VC Holdings Announces 2022 Interim Results

HONG KONG, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Value Convergence Holdings Limited ("VC Holdings", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; Stock Code: 0821.HK), a well-established and one-stop financial services institution in Hong Kong, is pleased to announce its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022 ( the "Reporting Period"). The Group tirelessly pursued opportunities to diversify its business during the Reporting Period, and expanded its digital asset business with good progress.

During the Reporting Period, the recurrent outbreaks of COVID-19, coupled with persistently high inflation and conflict between Russia and Ukraine, posed unprecedented challenges to the global economy, intensifying uncertainty in the global and Hong Kong financial markets. The Group's consolidated revenue from continuing operations decreased by 6.0% year-on-year to approximately HK$35.7 million. Due to the increase in net realised and unrealised loss in financial assets at fair value through profit or loss, and the impairment loss on accounts receivable and other receivables, the consolidated loss for the period attributable to shareholders amounted to approximately HK$61.8 million (1H2021: profit for the period attributable to shareholders of HK$101.1 million). Basic loss per share from continuing and discontinued operations was HK2.97 cents (1H2021: Basic earnings per share from continuing and discontinued operations of HK5.93 cents).

Mr. Peter Fu, Chairman and Executive Director of Value Convergence Holdings Limited, "VC Holdings has always been dedicated to offering premier financial services and products that fulfill various investment and wealth management needs of clients in the Great China region. During the first half of 2022, amid the lingering impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019, the global economy continued to struggle with persistent downside risks including escalating geopolitical tensions, growing financial instability and surging inflation, all of which hindered economic growth. The Group's revenue declined due primarily to a reduction in brokerage commission income that was broadly in line with the deterioration of the economic environment and the contraction in transaction volumes in the market overall."

Business Overview
Financial services business
The financial services business remained the Group's major revenue stream during the Reporting Period and contributed approximately 98% of the Group's total revenue. The business segment recorded a 7% decrease in revenue amid an overall decline in the volume of economic transactions. During the Reporting Period, the Group continued to provide local and overseas securities dealing, derivatives and other structured products trading, placement and underwriting, margin financing through VC Brokerage Limited and VC Futures Limited, and money lending through VC Finance Limited. Besides, the Group offered corporate finance advisory services, including mergers and acquisitions advisory and company secretarial services, through VC Capital Limited ("VC Capital") and VC Corporate Services Limited. During the Reporting Period, VC Capital was appointed as a financial adviser to a number of Hong Kong-listed companies engaged in corporate exercises.

Proprietary trading business
The pronounced slowdown in the global capital market, mainly led by high inflation and interest rate hikes amid the double-whammy of the renewed threat of COVID-19 variants and the Russo-Ukrainian war, resulted in substantial volatility in the local stock market. Aligned with the overall market situation, the Group held equity securities listed in Hong Kong worth approximately HK$414.9 million as financial assets held for trading, marking a 2.0% decrease in the market value as compared with 31 December 2021. Despite the challenges, the Group continued to focus on the fundamentals of its investment targets and will continue actively to pursue long-term capital gains.

Sales and marketing of digital assets
To further expand the newly developed business, VC Holdings continued to push forward expansion in various respects to actively enter the internet-native Generation Z market. The Group has recruited a seasoned team of sales and marketing talents to broaden its sales channels with a view to expediting business development. In addition, the Group has formed strategic cooperation agreements with several leading corporations, such as E-Home Entertainment, to commence in-depth cooperation in the internet industry and jointly carry out integrated market development in various areas, including the Chinese console games market, the expansion of domestic games into overseas markets, and digital marketing.

During the Reporting Period, the Group deepened its collaboration with Tencent and became one of the few distributors of Tencent's Q Coins covering a considerable number of provinces in China. Meanwhile, the Group commenced collaboration with the distributor of Microsoft products in Hong Kong in connection with sales of Xbox-related virtual assets. The Group has also begun a collaboration with Xunlei Limited (NASDAQ: XNET) to sell non-fungible tokens. During the Reporting Period, the Group recorded a gross merchandise value of approximately HK$120.0 million, represented by the gross sum of digital assets sold to its customers.

Outlook
The uncertain macroeconomic outlook is expected to continuously affect financial stability, resulting in a more volatile stock market. On a positive note, the gradual easing of social distancing measures and a reduction in cross-border transportation disruptions, alongside the stabilization of the local pandemic situation in Hong Kong, will help boost economic activities. The Group remains cautiously optimistic about the outlook for its placing and underwriting business, given that fundraising activities among Hong Kong-listed companies is expected to resume gradually. It seeks to expand the scale of its financial services business and continue to identify suitable acquisitions and investment targets in the market as opportunities arise.

The Group intends to accelerate the development of digital asset business through digital asset marketing, intellectual property (IP) collaboration and marketing cooperation. To further strengthen its presence and drive synergies between the internet business offered by digital assets and other business segments, more resources have been allocated to further develop the sale and marketing of digital assets to broaden sales channels. The Group will continue to explore and liaise with potential business partners on sales of digital assets and NFTs.

Mr. Fu concluded, "Given the huge potential of the digital asset market, we will keep exploring new business opportunities in the mainland China digital asset market, capitalizing on our strategic partnerships and in-depth business collaborations with our allies, namely E-Home Entertainment and Shenzhen Yiyun Information. More resources will be dedicated to mapping out a blueprint for the digital asset segment accordingly. We believe, that the new business will become a new key driver of the Group in the years to come, improving profitability and generating maximum value for all stakeholders."

About VC Holdings Limited
Value Convergence Holdings Limited (Stock code: 0821.HK) was listed on the GEM board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2001, and completed transfer of listing to the Main Board in 2008. Being a well-established financial services group committed to delivering premier financial services and products in the Great China region, the Group's services include (i) provision of financial services comprising securities and options brokering and dealing, financing services, corporate finance and other advisory services, asset management and insurance brokerage; (ii) proprietary trading; and (iii) sale and marketing of digital assets.

For more details, please visit www.vcgroup.com.hk.

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JE Cleantech (JCSE) Announces Results for H1 2022, Revenue of S$7.2 Million and Net Income of S$147,000

SINGAPORE, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – JE Cleantech Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: JCSE), ("the Company") a Singapore-based cleantech company, has announced its financial results for the six months ending 30 June 2022. In its first mid-year update since completing its Nasdaq listing in 2022, the company has seen a decline of 19 per cent in its revenue compared to the corresponding period last year (H1 2021). Net income for the reporting period has been S$147,000, lower than the S$616,000 reported for the first six months of 2021.

Speaking about the 2022 results, Ms. Bee Yin Hong, CEO and Founder, JE Cleantech said, "Our industry as with many others was hit hard by the pandemic, but we have weathered it and even achieved impressive growth in one of our key business verticals. We strongly believe in the future to come as we enter the endemic phase and the F&B, travel, and hospitality sectors see rapid recovery. JE Cleantech is well positioned to capture growth opportunities. We are actively widening our product offerings and exploring new markets to bring sustainable returns to our shareholders and investors."

The group has been negatively affected by the ongoing disruptions caused by Covid-19, some effects of which may linger post-pandemic such as supply chain disruptions, fluctuations in the cost of raw materials and uneven demand growth from customer groups. Despite this, the Company did not experience any material order cancellations during the reporting period and records an order book value of approximately S$36.8 million as of August 15, 2022.

