Edvantage Group Announces FY2024 Interim Results

Highlights(Unaudited relevant data for the six months ended 29 February 2024)

  • Revenue increased by 19.3% YoY to approximately RMB1,160.2 million;
  • Gross profit rose by 17.5% YoY to approximately RMB578.0 million;
  • Profit for the period attributable to owners of the Company rose by 13.2% YoY to approximately RMB338.2 million;
  • Number of student enrolments increased by 12.3% over the corresponding period of last year to 96,100;
  • Cash and cash equivalents amounted to RMB1,491.0 million, indicating ample liquidity;
  • Interim dividend per share of 9.6 HK cents with a dividend payout ratio of 30%.

HONG KONG, Apr 26, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Edvantage Group Holdings Limited (“Edvantage Group” or the “Group”, stock code: 0382.HK) has announced its unaudited FY2024 Interim Results for the six months ended 29 February 2024 (the “Reporting Period”). During the Reporting Period, by actively responding to national policies and closely following the market demand and industry development trends, the Group continued to increase its investment in school operations, deepened the integration of industry and education and school-enterprise cooperation, and continuously optimized the layout of vocational education disciplines, so as to realize sustainable development in the seamless connection of education and employment, thereby achieving steady improvement in results.

During the Reporting Period, the Group’s revenue was approximately RMB1,160.2 million, representing an increase of 19.3% over the corresponding period of the preceding year, mainly due to the increase in the number of students enrolled in the Group’s domestic schools. Profit for the period attributable to owners of the Company rose by 13.2% YoY to approximately RMB338.2 million. The Group’s cash and cash equivalents amounted to RMB1,491.0 million, indicating ample liquidity. The number of students enrolled in the Group’s schools continued to rise to new heights, reaching approximately 96,000. The Board of Directors of the Group has recommended the payment of an interim dividend of HK9.6 cents per share for the six months ended 29 February 2024, representing a dividend payout ratio of 30%.

From left to right: Mr. Yan Kwok Ting Sunny, Director of Investment, Corporate Finance & Investor Relations Department;
Ms. Liu Wenqi, Chief Operating Officer; Ms. Liu Yi Man, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer;
Mr. Liu Yuk Tung, Chief Financial Officer.

Optimizing the layout of vocational education disciplines and realizing the seamless integration of education and employment

In recent years, the Group has established its presence in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, and expanded across the country and around the world. In line with the current trend and taking into consideration the industrial development and market demand, the Group has actively explored the new collaborative education model between “schools, communities and enterprises” to cultivate inter-disciplinary skilled application-oriented talents in high demand in the market. To address the talent demands of national strategic emerging industries and emerging innovative industries, the Group fully leveraged the advantages of its schools in multi-disciplinary development, covering economics, management, liberal arts, engineering, arts, education, science, and medicine, and improved the discipline layout by actively offering market-needed disciplines, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, new energy, dentistry, animation and design, digital economics, etc. Meanwhile, with the aim of achieving a “seamless transition” from academics to employment and bridging the gap between on-campus education and internship, the Group has newly established digital commerce and industrial college, animation and gaming industry college, Guangdong rural leisure industry college and other colleges, etc., and has forged school-enterprise cooperation with over 1,000 large enterprises, including Huawei, CMGE, Bosch, Oracle, JD.com and iFLYTEK during the Reporting Period.

Closely following national policies and focusing on connotation development

Recognition of outstanding educational achievements

Since its establishment, the Group has actively responded to national policies, kept abreast of market demand and industry development trends, and continued to increase its investment in the running of schools. During the Reporting Period, Guangzhou Huashang Vocational College was successfully approved to set up the Doctoral Workstation of Guangdong Province, making it the only private higher vocational college among the batch of approved organizations. Meanwhile, by strengthening teacher training, raising teacher remuneration, optimizing teacher appraisal mechanisms and other measures, the Group provides solid guarantees for the high-quality development of its schools. In addition, the Group has also embarked on campus construction, renovation and upgrading of training facilities and equipment to create a high-quality educational environment and realize a steady improvement in benefits. With optimized connotation development, the operational strengths of the Group’s colleges has also improved significantly, enabling the Group to deliver outstanding educational performance. During the Reporting Period, a new breakthrough was achieved again in the construction of first-class program at Guangzhou Huashang College, with a total of seven programs selected as first-class undergraduate programs at the provincial level. Guangzhou Huashang Vocational College was awarded the “National Exemplary Vocational College of 2023” by Tencent News on the basis of unique teaching concepts and outstanding educational achievements, and Urban Vocational College of Sichuan was ranked fourth in China and first in Sichuan in the 2024 GDI Top 100 Private Higher Vocational Colleges, and ranked ninth in China and first in Sichuan in terms of the number of scientific research projects launched by higher vocational education colleges in 2023. Therefore, it can be seen that through the continuous improvement in connotation development, the Group’s colleges have been able to reap greater synergies and build a stronger reputation for school operations. High-quality education has also become a strong driver for promoting sustainable and healthy growth in the Group’s results.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, with strong government policy support and over 20 years of experience in private education, the Group will continue to deepen the integration of industry and education and school-enterprise cooperation, and keep pace with the development of the country’s strategic emerging industry clusters. Driven by the development of core disciplines and discipline groups, the Group will vigorously develop new and cross-disciplines, such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, financial science and technology, healthcare and elderly care, etc. In order to promote the optimization and upgrading of the schools’ disciplines and cultivate a new generation of high-quality and application-oriented talents with international vision, thus making positive contributions to laying a solid foundation of talents for the realization of national strategic goals and promoting the high-quality development of vocational education.

About Edvantage Group Holdings Limited

Edvantage Group Holdings Limited (“Edvantage Group” or the “Group”, stock code: 0382.HK) is the largest private business higher education and vocational education group in the Greater Bay Area, and an early mover in education sector in pursuing international expansion, listed in Hong Kong Main Board on 16 July 2019. The total number of full-time student enrolments of the Group was approximately 96,100 as of 29 February 2024. Operated 9 private education institutions, namely, Guangzhou Huashang College (Applied Undergraduate), Guangzhou Huashang Vocational College (Higher Vocational Education) and Guangdong Huashang Technical School (Secondary Vocational Education) located in Guangdong Province, the PRC; Urban Vocational College of Sichuan (Higher Vocational Education) and Urban Technician College of Sichuan (Secondary Vocational Education) in Sichuan Province, the PRC; GBA Business School (GBABS) in Hong Kong, the PRC; Global Business College of Australia (GBCA) and Edvantage Institute Australia (EIA) in Australia; as well as Edvantage Institute (Singapore) (EIS) in the downtown of Singapore.

While focusing on school operations, the Group also actively fulfil corporate social responsibility, extensively contributing to social welfare programmes including charity, poverty alleviation, education and revitalisation, in order to take the initiative in repaying society through action. Since its listing, the Group has made outstanding contributions in the field of ESG and has won the “Best ESG Innovation Award” from Zhitong Finance, the “ESG Leader Award” from Gelonghui, and the “Highest Investor Attention Award” from Huashengtong in 2023.



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Imexpharm Corporation Hosts Shareholders, Analysts and Potential Investors at its 2024 Annual General Meeting

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM, Apr 26, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Imexpharm Corporation (“Imexpharm” or the “Company,” IMP.VN), a pioneering leader in Vietnam’s pharmaceutical industry, announced that its 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) was held today at the Hilton Saigon Hotel, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Ms. Chaerhan Chun, Non-Executive Chairman of Imexpharm’ s Board of Directors, said, “In 2023, Imexpharm met head on the challenges created by the complex macro environment, including inflation, geoeconomic fragmentation, geopolitical instability and climate change, and reported its best performance since listing in 2006.”

Ms. Tran Thi Dao, General Director of the Executive Board, and Executive Director of Imexpharm’ s Board of Directors commented, “We are delighted with Imexpharm’ s performance. Our decades of investing in technology such that we have the largest number of EU-GMP production lines, has given us a strong competitive advantage in the hospital channel, which has helped to drive our record-breaking growth in 2023.”

