postal Savings Bank (HKEx: 1658) Fails to Make Waves in $7.4 Bln HK Debut (English article)
New Century Cruise (Shenzhen: 002558) to Buy Mobile Games Business Playtika (English article)
Fosun (HKEx: 656) Joins First Public-Private Funded High-Speed Rail Line Group (Chinese article)
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Picks Beijing for First China R&D Center, to Invest 300 Mln Yuan (Chinese article)
Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) Self-Driving Car to Debut in 2018, Cost More Than 1 Mln Yuan (Chinese article)
Bottom line: Lufax’s Hong Kong IPO could launch by the end of this year and will get a strong reception, while Xinhuanet’s Shanghai IPO will get a similarly positive reception due to strong support from state-run investors.
Xinhuanet approved for Shanghai IPO
Just days after the stodgy Postal Savings Bank of China launched an IPO that will be the world’s biggest in 2 years, the much higher-tech P2P lender Lufax has kicked off another Hong Kong listing that’s nearly as large. More specifically, Shanghai-based Lufax has begun hiring investment banks for a listing that could raise up to $5 billion, according to new reports.
Meantime, a flurry of new domestic Chinese IPO plans is also in the headlines, led by word that state-owned online news giant Xinhuanet has been approved for a new listing in Shanghai. China stock watchers might recall that Xinhuanet’s IPO plan first surfaced in the headlines 3 years ago, but was indefinitely shelved due to repeated slowdowns and freezes for new domestic offerings due to market volatility. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on September 24-26. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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P2P Lender Lufax Taps 4 Banks for HK IPO to Raise up to $5 Bln: Sources (English article)
Fake Bank Documents Discovered From China Group Buying AC Milan (Chinese article)
Shanhai Capital to Acquire Analogix Semiconductor for Over $500 Mln (Businesswire)
Xinhuanet, Bank of Shanghai Among 12 Companies Approved for Domestic IPOs (Chinese article)
6 Agencies Requires 100 Pct Real Name Registration for Mobile Users by Year End (Chinese article)
The following press releases and news reports about China companies were carried on September 22. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Alibaba Takes Lead in China Digital Ad Market, Baidu Drops to Second (press release)
Postal Savings Bank of China IPO Raises $7.4 Bln After Pricing at Low End (English article)
China Telecom (HKEx: 728) to Close Accounts Without Real Name Registration (Chinese article)
Sony (Tokyo: 6758) Close to Motion Picture Alliance With China’s Wanda (English article)
Filing Shows Smartisan Value Drops By 500 Mln Yuan in Half Year (Chinese article)
