Two more US-traded Chinese firms are on the cusp of de-listing, with online game operator Giant Interactive (NYSE: GA) and chipmaker RDA Microelectronics (NYSE: RDA) just announcing they have wrapped up buy-out deals that will pave the way for their imminent privatization. These 2 de-listing stories were announced months ago and are completely expected. But the bigger underlying story is the lack of major new privatization announcements in the last half year. In a similar development, major new IPOs by Chinese firms in New York have slowed considerably since a boom of offerings in April and May, indicating the broader deal-making market may be entering a new, more stable phase. Read Full Post…
Regulators in new role as judges for industry clashes
China’s regulators have become involved in mediating a growing number of business disputes, reflecting the recent rise of a new generation of multibillion-dollar private sector companies that are rapidly growing beyond their traditional roots. In most cases, companies that began as Internet firms and high-tech manufacturers have encroached into a wide range of new areas like banking, TV and telecoms services, raising the hackles of big state-owned firms that previously dominated those sectors. Read Full Post…
The date of August 8 is a lucky one for many Chinese, but it’s increasingly looking like it won’t be the day for the highly anticipated IPO of e-commerce leader Alibaba. Previous reports had indicated Alibaba founder Jack Ma wanted to list his company on the eighth day of the eighth month of the western calendar, since 8 is a lucky number that sounds like the Chinese word for wealth and prosperity. What’s more, the Chinese pronunciation for 8-8 is “baba“, which is the same as the last part of Alibaba’s name and also happens to be the BABA ticker symbol the company will use when its shares start trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Read Full Post…
I wrote earlier this week about a looming crackdown on private Internet-based video providers, and now that campaign appears to be building momentum with word of turbulence in the booming set-top box sector. The latest reports say industry veteran LeTV (Shenzhen: 300104) has withdrawn its set-top box product from the market, while e-commerce giant Alibaba is reportedly delaying the roll-out of its own similar product. The reports certainly don’t bode well for the fledgling sector of set-top boxes, which allow people to watch Internet-based video content on their TVs the same way they watch programs using traditional TV channels. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on July 18. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Sources Say Alibaba Delaying IPO Road Show Until September (Chinese article)
Two major regulatory moves could have opposite effects for different areas of the Internet, providing relief for e-commerce firms while posing yet another new challenge for online video operators. In the former category, media are reporting the regulator that oversees e-commerce is talking with major players about modifying a controversial policy that gives consumers the right to unconditionally return most merchandise within a week of buying it. In the latter category, other media reports say the broadcasting regulator is continuing an ongoing campaign to rein in online video sites by limiting their ability to operate dedicated program channels similar to traditional TV. Read Full Post…
Chinese tech executives were waxing nostalgic on their microblogs this past week, reflecting a broader seasonal business slowdown as we head into the quiet summer months when many people go on vacation. The flurry of memories from top executives at smartphone maker Xiaomi, security software maker Cheetah Mobile (NYSE: CMCM) and e-commerce giant JD.com (Nasdaq: JD) came as a nice break from the usual promotional hype in the microblogging realm, and shows that even executives need to take a break periodically from their usual self-promotion.
While the airwaves were mostly empty of the usual hype, another Xiaomi executive was still at work with his hints that the company has applied for a virtual network operator (VNO) license to offer telecoms services. That move doesn’t come as a huge surprise, since a wide range of Chinese tech firms have also applied for such licenses, which allow them to offer mobile service under their own brand names to attract new users for their core products. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on July 16. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Alibaba Said Likely To Sell More IPO Stock As Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) Retreats (English article)
China Construction Bank (HKEx: 939) Registers New Zealand Subsidiary (English article)
China Awards 5th Batch Of E-Payment Licenses, Including First For Foreign Firm (Chinese article)
BYD (HKEx: 1211) Announces First Factory In Brazil (Businesswire)
Ctrip (Nasdaq: CTRP) Criticized For High-Fee Refund Policy (Chinese article)
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on July 12-14. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Alibaba Estimates Own Market Value At $130 Bln (Chinese article)
China’s Hony Capital Snaps Up Pizza Express For $1.6 Bln (English article)
China’s 3 State-Owned Carriers Form Telecoms Tower Firm (English article)
China State TV Says Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone Creates Security Concern (English article)
Headphone Maker Beats Sues Chinese Counterfeiters For $135 Bln (English article)
A series of microblog posts this past week is highlighting the breakneck pace of wheeling and dealing happening behind the scenes on China’s Internet as it undergoes an unprecedented wave of consolidation. What started as a trickle of buying early last year has become so routine that barely anyone notices now when new deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars are signed. Equally interesting are the untold stories of companies quietly being dismantled in the wake of larger deals, and hints of deals to come in the microblog posts of executives at firms leading the consolidation. Read Full Post…
Newly released data are showing an inevitable slowdown at Yu’ebao, Alibaba’s inaugural financial product that has shaken up China’s stodgy banking industry since its launch a year ago. The data released by Alibaba’s Tianhong Asset Management, which officially runs Yu’ebao, also shows the product’s return rate has dropped considerably from earlier levels, which will further undermine its attractiveness. Separately, media are reporting that Alibaba has tentatively chosen the date of August 8 for its highly anticipated New York listing, which had been previously rumored due to its significance as a lucky day on the Chinese calendar. Read Full Post…