2023 was a record-breaking year for Imexpharm. The Company’s total revenue increased by 26% YoY to to VND2,113.0 billion. This represents a record year of growth for the Company, and compares favourably to overall market growth of 8%. EBITDA jumped 31% to end the year at VND466.0 billion, significantly ahead of the Company’s budgeted numbers. Over the past five years, Imexpharm’s EBITDA CAGR has been an impressive 17.5%.

Throughout 2023, Imexpharm maintained its leading position for the production and distribution of antibiotics in Vietnam, boasting a market share approaching 9%. At the same time, the Company’s diversification initiatives yielded robust revenues from various product categories, notably cough medications, analgesics, antipyretics and digestive aids. Furthermore, Imexpharm strategically expanded its revenue streams by venturing into the lucrative segments of vitamins and health supplements, aligning with the growing wellness market.

With its commitment to meeting evolving consumer demands through product diversification, Imexpharm embarked on exploring international markets in 2023. The Company is well positioned strategically to extend its sales footprint into diverse markets across Asia and Europe. This is thanks to its international-standard Safety, Health, Environment (SHE) protocols and Maintenance, Repair, Operations (MRO) standards, in addition to the 27 European Union Marketing Authorizations (MAs) it holds.

To express its gratitude for shareholders’ ongoing support, the Board of Directors of Imexpharm will implement a new dividend policy for 2024/2025, increasing it to 20%, with 10% in the form of a cash dividend and 10% in stock dividends. The resolution to approve this was successfully passed at today’s AGM.

Looking into 2024, despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, Vietnam and the domestic pharmaceutical industry are expected to continue to grow. The IMF is forecasting that Vietnam will be the world’s 20th fastest growing economy. Reflecting its ambitions for the economy, the National Assembly has set a 2024 GDP growth target for Vietnam of 6.0-6.5%, more than double the IMF’s expectations for that measure globally.

While the Vietnamese pharmaceutical sector is expected to grow by 6% to 8% over the year, Imexpharm is committed to double-digit growth. Following its record-breaking year in 2023, Imexpharm is targeting gross revenue growth of 24% in 2024. Within this, the Company expects to achieve robust revenue growth in the fast-growing ETC sales channel of 49%. The Company also aims to further boost its EBITDA by 18%.

Imexpharm recently reported revenue growth for Q1 2024, despite a complex operating environment inevitably impacting performance during the quarter.  The systems and processes put in place by the Company to handle market fluctuations, as well as its plans for new products and new markets, mean Imexpharm is confident in meeting its targets for the year ahead.

Ms. Chaerhan Chun said, “Doing business in a highly competitive and continuously changing pharmaceutical sector is not easy.  This makes me incredibly proud of Imexpharm’ s many achievements during 2023.  This coming year, we will continue to meet all challenges head on, flexing our business model to meet customer demand and to deliver on the promises we have made today to our shareholders.”

Ms. Tran Thi Dao commented, “2024 is another challenging year ahead, but we are prepared for this, and have a robust growth plan for delivering another record year of results. We will continue to expand our revenues aggressively and are seeing terrific growth particularly in the ETC channel. Our factories, including our newest IMP4 factory, are gearing up production to meet the high levels of demand we have from our customers. As we continue to diversify our products and look to grow in new markets, I am excited about our next phase of growth ahead.”

About Imexpharm

Imexpharm is a market leader in manufacturing and distributing high quality antibiotics in Vietnam. Over its close to fifty-year history, the company has been a pioneer in Vietnam’s rapidly evolving pharmaceutical industry, focusing on international partnerships and operating at the highest safety and quality standards.  Looking to the future, it is strategically and financially poised for growth domestically and on the global stage, and has been, and will continue to expand its portfolio into new treatment areas and wellness.

For more information, please contact:

Nguyen An Duy, CFO

ir@imexpharm.com

+84 277 385 1941

Le Thanh Hang, IR Director

hanglt@imexpharm.com

+84 (0) 91 201 1942

Nguyen Thi Kim Le, Investor Relations

lenguyen@imexpharm.com

+84 (0) 39 949 4911

Ho Thi Kieu Trinh, Investor Relations

trinhhtk@imexpharm.com

+84 (0) 90 908 1014

 



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Black Spade Donates Art and Jewellery Collection To Hong Kong Red Cross

HONG KONG, Apr 25, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Black Spade Capital Limited (“Black Spade”), the family office of Mr. Lawrence Ho, is delighted to announce its donation of a stunning art and jewellery collection to the Hong Kong Red Cross (“Red Cross”). The gift represents Mr. Ho’s and Black Spade’s commitment to social responsibility and its unwavering dedication to creating a positive impact on the community.

The collection, comprising an array of 43 precious pieces from fine jewellery such as necklaces, pendants, brooches, jade to rare coins and stamps, highlights exceptional craftmanship and exquisite design. Whether these items showcase how Chinese culture is fused into everyday life through wearable art, or bear witness of momentous world events over the past several decades, they symbolise cultural heritage and are true embodiment of timeless elegance.

Mr Dennis Tam, President and CEO of Black Spade, said, “Black Spade is honoured to contribute this extraordinary collection to Red Cross. Red Cross has been serving the community since 1950 with a reputable track record of providing emergency relief and humanitarian aid. We firmly believe in the power of collective action to bring about meaningful change, and we are confident that this donation will make a significant difference in the lives of those in need. We hope that our contribution will inspire others to join us in our mission to create a brighter and more equitable future for all.”

Dr Lau Chor Chiu, Chairperson of the Hong Kong Red Cross, stated, “We sincerely thank Mr. Lawrence Ho and Black Spade for their generous donation. The Hong Kong Red Cross will use these art collections to support its fundraising efforts and further advance our humanitarian work, such as providing emergency disaster relief and preparedness, community health, humanitarian engagement, and special education and rehabilitation services for vulnerable communities. We hope this inspiring act of generosity will encourage more individuals and organizations to support our work and act together to build a safer, healthier and more cohesive community.”

Photo caption:

From the left: Mr. Dennis Tam, President and CEO of Black Spade and Dr Lau Chor Chiu GMSM, MH, JP, Chairperson of the Hong Kong Red Cross

About Black Spade Capital Limited

Black Spade Capital Limited is an established family office that manages the private investments of Mr. Lawrence Ho. Headquartered in Hong Kong, its global portfolio consists of a wide spectrum of cross-border investments as it consistently seeks to add new projects and opportunities to its investment mix. Black Spade’s investment strategy maximizes coverage of geographic regions and sectors whilst maintaining a portfolio of diversified asset classes, ranging from equity, fixed income, medical technology, leisure and culture, green energy, real estate to Pre-IPO investments. In August 2023, Black Spade Acquisition Co, a blank check company (SPAC) sponsored by Black Spade, completed a US$23 billion business combination with VinFast Auto Ltd.

About the Hong Kong Red Cross

Established in 1950, the Hong Kong Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the world’s humanitarian network serving over 190 countries. It dedicates itself to motivating people from all walks of life to put humanitarian spirit into action. With services in four main areas, namely, “Emergency Relief and Disaster Preparedness”, “Community Health Service and Education”, “Humanitarian Engagement and Education”, and “Special Education and Rehabilitation”, it provides a diversified humanitarian platform for Hong Kong citizens. Please visit www.redcross.org.hk for details.



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Legacy Credit Emerges as a Substantial Shareholder in VCI Global

KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 24, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Legacy Credit Sdn Bhd (“Legacy Credit” or the “Company”), a recognised entity in the financial services sector, is pleased to announce a substantial investment exceeding 5% stake through a private placement in VCI Global Limited (NASDAQ: VCIG) (“VCI Global”). Under this shares placement agreement, Legacy Credit will invest $2.5 million in VCI Global. This positions Legacy Credit as a substantial shareholder, reflecting its strategic commitment to enhancing financial solutions and expanding its influence across the ASEAN region.

