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☆ Alibaba shares sink after it shelves IPO plans for two units
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Shares in Alibaba sank as much as 7% in Hong Kong on Thursday, after the Chinese tech giant reported disappointing sales figures and announced it would suspend listings plans for two of its units. The news comes at a tough time for the tech giant. In December, the company reshuffled its top ranks after the stellar performance of a competitor caused a stir at Alibaba. The company’s announcement of a $25 billion share repurchase program, which it said demonstrated its confidence in its business and cash flow outlook, also failed to ignite interest among investors. Alibaba shares in New York closed 5.9% lower on Wednesday.

Persons: Joseph Tsai, ”, Alibaba, Jack Ma, PDD, Alicia Yap, Ma, —, Laura Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Cainiao, Reuters, Refinitiv, ” Citi Locations: China, Hong Kong, Alibaba, New York

LONDON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Embattled British bank Metro (MTRO.L) announced a 325 million pound ($396.5 million) capital raise and 600 million pound debt refinancing on Sunday, after a weekend of urgent talks to bolster its balance sheet after a volatile week of trading. Metro Bank had sought to shore up its finances after a string of setbacks in recent years, including accounting errors, leadership departures and delayed regulatory approval for key capital reliefs. The equity raise was led by Metro's largest shareholder, Gilinski-owned Spaldy Investments, which contributed 102 million pounds. The Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority said in a statement: "The Prudential Regulation Authority welcomes the steps taken by Metro Bank to strengthen its capital position." Reuters reported on Friday that Metro Bank was set to discuss funding options with its shareholders over the weekend, after a proposal from bondholders earlier in the week was seen as handing over too much control.

Persons: Jaime Gilinski, Gilinski, Iain Withers, Anousha, Huw Jones, Pablo Mayo Cerquerio, Londo, Lavanya, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Metro, Metro Bank, Metro's, Spaldy Investments, of England's Prudential, Authority, Prudential, HSBC, Lloyds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Colombian, London, Bengaluru

☆ Former Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang quits cloud in surprise move amid landmark restructuring
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Daniel Zhang, the outgoing chairman and CEO of Alibaba, has stepped down from his position running the company’s cloud division in a surprise move announced just months after he assumed the pivotal role. Daniel Zhang, the then CEO of Alibaba, speaks at a conference in Shanghai in November 2022. Han Haidan/China News Service/Getty ImagesEddie Yongming Wu will succeed Zhang as acting chairman and CEO of its cloud unit, Alibaba said Monday. Significant restructuringIn March, Alibaba announced it would split into six separate units, including cloud, e-commerce, logistics, media and entertainment. Analysts said Zhang’s departure from the cloud business came as a surprise, but should not affect a potential IPO of the unit.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Daniel Zhang, Zhang, “, “ Mr Zhang, Daniel Zhang, Han Haidan, Eddie Yongming Wu, Alibaba, Joseph C Tsai, Wu, Joe Tsai, Steven Ferdman, Tsai, —, ”, ” Tsai, Jacob Cooke Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, ” Citi, Alibaba, China News Service, Cloud Intelligence Group, Paley International, Paley Museum, CNN, Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, South China Morning, Alibaba Group, Analysts Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York, Alibaba

☆ Fin Capital has become the most prolific fintech investor in the world. Behind the scenes, there's been a phishing attack, whistleblower complaints, and a wave of exits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

It was August 2021, during the waning months of the frothy startup bull market, and Fin Capital was on the ascent. The message was a phishing attack — Fin Capital had been hacked. But there is dispute over how Fin Capital handled the attack and its aftermath. Still, as other firms have sharply pulled back on investing in the downturn, Fin Capital has done the opposite. It's unclear whether the whistleblower complaints that former Fin Capital employees filed with the SEC are being investigated.

Persons: Logan Allin, Fin Capital, Allin, you've, Gene Price, Frost Brown Todd, who'd, It's, fiduciaries, Capital, Tom Allin, Obama, Forbes, you'll, he'd, Peter Thiel ., Henry Kravis, Roelof Botha, Thiel, Kravis, Botha, fintech, Pipe's cofounders, Peter Ackerson, Ackerson, Andreessen Horowitz, fundraisings, Ben Bergman, bbergman Organizations: Fin, Sequoia, SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission, Fin Capital, Francis Yacht Club, Constellation, titans, KKR, Sequoia Capital, Caplight, FT Partners, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Locations: York, Los Angeles, Fin, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, fintech, Sequoia

An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai, China July 6, 2018. REUTERS/Aly SongSHANGHAI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - A growing number of healthcare companies in China are shelving their initial public offering (IPO) plans as its stock exchanges have stepped up scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry's business practices amid an escalating anti-corruption drive. Vaccine maker Shanghai Rongsheng Biotech Co terminated its IPO plan this week, after the company's high proportion of sales expenses drew attention from regulators. The company's sales expenses over the past three years amounted to nearly half of its revenue. Another banker said drugmakers are stepping on the brakes of their IPO plans due to the rising uncertainty.