The Company saw a growth of 36 per cent in its provision of centralized dishwashing and ancillary services, compared to the same corresponding period last year, with revenue of S$3.585 million. The company also announced the renewal of a key customer to provide centralized dishwashing services to a fully owned subsidiary of Singapore's leading ground-handling and in-flight catering service provider for a period of three years, starting in September 2022. The contract, which has been closed through its subsidiary, Hygieia Warewashing Pte Ltd., is valued at approximately S$9.3 million (around US$6.7 million). With this renewal, Hygieia Warewashing will have been providing cleaning services for the client for nine years continuously.

Having provided centralized dishwashing services in Singapore since 2013, management believes that JE Cleantech is now Singapore's leading manufacturer of precision cleaning systems and provider of centralized dishwashing and ancillary services, with approximately 15 per cent market share in 2020 in terms of revenue (Source: Euromonitor estimates from desk research and trade interviews with leading centralized dishwashing services providers and the relevant trade associations in Singapore). Ms. Hong stated "we believe that JE Cleantech has not only left a strong footprint in Singapore and Malaysia, but has also established a robust network of long-term customers across Southeast Asia, with a growing international footprint in markets such as Europe and the United States."

Moving forward, the company is looking to expand its team of R&D staff and engineers, while continuing to strengthen its product portfolio. Recently, it has expanded its scope of service offerings to include tech hardware.

About JE Cleantech Holdings Limited

JE Cleantech Holdings Limited is based in Singapore and is principally engaged in (i) the sale of cleaning systems and other equipment; and (ii) the provision of centralized dishwashing and ancillary services. Through its subsidiary, JCS-Echigo Pte Ltd, the company designs, develops, manufactures, and sells cleaning systems for various industrial end-use applications primarily to customers in Singapore and Malaysia. Its cleaning systems are mainly designed for precision cleaning, with features such as particle filtration, ultrasonic or megasonic rinses with a wide range of frequencies, high pressure drying technology, high flow rate spray, and deionized water rinses, which are designed for effective removal of contaminants and to minimize particle generation and entrapment. The Company also has provided centralized dishwashing services, through its subsidiary, Hygieia Warewashing Pte Ltd, since 2013 and general cleaning services since 2015, both mainly for food and beverage establishments in Singapore.

Disclaimer: Forward looking statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such words or phrases as "should," "intends," "is subject to," "expects," "will," "continue," "anticipate," "estimated," "projected," "may," "I or we believe," "future prospects," "our strategy," or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements made in this press release that relate to our future contract revenues among other things involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those expected and stated in this announcement. We undertake no obligation to update "forward-looking" statements.

For Media Enquiries and Investor Relations, please contact:
jcse@preciouscomms.com

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Universal Medical (2666.HK) Announces 2022 Interim Results

HONG KONG, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The board of directors of Genertec Universal Medical Group Co Ltd (the "Company" or "Universal Medical"; Stock code: 2666.HK) is pleased to announce the interim results of the Company and its subsidiaries (together, the "Group") for the six months ended 30 June 2022.

Facing with various unexpected factors emerged during the first half of 2022, while making unwavering efforts to lead the subordinate medical institutions in its proactive commitment to fighting against the pandemic, the Group adhered to its established business strategies by continuing to move forward in the field of medical and healthcare, and steadily promoted its business and improved its overall operating performance.

In the first half of 2022, the Group recorded a revenue of RMB5,712.3 million, representing an increase of 14.1% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year; recorded a net profit of RMB1,176.4 million, representing an increase of 4.5% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year; recorded a net profit attributable to owners of the parent of RMB1,089.4 million, representing an increase of 3.8% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year; recorded return on total assets (ROA) of 3.20%, and return on equity (ROE) attributable to owners of the parent of 16.51%. The indicators of income maintained a steady performance and the asset quality was generally safe and controllable.

The Profit of Hospital Group Increased by 13.7% While Accommodating the Needs for Pandemic Control

Hospital group is the essential resources of building a healthcare conglomerate. Having been actively participating in integration and takeover of medical institutions of SOEs since 2017, the Group continued to expand its hospital group business, and orderly advanced its post-investment management to better accommodate the needs for pandemic control of SOE-owned hospitals. The Group also continuously enhanced the three core capabilities of "discipline", "operation" and "service", with an aim to build overall advantages of the hospital group in terms of safety, effectiveness, accessibility, and humanities as a way to promote high-quality development of hospitals of SOEs. Moreover, relying on the development foundation of the hospital group, the Group expanded business layout in various fields including medical service, life cycle management of medical equipment, medical testing, internet-based healthcare services, health and wellness and insurance, and actively expanded external customers while efficiently serving the Group's member hospitals to gradually lay a foundation for development in scale.

With the implementation of group management and control of hospitals, the core capabilities of disciplines, operations and services have been gradually improved to lay the groundwork for sustainable growth trends in the medical business. In the first half of 2022, facing with the frequent outbreaks and pandemic rebound in certain cities, its medical institutions made proactive response to the relevant requirements of the government regarding pandemic prevention and control by undertaking a great number of nucleic acid testing and vaccination tasks. Under the temporary operation pressure of staff shortage and increasing costs for pandemic prevention and control, the Group maintained overall stable profitability in the first half of 2022 through measures such as increasing volunteer medical consultation and featured services to boost business volume and reinforce refined operation.

In terms of consolidated revenue, in the first half of 2022, the hospital group business (excluding hospital investment platforms) recorded revenue of RMB2,721.1 million during the consolidation period, representing an increase of 28.4% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, mainly due to the consolidation of additional medical institutions during the period, and recorded profit for the period of RMB112.6 million, representing an increase of 13.7% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. The gross profit margin from operations was 12.1%, and net profit margin was 4.1%.

In terms of operations, in the first half of 2022, the Group consolidated the accounts of six additional medical institutions with a capacity of 2,507 beds in total; the total number of medical treatments in the 51 consolidated medical institutions of the Group was approximately 5,446,000, representing an increase of approximately 52.2% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. The number of outpatient and emergency visits amounted to approximately 4,951,000, representing an increase of approximately 57.1% as compared to the corresponding period of 2021, which was mainly attributable to the significant increase in the outpatient visits for nucleic acid test during the first half of 2022. Without taking into account of the impact of nucleic acid visits, the number of outpatient and emergency visits still outperformed that of the corresponding period of the previous year by approximately 6%. The number of inpatient visits based on discharges amounted to approximately 160,000, remaining basically in line with that of the corresponding period of 2021, which was mainly due to the frequent outbreaks of covid-19 pandemic across the country during the first half of 2022. Meanwhile, with the continuous expansion of the medical examination business operated by its medical institutions, the number of visits for medical examination reached approximately 495,000 in the first half of 2022, representing an increase of approximately 15.9% as compared to the corresponding period of 2021. The revenue of hospital operation of the 51 consolidated medical institutions for the first half of 2022 reached RMB2,694.9 million in total, representing an increase of approximately 8.8% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, and the overall income per bed of the consolidated medical institutions was approximately RMB420,000 on an annualised basis.

Following the integration and takeover of medical institutions of SOEs since 2017, the Group continued to empower the development of the hospitals and took active and effective measures in response to external factors such as the pandemic and reforms. In the future, in order to serve the national healthcare initiative and in the trend of high-quality development of the medical industry, the Group will give full play to the competition advantages of central state-owned enterprises in running medical care by reinforcing group management and control and upgrading professional operation, further improving the operating efficiency of medical institutions.