L-R: Nelson Goh, Director and CEO of Legacy Credit and Dato' Victor Hoo, Group Executive Chairman and CEO of VCI Global
L-R: Nelson Goh, Director and CEO of Legacy Credit and Dato’ Victor Hoo, Group Executive Chairman and CEO of VCI Global

VCI Global, known for its expertise in Corporate Finance, has a proven track record of facilitating SMEs in achieving Nasdaq listings, which is critical for companies aiming to tap into international markets. This partnership is expected to leverage Legacy Credit’s robust financial network and VCI Global’s technical prowess to foster substantial economic growth and innovation.

Mr. Nelson Goh, Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Legacy Credit commented, “Our significant investment in VCI Global is more than a financial venture; it’s a strategic alliance. With this move, we aim to blend VCI’s esteemed capabilities with our innovative approaches to open up new pathways for ASEAN SMEs on global platforms such as Nasdaq.”

Dato’ Victor Hoo, Group Executive Chairman and CEO of VCI Global stated, ” We are delighted to welcome Legacy Credit as a valued investor. Their confidence in VCIG underscores our reliability and investment potential. Legacy Credit’s investment will boost our business, accelerate our growth trajectory, and drive long-term value for our stakeholders, demonstrating our commitment for further company growth.”

This strategic investment marks a milestone for Legacy Credit, highlighting its commitment to facilitating broader economic opportunities and enhancing its portfolio of financial services. Through this collaboration, Legacy Credit aims to further its vision of delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses in ASEAN and beyond.



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Prestigious titles for top developers at the 14th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore)

SINGAPORE, Apr 18, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Organisers of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) have announced their call for entries ahead of this year’s highly anticipated gala celebration.

The 14th Annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore), supported by Mitsubishi Electric Asia, are now open for entries until 30 August 2024.

The 14th Annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore), supported by Mitsubishi Electric Asia, are now accepting submissions from the industry and the public via asiapropertyawards.com/nominations until 30 August 2024.

Bringing the city-state’s finest developers together, the black-tie gala dinner and presentation of the Awards are now scheduled for Friday, 8 November 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

Key dates for the 2024 edition:
30 August 2024 – Entries close
23 September-4 October 2024 – Site Inspections
7 October 2024 – Final Judging
8 November 2024 – Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Singapore
13 December 2024 – Regional Grand Final Gala Presentation in Bangkok, Singapore

Raising standards

Almost 90 categories are in the latest edition of the Awards, raising the Gold Standard of real estate higher in Singapore for 2024. 

Newly added categories include the never-before-presented ESG awards, recognising excellence in the spheres of sustainable design, sustainable construction, energy efficiency, and social impact. Other new categories include awards for the country’s finest investment properties.

An independent panel of judges, composed of seasoned professionals from diverse segments within the real estate realm, ensures a fair and transparent selection process. HLB, the worldwide network of independent advisory and accounting firms, supervises the entirety of the judging process.

Kristin Thorsteins, chairperson of the panel of judges and head of partnerships – growth for APAC at IWG PLC, said: “Joining the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards is a valuable investment for Singaporean property developers, offering independent validation of their projects, boosting brand recognition, and generating wide-reaching media exposure. This recognition translates to increased trust from buyers and investors, differentiating the developer in a competitive market. Additionally, the awards offer networking opportunities with leading industry players, provide an avenue to benchmark quality, and can lead to increased sales and the ability to command premium pricing.”

Resilience of demand

The enhanced, diversified categories point to the continual resilience of demand for residential properties in Singapore.

Seven in 10 Singaporeans intend to buy a property, with more than half planning to buy it within the next five years, according to the PropertyGuru Singapore Consumer Sentiment Study (CSS) H1 2024.

The study further revealed that the overall Sentiment Index has remained stable at 44 points, a slight increase from the last wave in the H2 2023 report at 43 points.

Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: “With its inherent stability, Singapore continues to offer attractive options for property buyers and investors in the Asia Pacific region. We look forward to honouring the finest real estate in Southeast Asia’s most resilient market as it continues to set the highest standards in urban development. The latest edition of these Awards is also an opportunity to showcase the superior built spaces that make Singapore a city of tomorrow and a future-ready destination to live, work, and thrive.”

Top representation

Top developers successfully represented Singapore at the 18th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final in December 2023.

GuocoLand won Best Developer (Asia) for the third time in the history of the Grand Final, also known as the culmination of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series. Other winning developers included Frasers Property Singapore, recipient of the Best Mixed Use Developer (Asia) award, and UOL Group Limited and Pan Pacific Hotels Group, recipients of the Best Hospitality Developer (Asia) award. UOL Group Limited also won the Best Sustainable Developer (Asia) award while EL Development Pte Ltd won the Best Hospitality Interior Design (Asia) award. 

The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) are part of the regional PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series, marking its 19th year in 2024. The series covers key markets across the region, spanning Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania, with exclusive gala dinners and ceremonies that represent the most anticipated property events of the year. 

Organised by PropertyGuru Group (NYSE:PGRU), the 14th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) are supported by gold sponsor Mitsubishi Electric Asia; official portal partner PropertyGuru.com.sg; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; media partner Top 10 Singapore; and official supervisor HLB.

For more information, email awards@propertyguru.com or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU ASIA PROPERTY AWARDS

PropertyGuru’s Asia Property Awards, established in 2005, are the region’s most exclusive and prestigious real estate awards programme. The Asia Property Awards are recognised as the ultimate hallmark of excellence in the Asian property sector. Boasting an independent panel of industry experts and trusted supervisors, the Awards have an unparalleled reputation for being credible, ethical, fair, and transparent. 

In 2024, the Awards series is open to key property markets around the region. The exciting gala events welcome senior industry leaders and top media, as well as reach property agents and consumers via live streaming. Recognising excellence within each Asian market with a variety of categories, including green and sustainable development, each local awards programme will culminate in the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which takes place after the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit during ‘PropertyGuru Week’ in December 2024. 

For more information, please visit AsiaPropertyAwards.com

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU GROUP

PropertyGuru is Southeast Asia’s leading(1) PropTech company, and the preferred destination for over 34 million property seekers(2) to connect with almost 55,000 agents monthly(3) to find their dream home. PropertyGuru empowers property seekers with more than 2.8 million real estate listings(4), in-depth insights, and solutions that enable them to make confident property decisions across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in Singapore in 2007 and since then, PropertyGuru Group has made the property journey a transparent one for property seekers in Southeast Asia. In the last 16 years, PropertyGuru has grown into a high-growth PropTech company with a robust portfolio including leading property marketplaces and award-winning mobile apps across its core markets; mortgage marketplace, PropertyGuru Finance; home services platform, Sendhelper; a host of proprietary enterprise solutions under PropertyGuru For Business including DataSenseValueNetAwards, events and publications across Asia. 

For more information, please visit: PropertyGuruGroup.com; PropertyGuru Group on LinkedIn

(1) Based on SimilarWeb data between July 2023 and December 2023.
(2) Based on Google Analytics data between July 2023 and December 2023.
(3) Based on data between October 2023 and December 2023.
(4) Based on data between October 2023 and December 2023.

PROPERTYGURU CONTACTS:

General Enquiries:
Richard Allan Aquino, Head of Brand & Marketing Services
M: +66 92 954 4154
E: allan@propertyguru.com   

Media & Partnerships:
Piyachanok Raungpaka, Media Relations & Marketing Services Executive
M: +66 94 887 5163
E: piyachanok@propertyguru.com    

Sales & Nominations:Alicia Loh, Awards Manager (Singapore)
M: +65 8382 0078
E: alicia@propertyguru.com.sg



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Hong Kong Interior Design Firm Junee (JUNE) to Debut on the Nasdaq

HONG KONG, Apr 17, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Junee Limited, a well-known interior design company in Hong Kong, is pleased to announce that the pricing of its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 2,000,000 ordinary shares at a price of $4.00 per share. The ordinary shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and are expected to commence trading on April 17, 2024 (Wednesday) under the ticker symbol “JUNE”, marking the company’s formal entry into the international capital market.

The company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, OPS Interior Design Consultant Limited (“OPS HK”), provides quality interior design, fit-out and maintenance services to both residential and commercial clients in the Hong Kong interior design market. The interior design service involves preliminary consulting services, conceptualizing clients’ design ideas with layout plans, and producing detailed design drawings. Fit-out work generally includes any activities making an interior space suitable for residential or commercial purposes.