Persons: Aly Song SHANGHAI, Rongsheng, drugmakers, Fujian Mindong, Jason Xue, Tom Westbrook, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Pharmaceuticals, Shanghai Rongsheng Biotech Co, Shanghai Stock Exchange, Rejuenation Pharmaceutical Co, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, HIT, National Health Commission, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Fujian, Rongsheng, Shenzhen, Singapore

☆ Foxconn-Vedanta JV split credit negative for UK conglomerate- CreditSights
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A man walks past the logo of Vedanta outside its headquarters in Mumbai, India January 31, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/File PhotoCHENNAI, July 13 (Reuters) - A decision by Taiwan's Foxconn (2317.TW) to withdraw from a $19.5 billion semiconductor joint venture with Vedanta (VDAN.NS) is a "credit negative" for the Indian conglomerate's UK parent Vedanta Resources, debt research firm CreditSights said on Thursday. CreditSights had previously expected a "minimal credit impact" on Vedanta Resources based on the old arrangement, as Volcan, Vedanta's holding entity was undertaking the semiconductor investments. CreditSights also expects further strain on credit metrics and free cash flows for both Vedanta Resources and India's Vedanta with Foxconn's exit also resulting in a loss of a partner to split manufacturing costs. CreditSights maintained its "buy" rating on Vedanta Resources' bonds saying its refinancing outlook for some debt maturities have improved, helped by $1.3 billion of fresh loan fundraisings.

Persons: Danish Siddiqui, Taiwan's Foxconn, CreditSights, Foxconn, Praveen, Nivedita Organizations: Vedanta, REUTERS, Danish, Indian conglomerate's, Vedanta Resources, JV, Fitch, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, CHENNAI, Volcan, Chennai

☆ Alibaba appoints Joseph Tsai, Eddie Wu to succeed Daniel Zhang as chairman and CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Joseph Tsai, executive vice chairman and cofounder of Alibaba Group, will succeed Daniel Zhang as chairman, according to an announcement by the Chinese tech giant on Tuesday. Eddie Wu, chairman of Alibaba’s e-commerce platform Taobao and Tmall Group, will succeed Zhang as chief executive officer and replace him on the company’s board of directors. Following the transition, Zhang will continue to serve as the chairman and CEO of Alibaba’s cloud unit. “I am grateful for the trust of the Alibaba Group board of directors and am honored to succeed Daniel as Alibaba’s CEO,” he said. Zhang was appointed by Alibaba as CEO in May 2015, eight years after he joined the company.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Joseph Tsai, Daniel Zhang, Jack Ma, Eddie Wu, Zhang, ” Zhang, Wu, “, Daniel, ”, Alibaba, Ma, Masa Son Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Alibaba, Alibaba’s, Tmall, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, Ant Group, Alibaba Group, University of Hong Kong, University of Tokyo Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Japan, China

☆ UK financial sector to forge new post-Brexit market model
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, May 15 (Reuters) - Britain's financial services industry has commissioned a report to lay out what needs to be done to keep London a globally competitive financial centre, which it said would span law and regulation, market practice and cultural change. Sector body the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), which commissioned the report, said it aims to ensure that Britain remains a leading global financial centre that supports the development of high-growth UK and international companies. "It will be a comprehensive, concise, and easily understandable report that sets out the new market model needed to help deliver growth across the broader UK economy," CMIT said in a statement. Britain has already undertaken more than 30 public consultations on reforming listing and other financial rules, and is in the final stages of approving a draft financial services law to implement these so-called Edinburgh Reforms. Separately, top financial sector officials said in March they would present a "roadmap" in the autumn to "kickstart" London's role as a post-Brexit global financial centre by 2030 by offering a "vision" for the future.

☆ Alibaba's global online commerce arm weighs US IPO - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's (9988.HK), international online shopping unit is exploring a U.S. initial public offering, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday citing people familiar with the matter. The e-commerce giant is in the early stages of consideration and the IPO's size is yet to be determined, the report added. The business group is in talks with banks that could potentially help prepare for the IPO next year, according to the report. However, in an emailed statement to Reuters, Alibaba Digital Commerce Group said, "Currently, there is no IPO plan". Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alibaba's global online commerce arm weighs US IPO, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Barclays reported better than expected first-quarter profit on Thursday after a strong performance from its credit card business offset pressure on other business lines. The British bank's pretax profit of 2.6 billion pounds ($3.25 billion) beat analyst forecasts for a repeat of the previous year's 2.2 billion pounds. Income at the lender's consumer, cards and payments division rose 47% to 1.3 billion pounds thanks to rising credit card balances driven partly by its acquisition of a portfolio from retailer Gap last year. While higher credit card spending boosted Barclays' finances, there were signs this could have a sting in the tail. Fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC) was a bright spot, with income rising 9% to 1.8 billion pounds.