Meanwhile, by fostering hospital group, the Group will also further build replicable advantages in terms of hospital operation management, life cycle management of medical equipment, supply chain management, infrastructure management and digital services, expand the market presence in addition to the health conglomerate and cultivate the new service mode featured with the integration of industry and finance, so as to promote quality and efficiency enhancement for external hospital customers and create new growth drivers for the Company.

The Interest Income of Financial Business Increased by 5.7% under the Efforts to Overcome the Impact of Ongoing Pandemic

In the first half of 2022, the Group strived to overcome the impact of ongoing pandemic. With risk control as a top priority, the Group were committed to ensuring quality project development for its customers, with an aim to ensure safe and healthy development of the finance business. By keeping abreast of the market changes, the Group strived to control financing costs with a flexible approach to meet investment capital requirements. In the first half of 2022, the finance and advisory business of the Group recorded a revenue of RMB2,987.8 million in total, representing an increase of 3.4% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, of which the interest income amounted to RMB2,391.1 million, representing an increase of 5.7% as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. All business indicators continued to maintain a good level. The average yield of interest-earning assets was 7.46% and the average cost rate of interest-bearing liabilities was 3.71%, while the net interest margin was 3.75% and the net interest spread was 4.16%.

While its finance business continued to expand steadily, the Group continued to optimize the dynamic management of pre-rental, rental, and post-rental process, and enhanced accountability to ensure its asset quality remaining at an industry-leading level. As of 30 June 2022, its net interest-earning assets reached RMB65,804.8 million, representing an increase of 7.7% as compared to the end of 2021; the non-performing asset ratio was 0.98%; the overdue ratio (30 days) was 0.82%, and the provision coverage ratio was 242.96%.

While keeping a controllable risk profile, the Group will continue to facilitate steady development of the finance leasing business in the fields of public hospitals and urban public utility. Leveraging on the core businesses of the central state-owned group and in an active response to the national policies, the Group will continue to foster and expand innovative businesses. The Group will explore a development model featured with the integration of finance business and medical care industry so as to lay a solid foundation for the high-quality development of a central state-owned and listed enterprise and achieve a leapfrog growth in the operating results.

About Genertec Universal Medical Group Co Ltd

Genertec Universal Medical Group Co., Ltd. ("Universal Medical"; 2666.HK) is a publicly listed state-owned enterprise committed to China's healthcare industry. China General Technology (Group) Holding Co Ltd., one of the backbone SOEs directly supervised by the central government is the controlling shareholder of the Company. Universal Medical focuses on the fast-developing healthcare industry in China, with medical services as the core and financial business as the foundation. The Company harvests modern management concepts, professionals, quality medical resources with solid financial strength, and an inclusive corporate culture. Altogether it strives to build a reliable healthcare conglomerate and develop a healthcare ecosystem that all can mutually share and benefit. The Company owns 63 medical institutions, distributed in 14 provinces and municipalities such as Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Liaoning, Anhui, Hebei, Beijing, and Shanghai, including 5 Grade III Class A hospitals and 29 Grade II hospitals, with a total of more than 16,000 beds. In the future, Universal Medical will continue to grasp opportunities posed by China's healthcare sector, actively respond to the "Health China" program and make contributions to China's public health industry. Please visit https://en.umcare.cn/.

This press release is released by PEANUT MEDIA LIMITED on behalf of Genertec Universal Medical Group Company Limited.

For further information, please contact:
PEANUT MEDIA LIMITED
Lu Jing / Jing Gao
Direct Line: +86-755-61619798 +8210
Email: hswh@czgmcn.com

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Huisen Household Announces 2022 Interim Results

HONG KONG, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – China's major furniture product manufacturer Huisen Household International Group Ltd. ("Huisen Household" or "the Group"; stock code: 2127.HK) announced unaudited interim results for the period ended 30 June 2022 ("the Reporting Period") yesterday.

During the reporting period, the weak real estate market and the interest rate hike caused a contraction in the number of deals made. Inflation caused by the quantitative easing policy started to emerge during 2022, fuelling the uncertainties of economy. Reduction in subsidy, the U.S. housing price remained at a high level, and the rise in interest rate have all contributed to the plunge in the number of property transaction, leading to a relatively weak demand for furniture in the first half of 2022.

In the first half of 2022, The Group's revenue was approximately RMB1.96 billion, representing a decrease of approximately 18.3% from approximately RMB2.40 billion compare to the same period of 2021. Profit was approximately RMB298.0 million, representing a decrease of approximately 29.2% from approximately RMB420.8 million compare to the same period of 2021.

Mr. Zengming, chairman and executive director, said: "The weakened real estate markets in Europe and U.S. and a relatively faint furniture market have led to the decrease in the number of orders from the major customers of the Group. Notwithstanding the drop in revenue during the reporting period, the Group has successfully expanded its business to certain small and medium size enterprises customers and products were sold to more different countries or regions gradually. During the reporting period, we have reached an agreement of cooperation with Home-depot, a well-known chain store of furniture in U.S., orders from Home-depot have been increased progressively."

Panel-type Furniture
During the reporting period, the decrease in demand from the overseas market such as the U.S. led to a decrease in revenue of panel-type furniture from approximately RMB2.26 billion to approximately RMB1.85 billion for the reporting Period, representing a decrease of 17.9%. The decrease in gross profit margin was mainly attributable to (i) the reduction in average selling price for some of the panel-type furniture as a result of the depreciation of RMB against U.S. dollar and (ii) the increase in the price of raw materials.

Upholstered Furniture
During the reporting period, the revenue from upholstered furniture recorded a decrease of approximately 28.1%. The decrease in revenue was mainly due to the decrease in demand for upholstered furniture as a result of the slowdown of the the real estate market in Europe and U.S. During the Reporting Period, the average selling price for some of the upholstered furniture has been reduced as a result of the depreciation of RMB against U.S. dollar, leading to an overall decrease in the gross profit margin of the upholstered furniture.

Sport-type Furniture
During the reporting period, the revenue from sport-type furniture amounted to RMB53.9 million, representing a decrease of 22.8% from the corresponding period of 2021, mainly due to the decrease in order during the Reporting Period. The gross profit margin of sport-type furniture decreased from 30.1% in the corresponding period of 2021 to 26.6% in the Reporting Period, mainly due to the reduction in the selling price of some of the products. Looking to the second half of 2021,

During the reporting period, the Group continued to strengthen its original design capability and launch more original design manufacturing ("ODM") products. Revenue of ODM furniture accounted for more 81.1% of the Group's total sales for the Reporting Period, and the proportion maintained at above 80%. Original Equipment Manufacturing ("OEM") Furniture accounted for 18.9%.

On 6 January 2022, the Group entered into an agreement with the local government authority to obtain the right to use two parcels of land with a total area of 33,539.30 sq.m. and on 24th August 2022 obtain the right to use another two parcels of land with 65,556.80 sq.m. in Nankang District, Ganzhou. Those four lands are nearby with total area 99,096.10 sq.m. are mainly for the construction of a new plant which will specialise in the manufacturing of particleboard, a major material used in the production of furniture products. The new plant is close to the factory operated by Ganzhou Aigesen Wood Panel Co., Ltd*.