OPS HK also provides a broad range of repair and maintenance services including routine home condition upkeep services. OPS HK won the Muse Design Award in 2020, and was the given Most Valuable Companies in HongKong Award 2020 by Mediazone.

For further information, please contact:
PEANUT MEDIA LIMITED
Direct Line: +86-755-61619798 x8210
Email: hswh.project@czgmcn.com 



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

CIRC Announces 2023 Annual Results

HONG KONG, Apr 17, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – China Isotope & Radiation Corporation (“CIRC” or the “Company” , together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”; Stock Code: 1763.HK) announces the audited consolidated financial statements of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2023 (“2023” or the “Reporting Period”).

For the year ended 31 December 2023, the Group operated five business segments, namely pharmaceuticals, radioactive source products, irradiation, radiation therapy equipment and related services and other businesses. In 2023, the Group continued to intensify our market development efforts and achieved continued growth in economic efficiency. For the year of 2023, the Group recorded revenue of RMB6.635 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.8%; gross profit was RMB3,482.2 million, gross margin was 52.5%; realized net profit of RMB776.1 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.8%, with net profit attributable to the parent company achieving RMB371.0 million.

Pharmaceutical segment: Magnificent development in existing industries and businesses with steady expansion of industry influence

In 2023, in respect of pharmaceutical segment, the Group provided a stable supply of radiopharmaceuticals to domestic medical institutions and strengthened the promotion of nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment technology to clinical departments and other market development work, while continuously promoting development in existing industries and businesses. Through academic conferences and other means, the Group conducted scientific popularization for the general public and nuclear medicine clients on new products such as “therapeutic sodium iodine-131 capsule” and scientific radionuclide, enhancing its influence in the field of nuclear medicine. In December 2023, therapeutic sodium iodine-131 capsule manufactured by HTA Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Group, has successfully entered the National Drug List for Basic Medical Insurance, Work-Related Injury Insurance and Maternity Insurance (2023) as a drug covered by the national medical insurance negotiations.

During the Reporting Period, the Group recorded RMB4,128.6 million in revenue from sales of pharmaceuticals, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.2%, accounting for 62.2% of the total revenue, recorded RMB1,682.8 million in revenue from imaging diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.3%, and recorded RMB2,323.8 million in revenue from breath test.

Radioactive source products business: Successfully providing service for the Shenzhou XV manned spacecraft and remaining a high market share

In 2023, the supporting radioactive source developed by the Group for the Shenzhou XV manned spacecraft performed satisfactorily during the mission by ensuring accurate ignition command of the thrust reverser engine by the Y-altitude control device and safe and soft landing of the returning capsule, thereby guaranteeing the successful completion of Shenzhou XV manned mission. The technology of reusing retired radioactive source has made outstanding contributions in the field of applied research on circular economy, and won the First Prize of Sichuan Province Low Carbon Science and Technology Award. During the Reporting Period, a new type of domestically produced krypton [85kr] thickness gauge sources was officially launched into the market.

During the Reporting Period, the Group recorded RMB586.2 million in revenue from radioactive source products, representing a year-on-year increase of 0.9%. Gamma knife source and non-destructive testing radioactive source remained a stable and high market share, achieving growth in revenue, of which, gamma knife source realized operating revenue of RMB73 million and non-destructive testing radioactive source realized operating revenue of RMB89 million.

Irradiation business: Continuously innovating the mode of cooperation and sales revenue of new products reaching a record high

In 2023, the Company made innovation in the mode of cooperation and made deep-seated efforts to lay out its business in and explore EB curing industry, resulting in completion of technique and production line of EB plates, while arranging for EB color-coated plates and EB film so as to build EB curing industrial ecosystem. BINE High-Tech Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Group, successfully completed the after-sales maintenance for the 4 million curies BFT gamma irradiation equipment of Grand Ten Holdings in Malaysia, which is the first export project of BINE High-Tech Co., Ltd. and has maintained safe operation for 10 years without any incident.

During the Reporting Period, the Group actively explored the irradiation product market, with sales revenue of new irradiation products soaring to over RMB28.5 million, reaching a record high. The Group recorded RMB170.8 million in revenue from irradiation-related business.

Radiation therapy equipment and related services: Accelerating domestic manufacturing process of high-end radiotherapy equipment and the first product has successfully obtained approval

In 2023, the Group accelerated domestic manufacturing process of high-end radiotherapy equipment. On 28 September 2023, CNNC Accuray (Tianjin) Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (“CNNC Accuray”), a subsidiary of the Group, successfully obtained the medical device registration certificate issued by the National Medical Products Administration for its domestic high-end spiral tomotherapy system (TOMO C). This product has become the first domestic spiral tomotherapy product in the high-end medical field in China. The official mass production launch event and investor exchange meeting of TOMO C was held in Tianjin on 25 October.

In addition, CNHE-MDR, the outcome of the mobile digital medical X-ray photography system research and development project, was approved in June 2023 and obtained the medical device registration certificate. The Smart Cobalt-60-based Cone Beam Focused Stereotactic Therapy System project has completed the product type testing and entered the clinical trial stage smoothly. The SPECT/CT project has passed the general inspection and acceptance of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, with an acceptance rating of “excellent”.

During the Reporting Period, the Group recorded RMB933.7 million in revenue from nuclear medical equipment and related services, representing a year-on-year increase of 27.5%, and accounting for 14.1% of total revenue, making it the second largest source of revenue.

International business: Gradually deepening the global presence and making breakthroughs in a number of businesses

During the Reporting Period, the Group robustly explored the international market and exported breath test kits, radioimmunity kits, radiopharmaceuticals dispensing equipment, medical equipment and devices as well as other products to dozens of countries and regions such as Indonesia, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Bangladesh, Singapore and Vietnam, realizing a total export revenue of RMB430 million. International business revenue from regular medical products maintained significant growth in 2023.

Marketing: Promoting brand building in an orderly manner and fully utilizing the value of the IAEA platform

During the Reporting Period, the Group deepened its brand building efforts. In May 2023, the Group successfully organized the “Sichuan Medical Isotopes and Radiopharmaceutical Industry Development Promotion Summit” in conjunction with eight departments in Sichuan Province. In September 2023, the Group contributed to and participated in the Conference on the High-quality Development of the Nuclear Technology Application Industry, the 2nd China-ASEAN Forum for Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology, and etc. where the Group launched cooperation demonstration projects, signed business cooperation documents, and displayed nuclear medical equipment and digital exhibits for nuclear medicine. The Group participated in the Academic Annual Conference of the Nuclear Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association in 2023 to launch the Radiant Intelligence 1.0 Intelligent Nuclear Medicine System, and co-hosted the 2nd International Forum on the Development of Nuclear Technology Application Industry in October 2023, fully demonstrating the CIRC’s leadership in nuclear technology application industry.

Furthermore, the Group has been actively leveraging the value of the IAEA Collaboration Center platform to enhance its international influence. In August 2023, the Group hosted the “International Training Course on Radiopharmaceuticals Preparation for the Asia-Pacific Region” in the name of the IAEA Collaboration Center for Radiopharmaceuticals and Radioactive Sources. The Group has persisted in reform of its marketing center to foster the synergistic, high-quality and safe development of its business in radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive sources and radioactive particles. In respect of the marketing of domestic nuclides, internal resources were coordinated and integrated for production, sales, distribution and services of domestic Lu-177 and Ge/Ga generators, laying the foundation for market development after reaching design capacity thereof in 2024.

Scientific research and innovation: Multiple projects conducting clinical trial and work related to intellectual properties gaining significant progress

The Group has always actively conducted research and development work on various types of imaging diagnosis and therapeutic pharmaceuticals to fill gaps in various fields of medical treatment and meet the medical needs of China. As of 31 December 2023, the Group had a number of imaging diagnosis and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals under research and development. Among them, sodium fluorine injection has completed clinical trials and was submitted for new drug application; iodine-MIBG injection was in Phase III clinical trial; technetium sulfide colloidal injection, Ga-Dotatate injection, fluorine betazine injection, fluorine stamine injection, fluorine-L dopa injection and lutetium oxyoctreotide injection were approved for the clinical trial, and a variety of imaging diagnosis and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals were in preclinical research and development stage.

