Leading domestic dairy company Mengniu (HKEx: 2319) and e-commerce company LightInTheBox (NYSE: LITB) are in the headlines with new foreign tie-ups, including a joint venture for the former and a modest acquisition for the latter. I personally find the Mengniu development more interesting and significant, as it marks the latest move in the company’s drive to become China’s leading dairy products maker and positions it for an eventual global expansion. But investors were much more excited by the LightInTheBox move, which sparked a major rally for the firm’s languishing shares. Read Full Post…
I don’t write too much about cloud services in China, mostly because I think the market is too immature despite Beijing’s strong promotion of the industry. Still, the latest announcement by e-commerce giant Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) that it’s formally launching cloud computing services in China seems like a good opportunity to re-examine the cloud phenomenon, including how the industry is likely to develop and who is best positioned to emerge as sector leaders. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 19. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 18. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) Cloud Web Services Enters China In New Tie-Up (Chinese article)
Online apparel retailer Vancl continues to struggle, with media reporting the former e-commerce rising star has fallen into arrears in payments to many of its suppliers, including more than 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) owed to sporting apparel maker Li Ning (HKEx: 2331). The latest reports are citing company chief Chen Nian saying that Vancl experienced its darkest period late last year, and is now on the mend. But if reports of the arrears are true, Vancl’s failure to pay its suppliers could mark the beginning of the end for the company, which has made a number of major adjustments over the past 2 years in a bid to find sustainable long-term profits. Read Full Post…
A new report on the explosion of e-commerce in China seems like a good opportunity to take a broader look at the sector and its longer term potential, including which players are likely to emerge as the big winners over the longer term. The latest figures indicate the potential of e-commerce in China is huge, meaning we could ultimately see 2 or 3 major players succeed in the market. But that also means we’re likely to see at least 3 or 4 casualties in the current battle for supremacy, since the field of major, well-funded contenders current numbers around 6 or 7. Read Full Post…
Up-and-coming smartphone maker Xiaomi’s recent campaign to distance itself from previous role model Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is gaining momentum, with word that it’s preparing to launch a game console. Industry watchers will know that Xiaomi’s charismatic founder Lei Jun has enjoyed seeing his company compared to Apple for most of the last 2 years, and I suspect Lei also considers himself as the equivalent of a Chinese Steve Jobs. But with Jobs no longer in Apple’s life and Apple’s own fortunes plunging sharply in China this year, Lei seems to have suddenly lost interest in his former role model. Read Full Post…
A year after winning a license for domestic parcel delivery in China, global giant UPS (NYSE: UPS) is rolling out a major expansion in the market in a bid to capitalize on the local boom in e-commerce. This kind of expansion could be especially profitable for UPS, as it could profit not only from an explosion in demand for delivery services, but also from demand for its highly profitable logistics services. E-commerce companies could welcome such third-party logistics services, as many are already building up their own networks of warehouses in a bid to deliver their goods more efficiently.
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on June 8-10. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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UK Lawmakers Say Huawei-BT (London: BT) Deal Exposes Flawed Security Controls (English article)
Youku Tudou (NYSE: YOKU), Sina (Nasdaq: YOKU) Collaborate On Content Promotion (PRNewswire)
Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) Kindle Reader Makes Formal China Launch (Chinese article)
Sohu’s (Nasdaq: SOHU) Sogou Denies Reports Of Acquisition By Alibaba (Chinese article)
US Food Workers Union Comments On China Poultry Plant Disaster (Businesswire)
Some 6 months after buzz first emerged that Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) could soon bring its popular Kindle tablet PCs to China, media are reporting that the product could finally make its debut in the market next month. I’ll be frank in saying that Amazon is coming to the China tablet PC market a bit late, as the space is already quite competitive due to the earlier arrival of Apple’s (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPad, along with tablet offerings from Samsung (Seoul: 005930) and homegrown giant Lenovo (HKEx: 992). But that said, I would also say there’s still no clear leader in the space, meaning Amazon could quickly grab some market share if it makes the right moves. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on May 29. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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