For improving and optimizing the marketing and advertising campaign of the Group and to better promote the smart furniture products of the Group, the Group has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Netjoy Holdings Limited (stock code: 2131) ("Netjoy"), a company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Stock Exchange") on 24th January 2022. The Group and Netjoy shall jointly cooperate for the development of a cloud-based virtual reality smart home project based on Metaverse, including but not limited to developing virtual reality exhibition hall for consumers' interactive experience, live broadcast sales by artificial intelligence ("AI") sales anchor and promotion and sales of the smart home products of the Group through the application of AI technologies.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2022, though various countries have already relaxed the social distancing measures and travel restriction, with the energy crisis in Europe and the pressure of high inflation in the U.S., the market sentiment in the private housing market in Europe and U.S. is difficult to rebound swiftly, it is expected that the export of furniture made in China would still experience a period of depression. The "World Furniture Outlook 2022" issued by Centre for Industrial Studies (CSIL) of Italy predicts that the growth in global furniture consumption could be around 4% in 2022, and the market performance for European and Asian countries are better than that as compared to other countries. While the growth is relatively minimal, the group will continue to uphold its business strategy to continuously explore markets outside U.S., establish strong relationship with new customers, and continually strengthens the ODM capabilities, making advancement of invested projects with the raised funds in a down-to-earth manner. We will also solidify our core competitiveness, and continuously increasing our market share, thus to keep on to be the leading force while being the leader of the panel type furniture industry.

About Huisen Household International Group Limited
We are a manufacturer of furniture products in the PRC with a primary focus on the manufacture and sales of panel furniture by way of ODM. Over 80 % of our revenue from our furniture products was generated from our ODM business and the remaining was generated from our OEM business. All of the products we produced for sales were not under our own brands. Our vertically integrated business model allows us to combine our in-house product design and development expertise with our integrated manufacturing platform, providing full range services covering product design and development, manufacture and sales of panel furniture, and securing stable supply of our principal production materials, i.e., particleboards and steel tubes by manufacturing them on our own.

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Seventh Belt and Road Summit opens today

HONG KONG, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The seventh Belt and Road Summit, jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opened today (31 August). This year's event lasts two days and runs in a hybrid physical and digital format, helping overcome geographical boundaries. Business leaders unable to attend the summit in person at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) join all sessions online and identify potential business opportunities through the online platform. Participants and guest speakers at the physical summit can actively interact during the event as more than 80 government and business leaders share their insights and explore opportunities the Belt and Road Initiative presents.

The seventh Belt and Road Summit, jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and HKTDC, opened today (31 August), with the theme "Heralding a New Chapter: Collaborate and Innovate".

In his welcome remarks, Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, said: "With innovation driving progress, the Belt and Road Initiative provides the framework to apply these innovations to create a sustainable future."

The Policy Dialogue Session analysed how economies under the Belt and Road Initiative can strengthen cooperation and boost economic growth through infrastructure development and trade under "Driving Growth through Partnership and Collaboration".

As the first major international event following celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, the summit runs under the theme "Heralding a New Chapter: Collaborate and Innovate". Project owners and operators, investors and service providers can explore opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) through a variety of activities, including the Policy Dialogue, plenary sessions, thematic breakout sessions, one-to-one project matching and project pitching sessions and a virtual exhibition, creating a multi-win situation that will help boost economic growth in the region. Activities today are held both online and offline while tomorrow (1 September) will be entirely online.

In this morning's opening session, Dr Peter K N Lam, HKTDC Chairman, delivered welcoming remarks. John Lee, HKSAR Chief Executive, delivered the opening address. Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, delivered the keynote speech. Wang Wentao, Minister, Ministry of Commerce, the People's Republic of China; Hao Peng, Chairman, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), the People's Republic of China and Lin Nianxiu, Vice Chairman, National Development and Reform Commission, the People's Republic of China, delivered special addresses while Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization, gave a keynote address.

Mr Lee said in his opening speech: "The global rise of protectionism has reminded us of how important regional co-operation is. We have to work together for the better future of the region. Hong Kong is therefore very pleased to see the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, come into force earlier this year. The landmark agreement underlines the open, inclusive, rules-based trade and investment partnership that RCEP's member states are committed to realising. We believe that regional economic integration is an essential complement to multilateral trade. Hong Kong is seeking early accession to RCEP. It will enable us to deepen the collaboration and connections we enjoy with our close partners. The Belt and Road was created to build connectivity, to bring business, and people, together. No one does that better than Hong Kong, thanks to our 'one country, two systems' principle; thanks to our longstanding East-meets-West experience and the boundless opportunities afforded us in national development."

Delivering the keynote speech, Mr Han said: "Hong Kong is an active participant, contributor and beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative. We are pleased to see that since the initiative launched, Hong Kong has actively negotiated and signed cooperation agreements with co-construction countries, developing trade and investment cooperation, service standard connection, international financial cooperation and exchange between people. Hong Kong plays an important role in Belt and Road development, as well as expanding its own development space. Hong Kong deserves full recognition for its work in this area. The Central Authorities will adhere to the principle of 'one country, two systems' in the long run, fully supporting Hong Kong in maintaining its unique status and advantages. Authorities fully support Hong Kong's active participation in and contribution to the Belt and Road development."

Addressing the opening session, Mr Zhang said: "The COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, climate change and anti-globalization sentiment are the four major factors that I believe could affect the reshaping of the landscape of global trade policies. It is very challenging but can still be managed well if the whole world works together. To address these challenges, I strongly encourage enhanced dialogue and cooperation between all governments to find collective solutions because none of these challenges can be addressed by one government alone. Global challenges require global solutions."

Dr Lam said: "The HKTDC is honoured to have Vice Premier Han Zheng deliver an important keynote speech at today's summit, giving a more specific illustration of Hong Kong's role as an active participant, contributor and beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Following President Xi Jinping's important speech on 1 July, the Vice Premier's 'Four Hopes' for Hong Kong's participation in the construction of the Belt and Road further highlighted the direction of the city's development. The HKTDC has always been committed to promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and development opportunities. The team and I will continue our efforts to promote Hong Kong as an international business platform and services hub and contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative."

Multipartite cooperation to promote economic growth

The Policy Dialogue Session, chaired by HKSAR Deputy Finance Secretary Michael Wong, analysed how economies under the Belt and Road Initiative can strengthen cooperation and boost economic growth through infrastructure development and trade under the theme "Driving Growth through Partnership and Collaboration". The panel featured government and business leaders from several Belt and Road countries, including Lim Sidenine, Secretary of State of Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Kingdom of Cambodia; Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Indonesia; Lim Ban Hong, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia; Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Singapore; and Chayotid Kridakon, Thai Trade Representative and Advisor to the Prime Minister.

Growing relationship between Belt and Road, RCEP and GBA

The RCEP, which came into effect this year, is the largest free trade agreement in history, accounting for 30% of the world's population and GDP. With the joint effort of more than 100 countries connected with the Belt and Road Initiative, global regional economic integration will be become more established. The Business Plenary titled "Collaborate for a Bright New Era" was held this morning, with Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, delivering the welcoming remarks. Hosted by Ronnie Chan, Chairman of Hang Lung Properties Limited, the session examined how economic growth can be achieved through multipartite cooperation. Other guest speakers included the Chairman of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, JP Morgan's Asia Pacific Advisory Council and Non-Executive Chairman of Lion Rod Eddington; the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key; President of the Bank of China Liu Liange; Deputy Managing Director & Chairman for Hong Kong of Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited YK Pang; and CEO and President of Berli Jucker Public Company Limited Aswin Techajareonvikul.