During the Reporting Period, the Group yielded remarkable results in the work related to intellectual properties, with a total of 298 patents applied, 240 patent authorizations obtained, including 5 foreign design patent authorizations. As of 31 December 2023, the Group had 945 active licensed patents, among which there were 149 invention patents, sustaining and enhancing its technological strength. the Company had 11 registered trademarks, 38 registered copyrights, 1 national standard, 1 energy industry standard and 6 group standards issued, and 1 national standard, 1 agricultural industry standard, 4 nuclear industry standards and 12 group standards under preparation/to be released.

In terms of technological awards and honors, during the Reporting Period, the Group won 1 provincial and ministerial technology award, 4 social science and technology awards, 1 group-level science and technology award, and 3 awards in the CNNC Science and Innovation Competition.

Outlook

Looking ahead, CIRC will give full play to the unique advantages of nuclear medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of major diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and malignant tumors, and provide quality products, services and integrated solutions to better protect people’s lives and health and facilitate the construction of “Healthy China”.

In 2024, the Company will firmly grasp the development opportunities, spare no effort, to maintain a good growth momentum, make every effort to drive the economic performance to a record high and practically improve the innovation and value creation capabilities, continuously strengthen the core functions and enhance the core competitiveness, and perform the three major roles of scientific and technological innovation, industry control, and safety support, in order to accomplish the planning objectives and tasks and accelerate the establishment of an internationally renowned isotope and radiation technology application products and services supply group.

About China Isotope & Radiation Corporation

China Isotope & Radiation Corporation (referred as “CIRC” or “the Company”) since its establishment in 1983, has been dedicated to exploring and developing nuclear technology applications. Boasting over 40 years of industry experience, the Company has emerged as a prominent leader in the domestic nuclear technology industry. The Group is primarily engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and sale of diagnostic and therapeutic radio pharmaceuticals and radioactive source products for medical and industrial applications, the provision of irradiation service for sterilization purpose and engineering, procurement and construction (“EPC”) service for the design, manufacturing and installation of gamma ray irradiation facilities and the provision of nuclear medical equipment and services such as independent clinical laboratory services to hospitals and other medical institutions.

The nuclear medicine industry is an industry with immense potential, demanding threshold, and high returns. As a leader in China’s nuclear medicine industry, CIRC is the largest domestic manufacturer of imaging diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, UBT diagnostic kits and test analyzers, as well as radioimmunity analysis kits. In field of radioactive source products, it is the only core enterprise in the field of radioactive source research and application that has industrialized and scaled research and production capabilities. In field of radiation, it is the third largest radiation processing service provider in China, and the only supplier in China that provides upstream production and downstream design and installation services for radiation equipment. And two of its subsidiaries have been approved by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China as two of the three EPC service providers authorized to engage in the design, manufacturing, and installation of radiation equipment.



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ShareInvestor celebrates 25th anniversary; Holding company rebrands as AlphaInvest

  • New corporate identity reflects Group’s evolution since its founding in 1999 and future directions
  • Group subsidiaries and trademarked data portal to retain Shareinvestor brand, as will its other product brands
  • Revamped Shareinvestor.com portal to be rolled out as part of 25th anniversary

SINGAPORE, Apr 11, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Shareinvestor.com Holdings Pte. Ltd., the holding company of Singapore’s largest independent platform for retail investors, today announced a name change and a new logo to mark its 25th anniversary.

The new holding company name is AlphaInvest Holdings Pte. Ltd. (“AlphaInvest” or “the Group”), with its new logo and tagline as shown here:

 

Senior Management of AlphaInvest Group, (Left to Right) Mr Christopher Lee (Group Chief Executive Officer), Mr Shanison Lin (Group Managing Director, Investor Platforms) and Mr Lim Dau Hee (Group Chief Operating Officer & concurrent Chief Technology Officer)
Senior Management of AlphaInvest Group, (Left to Right) Mr Christopher Lee (Group Chief Executive Officer), Mr Shanison Lin (Group Managing Director, Investor Platforms) and Mr Lim Dau Hee (Group Chief Operating Officer & concurrent Chief Technology Officer).

The Group’s subsidiaries in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, and its associate in Thailand, will retain the ShareInvestor (“SI”) name, as will its trademarked Shareinvestor.com market data portal and other product brands.

The new holding company identity coincides with the Group’s 25th anniversary of its founding in 1999. It better reflects the Group’s ongoing and future evolution beyond its original share market data business and its leading positions in investor relations and investor education in multiple markets in the region.

The Group’s holding company has been registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regularity Authority (ACRA) as “AlphaInvest Holdings Pte. Ltd.” and the name change took effect on 8 March 2024. See http://www.alphainvestholdings.com/ for the Group’s profile.

Mr Christopher Lee, Group Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the Group, said: “Our mission is to empower retail investors to make informed investment decisions via our investor education and market data products. Our key challenges now are to serve the next generation of younger investors, and to expand into new asset classes. This goes hand-in-hand with growing our investor relations advisory services to enable corporates to engage meaningfully with investors. Our ultimate vision is to create better investment outcomes for all.”

Mr Lim Dau Hee, Group Chief Operating Officer and concurrent Chief Technology Officer and a co-founder of the Group, added: “For the last 25 years, we have leveraged on technologies to empower investors to make better choices. We are happy to have enabled investors to build diversified investment portfolios. AlphaInvest must continue to innovate to serve our customers and stay ahead of the game.”

The Group has had an eventful 25 years since its founding in 1999. The Group was acquired by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) in 2008. After 10 years of profitable operations as part of SPH, the Group’s founders and management team did a management buyout in 2018 at a S$17 million valuation.

In 2023, ShareInvestor acquired and merged with InvestingNote at a combined valuation of S$30 million. InvestingNote, founded by Mr. Shanison Lin, is a social media start-up with a user base of young investors. Mr Lin, an ex-staff of Shareinvestor, is now part of AlphaInvest’s leadership team. The Group aims to further grow its reach of 300,000 retail investors and its client base of 700 public listed companies in the region.

Mr Patrick Daniel, who has chaired the Group since 2008, said: “The Group is fortunate to have a dedicated management team who have not ceased their efforts to grow the business in the face of challenging times.

“In addition to Christopher, Dau Hee and Shanison, we have Wayne Koo at Waterbrooks, Janista Taosuwan in SI Thailand, Edward Stanislaus in SI Malaysia, and Ahmad Mustafid in PTSI in Jakarta. Together, they form a strong leadership team and I’m confident that AlphaInvest will succeed in extracting synergies and in seizing new opportunities.”

Launch of revamped Shareinvestor.com portal

The revamped Shareinvestor.com market data portal provides a huge trove of data and a comprehensive set of tools for the analysis of local and global equities. Building on the new platform, the team will continue to enhance Shareinvestor.com with new functions, new features and other data elements over the coming months.

The preview version is now available to existing users and the full version will be rolled out to all users within the next few months.

Future Directions

While the company has cemented its status as Southeast Asia’s largest Investor Relations provider, the new corporate identity reflects the Group’s ongoing and future evolution. Going beyond traditional equities-based products and services is a key opportunity.

The Group is well-positioned to expand to other asset classes such as currencies, commodities and digital assets including NFTs and cryptocurrencies. The Group’s approach will be to collaborate with partners in these areas in win-win partnerships.

AlphaInvest will continue to strengthen its portfolio of well-established brands in investor relations and investor education. While retaining their distinct brand identities, there will be greater internal collaboration to capitalise on inherent synergies to add further value Group- wide.

AlphaInvest’s digital publications; Investor-One and the Inve$t weekly e-magazine – will be distributed across the region. In their visually attractive formats and with insightful content, they will reach over 130,000 investors, from novices to professionals.