Alibaba, one of the most valuable assets in SoftBank's portfolio, tumbled as much as 5.2% in Hong Kong and closed down about 2%. On Wednesday, the FT said forward sales based on filings at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission showed SoftBank's Alibaba stake would eventually fall to 3.8% from almost 15%. The Japanese group, led by billionaire founder Masayoshi Son, has sold about $7.2 billion worth of Alibaba shares this year through prepaid forward contracts, the newspaper said. "It is well within the realms of expectations that the proportion of Chinese shares among its total investment will shrink further." In New York, Alibaba's shares were up 3% as analysts noted that the stake sale was more due to SoftBank's circumstances.

HONG KONG, April 6 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Alibaba's (9988.HK) worth may be hiding in plain sight. The $260 billion Chinese group wants to split off faster-growing, money-losing bets like its cloud and logistics units. It accounted for 9% of Alibaba's top line in the nine months to December, nearly double five years ago. Zhang would do well to focus investor attention back onto Alibaba's commerce operations in China. That’s some 30% more than the company’s entire market value as of Wednesday.

☆ Fitch says Alibaba’s new structure will not impact credit profile
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 4 (Reuters) - Fitch Ratings on Tuesday said that it doesn't expect Alibaba Group Holding Limited's (9988.HK) new structure to bring about an immediate change in its credit profile. The credit rating agency said that it expected the group's new governance structure to enhance its ability to respond rapidly to changes in the market and competition, improve management accountability and increase transparency to regulatory authorities. Alibaba previously said it was planning to split into six units and explore fundraisings or listings for most of them, in a major revamp as China vows to ease a sweeping regulatory crackdown and support its private enterprises. Fitch also said that the structural subordination of Alibaba's current debt will not pose a significant credit risk, and that the company could unlock value through spin-offs or IPOs. Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

In a filing on Thurday, JD.com said it would continue to hold a stake of more than 50% in the units, JD Industrials and JD Property, upon completion of the proposed spin-off. JD.com said the size and structure of its units' initial public offerings had not yet been finalised. Two sources with knowledge of the floats said the two JD units are seeking to raise $1 billion each in the IPO. In their listing prospectuses filed later on Thursday, JD Industrials and JD Property disclosed annual revenues of 14.1 billion yuan ($2.05 billion) and 2.3 billion yuan, respectively. UBS and Citic Securities are the financial advisers for JD Industrials, while UBS is the financial adviser for JD Property.

☆ Google giggles at China tech’s shrinking act
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, March 31 (Reuters Breakingviews) - As an $18 trillion economy home to 1.4 billion people, China is a natural font of statistical superlatives. The country’s internet giants, however, are dwarfed by American colossi like the $1.3 trillion Google owner Alphabet (GOOGL.O). Access to cheap capital helped founders like Alibaba’s Jack Ma quickly diversify and build sprawling empires with global ambitions. Meanwhile, the top eight U.S. tech names, led by Apple (AAPL.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Alphabet, are worth $8 trillion today. The American tech giants already generate three times more revenue and nearly five times more free cash flow than their aspirant Chinese challengers, Refinitiv Eikon data shows.

☆ Alibaba restructuring to enhance decision-making, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Trader works at the post where Alibaba is traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 28, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidSHANGHAI/HONG KONG, March 30 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group's (9988.HK) restructuring will allow all its business units to become more agile and enhance faster decision-making and responses to market changes, the tech conglomerate's chief executive Daniel Zhang said on Thursday. The restructuring also opens up the possibility for each unit to raise funds through its own initial public offering (IPO). Some analysts say Alibaba is currently undervalued as a standalone conglomerate and a breakup would allow investors to value each business division independently. The restructuring could also better protect Alibaba shareholders from regulatory pressures, as penalties levied on one division in theory would not affect the operations of another, analysts says.

☆ Alibaba hands parched dealmakers a glass half-full
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Then New York- and Hong Kong-listed Alibaba (9988.HK) revealed it was creating six independently run businesses. That will keep dealmaking teams busy for months if, as CEO Daniel Zhang envisions, multiple listed companies emerge from the $250 billion parent. And if a breakup is good for Alibaba, they can dust off pitchbooks for its domestic rivals. Follow @AntonyMCurrie on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSAlibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said on March 29 that he hopes multiple listed companies will emerge from the group. “I hope there will be multiple listed companies emerging from the Alibaba system, and that they will continue to nurture their own sons and daughters, and cultivate more listed companies”, Zhang said, according to the South China Morning Post.