In his welcome remarks, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, said: "We are capitalising on our strong collaboration with Shenzhen, developing Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub, focusing development on life and health sciences, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and data industry, etc. We are also pressing ahead with more local infrastructure projects, including the Northern Metropolis and the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, as well as many other road, railway and land development projects. Talents, capital and entrepreneurs are all essential to achieving our goals. We warmly welcome businesses and talents from all over the world, Belt and Road countries included of course, to come to Hong Kong to collaborate with us and grasp the enormous opportunities together. To this end, we will have new policies and support measures to facilitate the coming of talents and enterprises."

The strong economic resilience demonstrated by the Greater Bay Area amid the pandemic will further unleash the region's economic potential in terms of cross-border trade and financial market liberalisation, along with the development of cutting-edge innovation and technology. The Business Plenary this afternoon, "Capturing Synergies between Belt and Road and Greater Bay Area", was hosted by David YK Wong, Permanent Honorary President of The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong. The panelists included Chairman of the Power Construction Corporation of China Ding Yanzhang; CEO, Chairman of the Management Committee, Executive Director of the Board of China International Capital Corporation Limited Huang Zhaohui; Chairman of MTR Corporation Limited Rex Auyeung; Chairman of WeLab Bank KC Chan; and Chairman of East Asia Region of Arup Group Michael Kwok. The speakers shared ideas on the potential opportunities the GBA brings as an important Belt and Road hub, and also discussed how Hong Kong can further leverage the advantages of the GBA to enhance its position and promote the development of the city's industries.

Five breakout sessions explore hot-button issues on summit's first day

Spanning many countries and regions, the Belt and Road Initiative creates new room for the development of professional sectors. On the first day, the summit, in conjunction with a number of organisations including the Department of Justice of the HKSAR Government, the Insurance Regulatory Authority, China Foreign Contractors Association and Dun & Bradstreet, held five breakout sessions to examine a range of topics such as international dispute resolution, insurance services, GBA infrastructure development, digital technology development and future infrastructure development. More thematic breakout sessions and project pitching sessions will be held tomorrow – details of the programme, speakers and partner organisations can be found at https://www.beltandroadSummit.hk/conference/bnr/en

One-to-one business matching meetings and project pitching sessions

Following the success at previous summits, the HKTDC has extended the hybrid project and business-matching sessions from two to seven days (31 August to 6 September) this year. New features include a video display at the summit to increase project exposure and give investors and professional service companies a better understanding of project details.

The summit also features online and offline exhibitions which have attracted more than 60 exhibitors and are divided into the "Global Investment Zone", "Hong Kong Zone" and "GBA Tech Zone". The project pitching sessions give entrepreneurs from different countries a platform to present projects, giving investors and service intermediaries a comprehensive understanding of investment opportunities in different sectors. Pitching sessions focus on four main areas – energy, natural resources and public utilities; innovation and technology; urban development; and transport and logistics infrastructure.

China International Capital Corporation Ltd serves as the Strategic Partner of the seventh Belt and Road Summit; Bank of China (Hong Kong) Ltd as the Regional Banking Partner; and China Mobile International Limited and China Unicom Global Limited as Platinum Sponsors.

The Seventh Belt and Road Summit
Date: 31 August 2022 (Wednesday) Hybrid; 1 September 2022 (Thursday) Online
Websites
– Belt and Road Summit: https://www.beltandroadSummit.hk/conference/bnr/en
– Programme: https://www.beltandroadSummit.hk/conference/bnr/en/programme
– Speaker list: https://www.beltandroadSummit.hk/conference/bnr/en/speaker
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3QbkuDe

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media enquiries
Please contact HKTCD's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org
Sam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Tiffany Leung, Tel: +852 3428 2361, email: tleung@yuantung.com.hk
Wong Hing-fung, Tel: +852 3428 3122, email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Esprit Announces Interim Results for FY2022

HONG KONG, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – ESPRIT HOLDINGS LIMITED (the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group" or "Esprit", HKEx: 00330) has announced its unaudited financial interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022 (the "Period").

The Group has recorded total revenue of HK$3,626 million for the Period, as compared to the total revenue of HK$3,872 million for the six months ended 30 June 2021 (the "Corresponding Period"), representing a decrease of 6%. The decrease in revenue was primarily due to the depreciation of the Euro against the Hong Kong dollar. If the revenue for the Period were to be translated by the exchange rate for the Corresponding Period, the revenue would be HK$3,934 million which would have been an increase of 2% from the Corresponding Period. Meanwhile, gross profit margin was 45.8%, marginally lower than the corresponding figures of 46.9% for the Corresponding Period.

As a result, the Group recorded an unaudited profit attributable to the shareholders of the Company of HK$13 million for the Period (for the six months ended 30 June 2021: HK$121 million), marking the second consecutive profitable half-year since the financial year ended 30 June 2017. The decrease in profit in the Period in comparison to the Corresponding Period is mainly attributable to the decrease in revenue resulting in the corresponding drop in gross profit; and foreign exchange translation losses of HK$99 million was incurred for the Period as compared to foreign exchange translation gains of HK$87 million for the Corresponding Period.

Mr. PAK William Eui Won, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, said, "There have been many challenges persisting throughout the first half of 2022, but attributing the success to the Group's dynamic corporate structure, management team, and dedicated staff at ESPRIT, they have been playing a core role for the Company to navigate through such a tough environment and remain marginally profitable during the Period. I am pleased to say that the strategies and infrastructure mentioned in the 2021 Annual Report is showing consistent positive results and profitable growth, forming a solid platform for future expansion to new markets. Given a financially strong and healthy balance sheet, the Company will continue to invest whenever good opportunities arise."

Esprit is a unique retail brand with great history and tradition. The Company continues to look deep into its roots, the brand DNA, while building a bright and successful future via some positive initiatives which include: (1) investing significantly in rebuilding Esprit's brand equity, re-establishing and improving the Esprit brand image to be achieved through active collaborations with highly reputable industry creatives, cross brand partnerships, influencer design capsules, and sustainability events; (2) putting and accelerating Esprit at the forefront in digitalization for the retail and high fashion business by improving trading ability for the European website, upgrading internal digital capabilities, establishing an innovative hub – Esprit Futura – in Amsterdam, and launching website and digital commerce platforms in the USA, Canada, Central America and South America; (3) demonstrating the Company's well-known and longstanding commitment to be at the forefront of being a socially responsible corporate citizen in areas such as the environment and sustainability; and (4) re-entering numerous key Asian markets, including Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines, in addition to pop-up stores, proprietary websites and partners' portals.

Mr. Pak stressed, "The brand's return to Hong Kong and re-entry to Asia is one of the strategies in repositioning Esprit as an international brand with omnipresence and relevance to its customers. This combined with the improvements to Esprit such as product offering, marketing, and digital content, aims to put the Company back on track to regaining market position and consistent sustainable growth."

Looking ahead, the Company is determined to march on towards persistent and sustainable profitable growth. Through the remainder of the year, the Group will continue to focus on initiatives to drive sales, enhance operational efficiency, paying particular attention to the fading effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and optimizing the cost structure in order to improve the overall performance of the business. In the long term, the Group's strategic focus will be on revival of the great Esprit brand, bring satisfaction to our customers through enjoyable and convenient shopping experience, quality but reasonable priced products, and a well-thought-out omni-channel for sales delivery.