The Group will further grow its InvestingNote social portal, the largest in Singapore and Malaysia. The aim is to be a virtual water cooler corner for the growing number of Gen Z and Tik-Tok Generation investors to share their investing insights, exchange ideas and network.

The Group’s Waterbrooks Consultants, which provides customised public relations, branding and crisis communications advisory services to listed as well as non-listed companies, will be integrated more closely with the Group’s Investor Relations service.

AlphaInvest is currently the organiser of several prominent events on the annual investing calendar such as InvestFair and the REITs Symposium.

Capitalising on the opportunities in the region, the Group will further expand its footprint to serve the growing investing community in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

For Investor & Media Enquiries, please contact:

AlphaInvest Holdings Pte Ltd
Christopher Lee, Director
Email: christopher.lee@alphainvestholdings.com

Waterbrooks Consultants Pte Ltd
Wayne Koo, Director
Email: wayne.koo@waterbrooks.com.sg
Phone: +65 9338 8166

About AlphaInvest Holdings Pte. Ltd. (www.alphainvestholdings.com)

Vision: Creating better investing outcomes

Mission: Empowering investors to make informed decisions and for corporates to inform and engage meaningfully with investors.

A leading regional financial services, media and technology company, AlphaInvest Holdings Pte Ltd (“AlphaInvest”or “the Group”) was founded in 1999 to empower investors by providing them with trusted products and services for informed investment decision-making. Its core areas of business span investor relations, market data tools and investor education.

AlphaInvest Group operates the largest investor relations network in the region, with a customer base of about 700 public listed companies and a reach of over 300,000 people across its platforms. The Group has over 120 employees in four countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia).

The Group has made several strategic investments:

– Waterbrooks Consultants Pte Ltd, investor relations/public relations firm, (www.waterbrooks.com.sg)
InvestingNote, Singapore’s leading social media platform for retail investors, (www.investingnote.com).

InvestingNote is the largest and most active social platform for investments in Singapore and Malaysia. It is a community-driven platform designed specifically to help investors and traders to share ideas on stocks, news and insights through social networking and a variety of useful investment tools.

ShareInvestor (www.shareinvestor.com) provides online market data tools for multiple markets across its ShareInvestor Station™, ShareInvestor WebPro™ and ShareInvestor Mobile range of products.

AlphaInvest’s digital publications include:

– Investor-One (www.investor-one.com), a website on investor education, market news, corporate developments, and data analytics;
–  Inve$t, the e-magazine published weekly in Singapore and Malaysia.

AlphaInvest organises financial investment seminars and conferences for investors. Its annual large-scale events, InvestFair™ (www.investfair.com.sg) in Singapore and Malaysia, draws thousands of participants. Other key exhibition includes the largest REIT event ie REITS Symposium (www.reitsymposium.com).



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Insights into CMGE (0302. HK) 2023 Financial Results: Rich Reserve of New Games Set to Drive Significant Business Growth

HONG KONG, Apr 8, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – CMGE (Stock code: 0302. HK), a game operator listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, recently released its annual financial report for the year 2023. The report revealed that the company recorded a total revenue of 2.6 billion yuan during the period. Its adjusted net profit reached 5.379 million yuan, marking an overall shift from previous losses to profitability. This represents a year-on-year growth of 103%, which can be attributed to the comparatively low base in 2022. Moreover, the company’s operating profit, after accounting for non-operating income and expenses, stood at 107 million yuan.

Mini-games Emerge as New Growth Driver; Legend of Sword and Fairy IP Licensing Expands

Among CMGE’s three core business segments—game publishing, game development, and IP licensing—the revenue from game publishing amounted to 2.13 billion yuan, constituting 81.9% of the total revenue. However, it experienced a slight year-on-year decrease. This decline can primarily be attributed to the postponement of the release of certain new games in the latter half of 2023, leading to the deferral of revenue contribution to 2024. Nevertheless, this delay lays a crucial groundwork for substantial growth anticipated in 2024.

An illustrative case is the release of Soul Land: Shrek Academy. Co-published by CMGE and Tanwan Games, the game secured a license in July 2023 and initiated a reservation campaign in August, attracting over 6 million sign-ups. Officially launched on January 31, 2024, the game swiftly ascended to the top of the free list on the Apple Store and the popular list on TapTap within the first month of its release.

Industry experts noted that one of the emerging opportunities in the game industry in 2023 was the rise of the mini-game market. This trend resulted in the success of several popular games with monthly revenue exceeding 100 million yuan. CMGE capitalized on this new wave by launching several successful mini-game products, including Legend of Sword of Nine Regions and Fire at Will, which generated over 600 million yuan in revenue. Among these games, the idle game Legend of Sword and Fairy: A New Beginning, developed in collaboration with KingNet, stood out for its consistent top ranking on WeChat’s mini-game best-selling list.

In 2023, the widespread popularity of ChatGPT injected new momentum for game research and development (R&D) through the application of AI large models. Meanwhile, CMGE’s self-developed games generated a total revenue of 215 million yuan, with an R&D investment of 370 million yuan. Despite this investment, R&D costs were actually 29.7% lower compared to the previous year, thanks to the application of AIGC technology in in-game art production and copywriting, which improved R&D efficiency.

For instance, the much-talked-about open-world game Sword and Fairy World features AI-powered NPCs whose behavior and interactions are influenced by the natural environment. This creates a lifelike social ecosystem that significantly enhances the game’s realism. Additionally, AI-powered features such as character creation, voicing, action generation, and AI-enhanced user-generated content provide players with an even more immersive and interactive experience at a lower cost.

The adage “content is king” still holds true in the game industry, where premium game quality remains a top priority. Intellectual property (IP) is a fundamental element in the creation of high-quality products and plays an essential role in attracting players to a game. According to Xiao Jian, Executive Director, Chairman, and CEO of CMGE, “IP represents a kind of cultural label, a kind of value, and even a kind of faith.”

In 2023, CMGE’s IP licensing revenue surged by 75% year-on-year to hit 257 million yuan. This reflects the growing value of core IPs in the current premium quality-oriented era. Over the past few years, CMGE has been focused on developing its flagship IP, Legend of Sword and Fairy, by partnering with leading companies in various industries to establish a comprehensive Legend of Sword and Fairy IP universe and ecosystem. This includes a wide range of areas such as gaming, film and television, animation, literature, music, derivatives, and location-based entertainment. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to unlock the full potential of this IP. In gaming, CMGE partnered with KingNet to release the idle game Legend of Sword and Fairy: A New Beginning in 2023. In film and television, the company worked with the online video site iQIYI and other companies to produce the TV drama Sword and Fairy IV (based on the game Legend of Sword and Fairy IV), which was aired on the iQIYI platform in January 2024. Additionally, CMGE collaborated with Penguin Pictures to produce Sword and Fairy, a TV drama based on the game Legend of Sword and Fairy VI, which was exclusively aired on the Tencent Video platform in January. Furthermore, Sword and Fairy I (based on Legend of Sword and Fairy I) is to be aired exclusively on the Tencent Video platform soon.

Throughout 2023, CMGE has consistently aligned its development with the trends of the game industry. Currently, the industry is experiencing a new phase of growth. However, the rationale driving this growth is evolving: A shift towards focusing on core business and fostering high-quality development is ushering in a period of “rational exuberance”, replacing the extensive growth that characterized the previous decade. Dedicated to high-quality and premium product-driven development, the company, with its three major business segments—IP game development and global publishing, proprietary IP operation, and the Chinese-style metaverse platform, is advancing towards the future with a focus on quality-oriented growth.

Poised for Significant Growth: Upcoming Sword and Fairy World Launch and Rich Product Reserves

As we have just entered 2024, it seems the game industry continues to offer new opportunities and challenges. CMGE is ready to stride forward by launching a variety of new products, which marks the onset of a new cycle of sustainable, high-quality growth. The company is confident in its ability to navigate the ups and downs of the economic cycle.