☆ Alibaba to decide on control over new business units after IPOs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Zhang's comments come two days after Alibaba announced its largest restructuring in the company's history, which will see it change into a holding company structure with six business units, each with their own boards and CEOs. The business units will have their own CEOs and boards, though Alibaba will retain seats on those boards in the short-term, Zhang added. Alibaba began laying the groundwork for the restructuring a few years ago, Zhang told investors during a conference call, adding the business units could pursue public listings on their own in the future. After these units go public, Alibaba "will continue to evaluate the strategic importance of these companies" and "will decide whether or not to continue to retain control," Alibaba CFO Toby Xu said on the call. Alibaba, however, will decide whether the group wants to keep strategic control of each unit after they go public, Xu said.

☆ China's JD.com to spin off industrial, property units in Hong Kong float
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, March 30 (Reuters) - Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com Inc (9618.HK) said on Thursday it planned to spin off its property and industrial units and list them on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Upon completion of the proposed spin off of JD Industrials and JD Property, JD.com said it would continue to indirectly hold more than 50% of the shares in both the units, which will remain as subsidiaries of the company. The size and structure of JD.com units' initial public offerings have not yet been finalised. The e-commerce firm, which missed fourth-quarter revenue forecasts, said earlier this month that rebuilding consumer confidence would take time after the lifting of strict pandemic-related curbs late last year. Reporting by Twinnie Siu in Hong Kong and Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alibaba's breakup lifts hopes China's regulatory winter is thawing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The move represented a light at the end of the tunnel for many investors who had seen a wave of regulatory blitzes as a major cloud hanging over China's private sector. Reuters GraphicsAlibaba said on Tuesday it would split into six units - Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group. He was spotted on Monday in Hangzhou, home to Alibaba, just one day before the company announced the restructuring. Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK), China's largest gaming company, saw shares rise as much as 5.1%. Alibaba's split may pave the way for other Chinese tech giants to undergo similar restructuring, CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said.

☆ Alibaba's breakup plan lifts hopes China's tech crackdown is ending
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The group's Hong Kong-listed shares jumped as much as 16.3%, tracking a 14.3% rally in its U.S.-listed shares overnight . Its e-commerce rival JD.com Inc (9618.HK) rose 7% and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) gained 5%. That compared with a 2.3% jump in benchmark Hang Seng Index (.HSI) and a 3.2% gain for the Hang Seng Tech Index (.HSTECH). Brian Tycango, who tracks China's tech sector at Stansberry Research, says that in addition to enabling higher valuations, the restructuring better protects individual divisions from future government regulation. "Any new regulations will likely not affect the whole company now - just the particular division that that regulation covers," Tycango told Reuters.

☆ China's Alibaba to break up empire into six units as Jack Ma returns home
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Josh Horwitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Alibaba said the biggest restructuring in its 24-year history would see it split into six units - Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group. Zhang will continue as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, which will follow a holding company management model, and also serve as CEO of Cloud Intelligence Group. The exception would be Taobao Tmall Commerce Group that handles China commerce businesses and will remain a wholly owned unit of Alibaba Group. Investors said the split signals the clearing of regulatory worries and allays concerns that Alibaba had lost the potential to grow. [1/2] The logo of Alibaba Group is seen at its office in Beijing, China January 5, 2021.

That should unlock value for weary shareholders, and please regulators and politicians keen to control strategic businesses. The restructuring will give each of Alibaba’s six businesses, which include its core commerce division, as well as cloud computing, games and logistics units, their own chief executive and board of directors. Investors promptly added nearly $23 billion, or 10%, to the New York-listed company’s market value, now at $250 billion, following Tuesday’s announcement. The $460 billion video-game giant also operates in sensitive areas like online media, cloud computing and mobile payments. Daniel Zhang will continue to serve as chairman and chief executive of Alibaba, which will follow a holding company management model, and concurrently serve as CEO of Cloud Intelligence.

☆ How I became one of 9 Black and Latina female founders whose startup reached $1 billion valuation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Iman Abuzeid is one of nine Black and Latina female founders with a startup valued at $1 billion. That made Abuzeid one of nine Black and Latina female founders whose startups have reached a billion-dollar valuation. Black female founders must focus on winningThe statistics are bad, and they demonstrate a real structural bias in the system. When you narrow it down to Black female founders, it's 0.2%, which is effectively zero. I have a therapist, and I'm a huge fan of all CEOs and founders getting a therapist.

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