Ms. CHIU Christin Su Yi, Executive Director and Chairperson, concluded, "While unsettling external factors may somewhat affect the business, the financial results of the Company during the Period demonstrate that with bold actions, agility and hard work, the Company was able to continuously and consistently march towards a brighter and exciting future. The Company remains cautiously confident and optimistic about the near future and will continue staying focused and connected to ensure it can adapt and react to the changing and challenging environment as efficiently as possible."

About ESPRIT

Founded in California in 1968 by Doug Tompkins and Susie Buell, ESPRIT was the world's first lifestyle brand inspired by the human spirit. But more than a birthplace, California represents the brand's sensibility: positive, upbeat, and easy-going. Embracing a larger-than-life attitude that is both experimental and pioneering, with a youthful state-of-mind fueled by creativity and a love of design.

The successes of ESPRIT over the years is due by and large to its original ideals: promoting love and peace, celebrating people, and bringing like-minded folks together to deliver joy to the world. This is the true essence of "ESPRIT de corps."

ESPRIT is a true hybrid of relevant dressing essentials and fashion-forward styles fit for every occasion and every wardrobe. Conscious and committed, the brand is lauded for its passion for people and the planet. Example: In the mid-80s, ESPRIT made headlines with its "Real People" campaign that featured employees and customers instead of models, and in the early 90s, debuted its first "eCollection" made of 100% organic cotton.

The first authentic brand of its kind, ESPRIT was also known for its revolutionary shopping experience, embodying its vibrant spirit in every way and in every detail. Keeping this spirit alive, ESPRIT today has a presence in more than 30 markets around the world. The Group has been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 1993, and ESPRIT's international headquarters is located in Hong Kong.
https://www.esprit.hk/

The information contained herein is not a public issuance of securities. These materials do not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States or to any "U.S. Person" as defined in Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"). The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the Act, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under such Act or an available exemption from it.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, statements relating to our plans to transform the Company's business, make a significant investment in our businesses and achieve sustainable profitability in the future, and other risks and factors identified by us from time to time. Although the Group believes that the anticipations, beliefs, estimates, expectations and/or plan stated in this document are, to the best of its knowledge, true, actual events and/or results could differ materially. The Group cannot assure you that those current anticipations, beliefs, estimates, expectations and/or plan will prove to be correct and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. The Group undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited or any other applicable laws and regulations. All forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Pursued progress while ensuring stability and built up momentum, Legend Holdings realized revenue of RMB237,685 million in the first half of 2022

HONG KONG, Aug 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Legend Holdings Corporation (stock code: 3396.HK) announced today the unaudited condensed consolidated interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2022 (the "Reporting Period"). During the Reporting Period, the Company's revenue was RMB237,685 million and the net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company amounted to RMB2,131 million.

Mr. Li Peng, Executive Director and CEO of Legend Holdings, said that in the face of the complex international environment, in the first half of 2022, Legend Holdings pursued progress while ensuring stability, and deepened the strategic thinking of "industrial operation, technological innovation", made steady improvement in its corporate competitiveness and operational efficiency, and further strengthened its investment and layout in the field of science and technology innovation; At the same time, we gave full play to the role of "chain leader", practiced the concept of green development, actively fulfilled corporate social responsibility, and devoted ourselves to contribute to the high-quality development of China's economy.

During the Reporting Period, Legend Holdings further consolidated the foundation of its industrial operations and strengthened its operational management. The revenue of the segment increased by 4% year-on-year to RMB235,775 million, and the net profit attributable to the equity holders of Legend Holdings increased by 20% year-on-year to RMB2,830 million.

— Lenovo achieved revenue and profit growth for the ninth consecutive quarter. While maintaining its position as the world's No.1 PC maker, Lenovo accelerated the development of new growth drivers with the revenue share of the non-PC business reaching a new high of 37% in the second quarter
— Levima Group took the lead in achieving import substitution in the field of EVA photovoltaic materials. In the first quarter, the upgrading and transformation of EVA devices realized the expected effect, and the result in the second quarter reached a new high. In addition, the company continued to focus on the field of new materials, advancing the new projects in an orderly manner, and entered the field of electronic specialty gas;
— The core business of Joyvio Group develops well as a whole. Joy Wing Mau continued to improve its vertically integrated fruit supply chain and achieved rapid growth in revenue. Global demand and prices for seafood products continued to rebound, and the revenue and profit of Joyvio Food have been improved;
— With a healthy core capital adequacy ratio and strong international credit ratings, Banque Internationale a Luxembourg S.A. ("BIL") achieved solid growth – successfully navigating the challenges faced by Europe's economy. Meanwhile, BIL obtained QFLP status in Shenzhen, through which it will further support the introduction of foreign capital into China's market and other initiatives.

During the Reporting Period, the industrial incubations and investments segment delivered stable and sound growth despite capital market volatility.
— Legend Capital raised funds of RMB3.5 billion, invested in 26 new projects, and 4 portfolio companies went public;
— Legend Star invested in nearly 20 new projects, more than 40 enterprises under management completed their next funding round, and it exited approximately 10 projects. The first round closing of the firm's fifth USD fund and the final closing of its artificial intelligence special fund were also completed.;
— Fullhan Microelectronics's market share has significantly increased, and its performance has achieved growth. It continued to invest in mid- and high-end surveillance products to enhance profitability, and the expediting growth of smart home & smart automotive products has served as new driving engines;
— Lakala maintained China's No. 2 operator in terms of bank card transaction volume and leading operator in QR code payments. At the same time, it proactively provided technological support for other businesses;
— The production and operation of Eastern Air Logistics have recovered steadily and achieved steady improvement in performance;
— Zhengqi Holdings focused on the field of scientific and technological innovation, carried out industrial exploration and investment layout, and has so far helped 11 of its portfolio companies in total successfully go public;
— JC Finance & Leasing achieved solid performance and year-on-year revenue growth amid the pandemic.

Increasing investment in scientific and technological innovation, adhering to innovation-driven development and continuously supporting the growth of Specialized and Innovative Enterprises

Legend Holdings stays true to its original aspiration of "revitalizing the country through business". It has further increased its investment in technological innovation in line with the national strategy of achieving high-quality development driven by technological innovation and has achieved promising results.

— Steady implementation of the "plan of doubling investments in Research and Development"
In the first half of 2022, Legend Holdings' Family Group's total R&D investment (excluding the capitalized R&D spending) reached RMB7.212 billion, and currently owns over 20,000 granted patents, ranking top among Chinese enterprises in various patent awards. Lenovo remains committed to its plan of doubling investments in R&D; it increased R&D spending by 23% year-on-year and grew R&D headcount by 29% year-on-year. Levima Advanced Materials adhered to its innovation-driven strategy. During the Reporting Period, it completed the laboratory R&D development for 9 new products and processes, the production technology formulas for 15 new products, and the industrialization of 5 new products.