To begin with, mini-games, representing a new and growing market, are expected to continue expanding. According to current research, 84% of respondents believe that gamers are experiencing increasing fatigue and seeking lighter, more diverse gameplay options. This shift in gamers’ psychological demands aligns with the characteristics of mini-games. In fact, the market size for China’s mini-games exceeded 40 billion yuan in 2023 and is projected to surpass 60 billion yuan in 2024, according to data released by Ocean Engine, a leading digital marketing platform in China.

In 2024, CMGE will leverage its highly popular and influential game IPs to launch more than 10 mini-game products, including Country Love Story, Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing, and Naruto: Konoha Masters. These mini-games, which are mainly adapted from the App games, already have a solid reputation to build on. By combining “reputation, theme, and gameplay”, CMGE aims to address the pain points of mini-game users and create phenomenal products that cater to their preferences.

Secondly, CMGE is set to launch in 2024 its highly anticipated open-world game, Sword and Fairy World, which represents the culmination of three years of dedicated development efforts. This game, independently developed and published by the company, is an open-world experience that immerses players in the Chinese-style Xianxia fantasy genre. In June 2023, it obtained a license for launch on both mobile and PC platforms and kicked off a reservation campaign that attracted over 4 million sign-ups. It has been revealed that a billing test will be conducted soon to verify the commercial viability of the product before its official launch. The game is expected to be released within 2024.

The growing popularity of the Chinese style highlights the appeal of traditional culture. Sword and Fairy World, a Chinese-style Xianxia game, invites players into a world rich in traditional elements. Offering a myriad of engaging storylines, including the main plot, character-specific subplots, and side quests, the game is designed to allow players to delve into the depths of the human spirit. Players can perform superhuman feats, such as soaring through the skies and delving underground, to explore various realms, experiencing the exhilaration of unrestricted exploration. With its enthralling gameplay and deep cultural roots, the game is expected to be a major revenue generator in 2024.

Finally, CMGE has unveiled a lineup of highly anticipated blockbuster games scheduled for release in 2024, which will further bolster the company’s growth prospects. In terms of IP game publishing, the success of Soul Land: Shrek Academy, launched on January 31st, has already exceeded 100 million yuan in monthly revenue. The first half of the year will witness the launch of Fight Break Spheres and Soul Land: Reversed Spacetime. In the latter half, gamers can anticipate the release of new IP titles such as Daily Life of Chat Group, Naruto: Konoha Masters, and New Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Legend of Cao Cao. Regarding independent R&D, Wenmai Interactive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CMGE, will join forces with 37 Interactive Entertainment to promote its first-ever Three Kingdoms-themed strategic game, World of Castellan, with the goal of sustaining revenue growth and profit contribution for 2024. Furthermore, the release of the second Three Kingdoms-themed strategic game, Code: Lord, is scheduled for the latter half of the year. Additionally, Hoop City:3V3, an eSports game developed by Shanghai Zhoujing, a holding subsidiary of the company, is slated for an official launch during the summer vacation period.

In its research report, Guosen Securities highlighted the game industry’s similarity to Warren Buffett’s metaphor of “wet snow and a really long hill”, suggesting potential for sustained and profitable growth. In 2023, the game market experienced the normalization of game licensing, signaling a return to the industry’s origins and the commencement of a fresh chapter emphasizing innovation and entrepreneurship to navigate a new economic cycle. Moving into 2024, the game market entered a phase of rational exuberance propelled by high-quality games. It is only through the introduction of top-tier new products that companies can capitalize on this new growth cycle.

According to analysts, CMGE, a forerunner in IP games, possesses extensive IP reserves conducive to achieving high-quality and premium product-driven development. Indeed, the company has amassed a wealth of new, high-quality IP games across its three major business segments: IP game development and global publishing, proprietary IP operation, and the Chinese-style metaverse platform. In 2024, the company will launch these new games into the market, which, coupled with revenue contributions from longstanding products, is anticipated to bolster sustained high-growth performance.

Xiao Jian, CMGE’s Executive Director, Chairman, and CEO, stated at the Results Presentation that, “We are really confident about our prospects for 2024. With the upcoming game launches in both domestic and overseas markets, we are optimistic about achieving excellent results and driving significant revenue growth this year.”

For further information, please contact:
PEANUT MEDIA LIMITED
Direct Line: +86-755-61619798 x8210
Email: hswh.project@czgmcn.com 



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

CMGE Released Its Annual Performance Report: After Adjustments, Net Profit Turned from Loss to Profit, With Non-Recurring Operating Profit Reaching 107 million Yuan

HONG KONG, Apr 8, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – On March 27th, the Hong Kong-listed company CMGE (0302.HK) released its 2023 annual performance report. According to the report, CMGE achieved total operating income of 2.6 billion yuan in 2023. After adjustments, the net profit reached 5.379 million yuan, marking an overall turnaround from loss to profit with a year-on-year increase of 103% due to the low base in 2022. After deducting the impact of non-operating income and expenses on profit, the operating profit stood at 107 million yuan.

It is worth noting that on March 28th, CMGE disclosed a share repurchase plan. The board of directors believes that the current trading price does not reflect the intrinsic value and business prospects of the company. They plan to use up to HK$100 million for the repurchase of shares on the open market. The board of directors may also decide to further utilize share repurchase authorization based on market conditions. The repurchase of shares will not exceed 10% of the total number of shares issued as of June 2, 2023, which is 275,267,200 shares, and the shares will be cancelled after repurchase. This move also reflects the confidence of the company’s board of directors and management team in its long-term strategy and development.

According to the financial report, in 2023, CMGE attracted over 92.87 million new registered users, marking a 9.8% increase compared to the same period. Among other key performance indicators, the average monthly active users rose to 17.05 million, a 9.9% year-on-year increase, while the average monthly paying users reached 1.19 million, up by 5.8% year-on-year. The mini-game business generated 600 million yuan in revenue, becoming a new growth point for the company.

In 2023, CMGE successfully obtained licenses for multiple games planned for release, such as “Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing”, “Ultraman: The Gathering”, “Swallowed Star: Dawn” and “Cultivation Fantasy” all of which officially launched in 2023. Concurrently, with the rapid development of AIGC technology, CMGE applied AIGC to its independent research and development as well as publishing processes, achieving cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and game innovation. According to the financial report, players under the age of 18 accounted for less than 0.01% of CMGE’s gaming revenue in 2023.

The Publishing Business Performed Steadily, With Mini-Games Emerging as A New Growth Point

In 2023, CMGE’s publishing business generated revenue of 2.133 billion yuan, with overseas revenue accounting for 10.6%. In teams of games, the role-playing card game “Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing,” co-published by CMGE and Qingci based on CMGE’s proprietary IP, officially launched in June 2023. In its first month of its launch, it ranked first in the Apple App Store’s free games list and 14th in the best-selling games list, earning a recommendation from the Hardcore Alliance Superstar. In December 2023, “Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing” launched in the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions, ranking the first in the Apple App Store’s free games list and the best-selling games list in these three areas, with third place in Taiwan’s best-selling games list.

Additionally, the card mobile game “Cultivation Fantasy” developed by Love Games with investment from CMGE, was launched in May 2023. In its first month of its launch, it ranked first on TapTap’s hot list and achieved third place in the Apple App Store’s free games list and 21st place in the best-selling games list.

The jointly distributed game “Soul Land: Shrek Academy” by CMGE and TanWan Games obtained its game license in July 2023. In August 2023, it began pre-registration activities, attracting over 6 million pre-registered players. It was officially launched on January 31, 2024, and in its first month of its launch, it ranked the first in the Apple App Store’s free games list and topped TapTap’s hot list.

While the performance of new games has been outstanding, previously launched games have also provided stable revenue streams for CMGE. CMGE’s self-published games like ” The New Legend of The Condor Heroes: Iron Blood and Loyal Heart”, ” Rakshasa Street: Chosen One” and ” Soul Land: God of Battle Arise”, as well as co-produced games with third parties like ” One Piece: The Voyage ” and ” Dynasty Warriors: Hegemony” along with other games already in operation, continued to contribute revenue and profits to CMGE in 2023.