— Continuously "long-sought" in the field of science and technology
In the first half of 2022, Legend Holdings' family group invested in nearly 50 new technology companies, covering multiple fields such as cutting-edge technologies, hard & core technologies, healthcare and medicine, and has contributed to the development of specialized and innovative enterprises in China through its empowerment. During the year as of August 15, 2022, 12 of its portfolio companies have successfully completed IPOs. Close to 50 of Legend Holdings' family group's portfolio companies made the newly announced list of the fourth official list of state-level specialized and innovative enterprises, such as Noitom, Hua Kong Tsingjiao, Spacety, Union Semiconductor, EasyDiagnosis Biomedicine, NuVolta Technologies, etc. Up to now, Legend Holdings' family group has nearly 100 specialized and innovative companies in its portfolio.

Adhering to green growth, playing the full strength as a chain leader, and actively fulfilling corporate social responsibility

Legend Holdings is committed to promoting green development philosophy through the efforts of its portfolio companies to seize the green development opportunities, and jointly build an ecological civilization. Lenovo has set a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, transforming into "net-zero carbon emission plants" on the basis of its state-level green plants. The Company continues to create and provide smart solutions that facilitate the green transformation, empowering over 300 top industrial enterprises in China. Levima Advanced Materials focused on the development of new energy materials and biodegradable materials on top of its existing EVA photovoltaic film business; BIL helped Chinese companies issue overseas green bonds to facilitate the development of green finance; at the same time, Legend Capital, Legend Star, Zhengqi Holdings, etc. have further expanded investments in related fields to promote innovation and technological progress.

In terms of industrial chain, Legend Holdings promoted its subsidiaries to give full play to their advantages in operations and supply chains and assisted the coordinated development across the industrial chains. Lenovo was named a Gartner Global 25 Supply Chain for the eighth consecutive time. 90% of its manufacturing was from China, with 2,000 level-1 suppliers, directly providing more than 350,000 jobs. Levima Advanced Materials continued to make efforts in the field of new materials, expanding vertically to the upstream of the industrial chain while horizontally expanding to new segments, driving the mutual development with SMEs.

Corporate social responsibility is an important part of Legend Holdings' overall strategy. The Company actively responds to the national call to steadily promote the implementation of the national employment stabilization policy within the family group, and carefully formulated and closely tracked various recruitment plans. While extensively attracting social talents, it focused on the recruitment of fresh graduates from colleges and universities, and actively expanded the scale of recruitment. In terms of public welfare undertakings, Legend Holdings has long focused on key areas such as fostering start-ups, contributing to rural revitalization, promoting social integrity and responding to disasters for years and insists on investing and carrying out relevant work effectively.

Mr. Ning Min, Chairman and Executive Director of Legend Holdings, said that, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, China coped well with the changes in the international environment, and achieved economic and social development while effectively coordinating pandemic prevention and control, adhering to the guiding ideology of "people-centered", and achieved a series of results in various tasks, which also created a good environment for the development of enterprises. In the first half of 2022, the Company continued to improve its position, strengthen its capabilities, seize the important opportunities arising from the transformation and upgrading of Chinese enterprises, focus on the real economy, increase efforts in the field of scientific and technological innovation, and earnestly fulfill its corporate social responsibilities. In the future, we will continue to aim at accomplishing the great goal of building a world-class enterprise, and contribute to the journey of achieving high-quality development and common prosperity!

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Newborn Town releases its 2022 Interim Results; Breakthrough in core social networking business, accelerated diversified growth

HONG KONG, Aug 30, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – On August 25, Newborn Town Inc. (9911.HK) released its 2022 interim results. For the half ended June 30, the Company's total revenue reached RMB 1,374 million, up 32.3% YoY; adjusted EBITDA reached RMB 210 million, up 19.5% YoY; profit attributable to the owner of the Company reached RMB 83 million, up 121.3% YoY.

The Company's successful model of social networking business continues to be replicated around the world. Its social networking revenue reached RMB 1,266 million, a growth of 52.4% YoY, indicating a steady breakthrough in the core business. At the same time, with the smooth progress of refined games, the Company's revenue from its innovative businesses totaled RMB 108 million, a rise of 91.7% compared to H2 2021, marking an accelerated diversified development.

– 'Replication in Products' + 'Replication in Markets' showing social networking products spread globally

Newborn Town has long focused on global open social networking, and has built an audio and video social networking product matrix, including MICO, an open social platform, YoHo, an audio-based social product, and Yumy, a video-matching social product. As of June 30, the Company's social products had accumulated 419 million downloads. Average MAUs (monthly active users) in the second quarter reached 23.09 million, representing an increase of 27% YoY.

With years of experience in exploring global markets as well as audio and video technology, Newborn Town has distilled a "replicable" model for its social networking business.

In terms of the products, the Company has accumulated successful experiences and applied those to new products, so as to promote fast growth and to expand their commercialization space. For instance, launched last year, Yumy has seen gross profit and become one of the top 10 best-selling social networking apps in 50 countries/regions after continuous optimization of its business model. It is a typical case of "Replication in Products".

In terms of markets, Newborn Town landed in new markets rapidly while consolidating its leading position in the markets where the Company has established a competitive edge. By now, YoHo, the product which started from the MENA region, has been successfully replicated in the market of pan-Southeast Asia. In the first half of the year, revenue from Non-MENA regions accounted for nearly 40% of YoHo's overall revenue, which proved significant to increase YoHo's revenue by more than 70% YoY.

Through 'Replication in Products' + 'Replication in Markets', Newborn Town found equal success in replicating its proven model of a single product to multiple products, and its success in a single market to multiple markets. The Company will keep developing mega-apps to cover global markets in more directions to realize strong and promising growth.

– Diversified growth accelerated as games show impressive monetization potential

In addition to the social networking business, the Company also made important breakthroughs in its innovative businesses that consists mainly of games in the first half of the year. The loss from the game business has narrowed significantly, which was one of the major reasons for the doubled profit attributable to the owner of the Company.

Specifically, products of the Company's Merge game series, "Mergeland – Animal Adventure" and "Mergeland – Alice's Adventure" were formally launched in April and June respectively. The series received rapidly increasing downloads and revenue after launch, and has become one of the top 10 best-sellers in the categories of puzzle and casual games in seven countries.

Bubble Shooter Star, another refined game by Newborn Town, also has good performance as indicated by the figures (e.g.: retention on the 30th day is above 15%) after it was launched at the beginning of this year. The game has shown great monetization potential as at present, its monthly revenue has reached the USD 1 million level.

In the second half of the year, further efforts will be made to promote the game experience, the user volume, and the monetization of the three games, so as to solidify the innovative businesses as a new point for growth.
What's more, the Company's Metaverse layout has been further enriched. In the first half of the year, it built partnerships with leading virtual technology companies to explore the creation of digital virtual characters, the construction of virtual scenes, the empowerment of AI virtual technology and other aspects. It also invested in Shi Mi Network, a smart wearable devices manufacturer, to take the "portal" of the Metaverse and accelerate the deep integration of the Company's social products with the Metaverse.

Big progresses of the innovative businesses have further accelerated the diversified growth of the Company, and the second growth curve is becoming clearer.

– Consolidated advantages and extended borders to keep high-quality development

The Company's commitment to R&D is a precondition for its performance breakthroughs. In the first half of the year, the Company's R&D expenses were RMB 91 million, up 69.6% YoY. As of June 30, the Company's R&D team expanded by 30.6% compared with December 31 2021. At the same time, through continuous cost optimization efforts, the Company's selling and marketing expenses in the first half totaled RMB 199 million, down 31.8% YoY.

On the other hand, the Company has persisted in localized operations to pursue Longtermism. It conducts in-depth operations and brand building efforts based on the understanding and respect of local cultures, and tries to integrate into the local industry and social development through industry media gathering and public welfare charities.

In the first half of the year, MICO released a theme song MV for Thailand, which was created and performed by a well-known local band. The song has been played for more than 90 million times due to its lively style catering to the local youth. It became a hit on local social media in a short time and aroused a boom of dance imitations that made the relaxed and cheerful style of the Company's social products rooted in the hearts of local users.

In the MENA market which the Company has deeply explored, Newborn Town, as a leading social networking company in the local market, held an industry media gathering of more than 20 local media. It helped the local market to establish a positive understanding about online social entertainment while promoting the development of the industry in the region.

With the continuous increase of R&D investment and the further promotion of localized operation, the Company's technology and operation middle platforms have become increasingly mature. Jointly, these strengths favored the Company in promoting the rapid upgrading of its social products in terms of user experience, market expansion and content distribution, and further accelerating the development of its social networking business.

In the future, Newborn Town will continue to enrich its product matrix, expand its market layout, optimize its operating efficiency, and explore diversified development opportunities to extend its boundaries. The Company will accelerate its progress towards the goal of "becoming the largest global open social networking platform".

For further information, please contact:
PEANUT MEDIA LIMITED
Direct Line: 0755-61619798+8210
Email: hswh.project@czgmcn.com

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Samaiden Group Posts 182% Jump in Full-Year Revenue

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, Aug 30, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Samaiden Group Berhad, a renewable energy (RE) specialist principally involved in engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and power plants today announced that for the fourth quarter ended 30 June 2022 (4Q FY2022), revenue increased 113.35% to RM53.68 million compared with RM25.16 million recorded in 4Q FY2021.

Group Managing Director of Samaiden, Ir. Chow Pui Hee

Samaiden registered profit before tax (PBT) of RM4.78 million for 4Q FY2022, which is an increase of 104.27% compared with RM2.34 million in 4Q FY2021 while profit after tax (PAT) recorded an increase of 95.43% to RM3.42 million compared with RM1.75 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

For the full year ended 30 June 2022 (FY2022), Samaiden registered revenue of RM150.72 million, which is an increase of 182.0% compared with RM53.44 million recorded in FY2021. Samaiden recorded a 103.73% gain in PBT to RM16.40 million in FY2022 compared with RM8.05 million while PAT increased 101.52% to RM11.93 million in FY2022 compared with RM5.92 million in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

EPCC services contributed more than 95% of Samaiden's total revenue for the year. Its other businesses are environmental consultancy and operation and maintenance.

Group Managing Director of Samaiden, Ir. Chow Pui Hee said, "Our performance for FY2022 can be largely attributed to the increase in the number of EPCC projects and the contract value of these projects. We will continue to seek opportunities to secure more EPCC projects given government initiatives in encouraging sustainable energy sources as well as private sector adoption of RE as part of their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives."

"These opportunities cover solar PV systems and also solar and non-solar power plants where we can leverage on our core competency and experience in providing end-to-end services. Beyond the domestic market, we are also seeking opportunities in Southeast Asia where ESG initiatives are also picking up. We announced in August 2022 to incorporate a joint venture company pursuant to the partnership with Aneka Jaringan Holdings Berhad to penetrate the RE market in Indonesia. This latest announcement is in addition to the setting up of a company in Vietnam in 2021 for potential solar projects."

"We are cautiously optimistic for FY2023 as we also look to expand our presence through collaborating with our major shareholder, Chudenko Corporation, for projects in Malaysia and the region that will be beneficial for both parties. We are also encouraged by the recent government announcement approving the allocation of 1,200 MW of solar power as well as a new option for businesses to procure RE through the virtual power purchase agreement, which will start in the fourth quarter of 2022 through a quota of 600MW."

Samaiden has an outstanding orderbook of RM358.0 million as of 30 June 2022 that will contribute positively to our financial performance over the next three years.

About Samaiden Group Berhad

Samaiden Group Berhad, through its subsidiary is a renewable energy (RE) specialist incorporated in 2013, principally involved in engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and power plants. Samaiden Group's other activities include the provision of RE and environmental consulting services, as well as operation and maintenance (O&M) services. For more information, visit samaiden.com.my.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

PLS Plantations PAT up by 109.6%

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – PLS Plantations Berhad recorded a net profit after tax (PAT) of RM35.0 million, a strong conclusion to the financial year ended 30 June 2022 (FY2022). This represents an increase of 109.6% compared to RM16.7 million in the preceding financial year ended 30 June 2021 (FY2021). Total revenue for FY2022 stood at an all-time high of RM184.1 million, up 36.5% compared to RM134.8 million in FY2021 driven by increased sales and higher average selling prices of fresh fruit bunches (FFB).

Annual PAT was further moderated by several factors, including the recognition of fair value loss in biological assets of RM5.2 million compared to a RM1.4 million gain in the preceding quarter (Q3FY2022), higher tax, administration expenses, and a one-off provision for doubtful debt in the manufacturing and trading segment which the Company incurred in the last quarter of FY2022.

Net profit after tax and minority interest (PATMI) for the year stood at RM27.3 million, up 118.4% from RM12.5 million in the preceding financial year. The positive performance was mainly due to the improved quarter on quarter (QoQ) revenue of RM44.8 million up by 41.8% from RM31.6 million in the corresponding quarter for the period ended 31 June 2021 (Q5FY2021).

For the fourth quarter ended 30 June 2022 (Q4FY2022), PLS Plantations saw a dip in its PBT to RM4.8 million or 12.7% lower compared to RM5.5 million in Q5FY2021. Overall QoQ PAT saw a decrease to RM0.6 million, a decrease of 82.5% compared to RM3.7 million in the corresponding quarter last year. Earnings per share (EPS) currently stands at -0.10 sen (diluted) compared to 0.65 sen last year.

PLS Plantations Group CEO Lee Hun Kheng said, "It has been an eventful year for PLS Plantations. In addition to diversifying the business into different cash crops, we are also building our distribution channels and diversifying into downstream products, specifically into durian consumer products. We are focused on rolling out our Agropreneur Programme and building the Integrated Agrotech Park. Our collaboration with both the Federal and State Government and ecosystem partners will be the backbone of our efforts to play a role in strengthening the local agrofood ecology and network which will contribute to the nation's overall food security. Over the coming months, we will be executing a series of partnerships that will allow PLS to fast track our crop diversification efforts – specifically intercropping and cash crops."

The key initiatives for FY2022 initiated by PLS Plantations as part of its plan to become the nation's leading sustainable agrofood company are:

i. a joint venture with Landasan Erajaya Sdn Bhd ("LESB") on a proposed collaboration to undertake intercropping with cash crops, durian and other forest plantation activities;
ii. signing of Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries ("MAFI") to conduct an in-depth study and put forward a proposal for the national food security agenda; and
iii. launched the PLS Agropreneur Programme and PLS Integrated Agrotech Park to strengthen the local agrofood ecosystem.

About PLS Plantations Berhad

PLS Plantations was incorporated in Malaysia in 1987 and was listed on the Second Board of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange in 1995. Currently listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad, PLS and its subsidiaries are involved in the management and operation of forest, oil palm and durian plantations, as well as the processing, distribution and sale of durian products.

Forward-Looking Statements

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