At the same time, CMGE has been actively expanding its mini-game segment. As of 2023, CMGE has launched multiple mini-games such as “Sword and Fairy: Jiuzhou” and “Fire at Will” bringing in revenue exceeding 600 million yuan. The newly authorized mini-game “Country Love Story” by Ben Shan Media started monetization tests at the end of 2023 to validate its commercial model, with plans for an official launch in the first half of 2024. Mini-games have become an incremental segment in the game industry, with the market showing rapid growth. According to data from Qutoutiao Engine, the overall market size of Chinese mini-games exceeded 40 billion yuan in 2023 and is expected to surpass 60 billion yuan by 2024. With such rapid market growth, the mini-game segment is poised to become a new growth curve for CMGE.

Looking ahead to 2024, CMGE’s publishing business still holds many highlights. Multiple heavyweight IP games like “Soul Land: Reversed Spacetime”, “Fight Break Spheres”, “Naruto: Konoha Master”, “New Romance of the Three Kingdoms – The Legend of Cao Cao ” and “Daily Life of Chat Group” are planned for market launch in 2024, with many of them already completing testing and opening pre-registration.

Additionally, CMGE will continue to aggressively promote the mobile game “Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing” in the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions, and plans to sequentially launch games like “Soul Land: Shrek Academy”, “Fight Break Spheres”, “Soul Land: Reversed Spacetime” and “Code: FA” in these regions. Furthermore, CMGE will introduce the mobile game “New Romance of the Three Kingdoms – The Legend of Cao Cao” in the Japanese market to boost gaming revenue in overseas regions.

Moreover, CMGE anticipates launching over 10 mini-game products in 2024, including “Country Love Story”, “Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing” and “Naruto: Konoha Master” These games have all obtained licenses and are expected to generate substantial publishing revenue for CMGE.

Self-Developed Business Steadily Progresses; Open-World Game “Sword and Fairy World” Has Achieved 4 million Pre-Registrations and Will Commence Commercial Testing.

In 2023, CMGE’s R&D revenue reached 215 million yuan, with R&D investment totaling 370 million yuan. During the reporting period, CMGE applied AIGC technology to aspects like artistic production and copywriting in games, reducing game development costs and improving development efficiency.

In terms of self-developed games, CMGE’s wholly-owned subsidiary Wenmai Interactive independently developed the Three Kingdoms-themed strategy mobile game “World of Castellan” exclusively distributed in the domestic market by 37 Interactive. It officially launched in November 2023 and received a recommendation from the Hardcore Alliance Superstar in its first month of its launch.

It is understood that “World of Castellan” is the first Three Kingdoms-themed strategy game launched by CMGE. With CMGE’s and 37 Interactive’s experience in promotion and publishing, CMGE is expected to enter the Three Kingdoms-themed strategy game arena and secure a position through “World of Castellan” In 2024, CMGE will continue to develop and launch its second Three Kingdoms-themed strategy game, “Code: Lord” with the aim of gaining more market share in the Three Kingdoms-themed strategy game category.

In terms of esports games, CMGE’s holding subsidiary Shanghai Zhoujing has developed the sports competitive PC game “Hoop City:3V3”, which obtained its license in May 2023 and commenced monetization tests on December 29, 2023. It is scheduled to be launched officially in the summer of 2024.

Before 2023, CMGE’s self-developed games such as “The World of Legend – Thunder Empire”, “Legend of Dragon City”, chess and card games, PC games, and cloud games have been continuously updated and iterated, contributing steady revenue to the company.

In terms of heavyweight self-developed games, the open-world game “Sword and Fairy World” based on the Sword and Fairy IP obtained mobile and PC dual-platform licenses in June 2023. “Sword and Fairy World” has started pre-registration activities, with pre-registration numbers exceeding 4 million, and underwent two rounds of testing in 2023. Monetization Tests to verify the commercial viability of the product before launch are also set to begin soon, with plans for the game to officially launch within 2024.

According to the information, “Sword and Fairy World” incorporates a substantial amount of storyline content such as mainline plots, character-specific storylines, and side quests to explore humanistic themes with players. Additionally, players can explore multiple spaces freely, experiencing the joy of surprise and exploration.

In addition to the rich storyline, “Sword and Fairy World” integrates deeply with AI. Non-player characters (NPCs) in “Sword and Fairy World” will behave and converse according to the natural environment, enhancing the realism of the virtual world. Players can also utilize AI features such as AI character customization, AI voice, AI motion generation, and AI+UGC (User-Generated Content) to enrich personalized expression, improve player interaction experience, and stimulate creativity within the virtual world.

The IP licensing business is experiencing further growth, with the value ecosystem of the Legend of Sword and Fairy IP continuing to expand.

In 2023, CMGE’s IP licensing business achieved revenue of 257 million yuan, representing a 75% growth compared to 2022.

CMGE has deeply expanded its collaboration along the entire industry chain of the “Legend of Sword and Fairy” IP, covering areas such as games, film and television, animation, content literature, music, derivatives, and location-based entertainment. CMGE has partnered with top-tier collaborators in related fields to jointly create the Legend of Sword and Fairy IP universe.

Regarding IP industry chain collaborations, CMGE successfully launched the story card mobile game “Sword and Fairy: Wen Qing” in 2023, achieving excellent results. The idle RPG game “Legend of Sword and Fairy: new start” developed in collaboration with Kaiying Network, was launched in 2023 and ranked fifth on the WeChat mini-games chart. The first fan community based on the “Legend of Sword and Fairy” IP, called ” Sword and Fairy Alliance” was opened for user registration in 2023.

In the film and television sector, CMGE has collaborated with iQiyi and others to produce “Legend of Sword and Fairy 4”, which was officially released on the iQiyi platform in January 2024. Additionally, “Legend of Sword and Fairy 6” produced by Shandong Film and Television, was also released on Tencent Video in January 2024. The television series “Legend of Sword and Fairy 1” produced in collaboration with Penguin Pictures, was completed filming in 2022 and is expected to be released in 2024.

In the animation field, CMGE has entered into a strategic partnership with Penguin Pictures to co-produce animated series for “Legend of Sword and Fairy 1” and “Legend of Sword and Fairy 3”. The trailer for “Legend of Sword and Fairy 3” was released in 2023, with plans for the full animated series to be released in 2024.

In addition to film and animation, CMGE continues to develop merchandise based on the Legend of Sword and Fairy IP. For instance, in the trendy collectibles field, CMGE collaborated with Pop Mart. Following the release of the first blind box series “Legend of Sword and Fairy Chinese Traditional Festival Series Figures” in 2022, CMGE launched the second blind box series “Legend of Sword and Fairy Chinese Traditional Musical Instrument Series Figures” for global sale in 2023.

Furthermore, CMGE collaborated with renowned partners such as LiangXiaoSuMei, Kaitian Studio under Shanghai Qikun Network Technology Co., Ltd., and Bandai Namco Entertainment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., to release merchandise such as Han Lingsha figures, Yue Qingshu statues, and Jiu Jianxian figures in 2023. Additionally, in November 2023, CMGE partnered with Qishu Youyu, HippoJoy, and INTINY to officially launch the production of interactive image works based on the “Legend of Sword and Fairy” IP.

Additionally, CMGE has planned and is preparing to launch the Legend of Sword and Fairy Location-Based Entertainment project, which is currently in the final stages of pre-operation. It is expected to commence trial operations in four provinces and municipalities, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Anhui, and Chongqing, within 2024. By bringing the Legend of Sword and Fairy game into real-life settings, the project aims to combine online marketing activities of the “Legend of Sword and Fairy” IP with offline activities, providing fans with a more immersive and interactive offline experience.

Looking towards the future, in line with the trend of cross-industry collaboration between game IPs and film, animation, and other industries, the Legend of Sword and Fairy IP will continue to release a wealth of high-quality content. CMGE’s establishment of an IP game ecosystem and the layout of the Legend of Sword and Fairy IP universe based on the “Legend of Sword and Fairy” IP will continue to expand the ecological value of the IP, potentially driving further growth in CMGE’s own value and ensuring sustained development.

For further information, please contact:

PEANUT MEDIA LIMITED

Direct Line: +86-755-61619798 x8210

Email: hswh.project@czgmcn.com 



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com