Category: Chinese Stocks

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Acorn International sold for $21 per share

Acorn International enters merger agreement for going private transaction

Acorn International (ATV) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with First Ostia Port, a Cayman Islands exempted company and its wholly owned subsidiary Second Actium Coin, a Cayman Islands exempted company, pursuant to which, the merger sub will merge with and into the company thereby becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the controlling shareholder.

Acorn taken private

Acorn International, Inc. develops, promotes, and sells a portfolio of proprietary-branded products in the People’s Republic of China. The company operates through two segments, Direct Sales and Distribution Sales.

The company will be acquired in an all-cash transaction by the controlling shareholder.

Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, each ordinary share, par value 1c per share, of the company, including shares represented by American Depositary Shares, each representing twenty shares, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time, other than the excluded shares shall be cancelled in exchange for the right to receive $1.05 in cash per share without interest.

As each ADS represents twenty shares, each ADS issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time, other than ADSs representing excluded shares, shall represent the right to receive $21.00 in cash without interest pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the merger agreement.

The per share merger consideration represents a premium of 44.1% over the company’s closing price of $14.57 per ADS as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, on August 17, the last trading day prior to the day when the company received a non-binding “going private” proposal from the controlling shareholder.

The merger consideration also represents an increase of approximately 38.0% over the $15.22 per ADS offered by the controlling shareholder in its revised going-private proposal on August 18 and a premium of approximately 39.4% over the company’s closing price of $15.07 per ADS on October 9, the last trading day prior to issuance of this press release.

The controlling shareholder intends to fund a substantial portion of the consideration for the merger in the form of debt funding from a third-party lender and has delivered to the company duly executed copies of the loan and security agreement.

The board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a committee of independent directors established by the board, approved the merger agreement and the merger.

The special committee negotiated the terms of the merger agreement with the assistance of its independent financial and legal advisors.

The merger, which is currently expected to close during the last quarter of 2020, is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the merger agreement by a requisite company vote of shares representing at least two-thirds of the voting power of the shares present and voting in person or by proxy at a meeting of the company’s shareholders which will be convened to consider the approval of the merger agreement and the merger. 

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Sina is taken private for $2.59B

Sina enters $2.59B ‘Going Private’ transaction with New Wave Holdings

Sina (SINA) announced that it has entered into an agreement and plan of merger with New Wave Holdings and New Wave Merger sub, a wholly owned subsidiary of parent, pursuant to which parent will acquire all of the company’s outstanding ordinary shares not currently owned by parent and its affiliates in an all-cash transaction implying an equity value of the company of approximately $2.59B for all the ordinary shares.

Sina, the Chinese social media company, is taken private

Parent is a wholly owned subsidiary of New Wave MMXV, a British Virgin Islands company controlled by Charles Chao, chairman and CEO of the company.

Pursuant to the merger agreement, at the effective time of the merger, each ordinary share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time will be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive $43.30 in cash per ordinary share without interest, other than shares held by the chairman, New Wave and any of their respective affiliates.

The per share merger consideration represents a premium of approximately 18.1% to the closing price of the company’s ordinary shares on July 2, the last trading day prior to the company’s announcement of its receipt of the preliminary non-binding “going-private” proposal from New Wave on July 6, and premiums of approximately 23.6% and 28.6% to the volume-weighted average traded price of the company’s ordinary shares during the last one month and three months, respectively, prior to and including July 2.

The per share merger consideration also represents an increase of approximately 5.6% over the $41 per ordinary share initially offered in the “going-private” proposal from New Wave.

The merger consideration will be funded through a combination of certain committed term loan facilities obtained by New Wave from China Minsheng Banking and cash contribution by the chairman and New Wave.

The company’s board of directors, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a committee of independent directors established by the board, approved the merger agreement and the merger and resolved to recommend that the company’s shareholders vote to authorize and approve the merger agreement and the merger.

The merger is currently expected to close during the Q1 of 2021 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the merger agreement by the affirmative vote of shareholders representing at least two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the company present and voting in person or by proxy at a meeting of the company’s shareholders.

If completed, the merger will result in the company becoming a privately held company and its ordinary shares will no longer be listed on Nasdaq.

SINA is up $2.46 to $42.65

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Walmart to partner with Microsoft on TikTok deal

Walmart backs TikTok U.S. partnership with Microsoft

Walmart (WMT), which was previously said to have been working with SoftBank (SFTBY) on a potential acquisition of TikTok’s U.S. business, has now confirmed its involvement in a potential TikTok deal in partnership with Microsoft (MSFT), according to CNBC’s Alex Sherman.

“The way TikTok has integrated e-commerce and advertising capabilities in other markets is a clear benefit to creators and users in those markets.

We believe a potential relationship with TikTok U.S. in partnership with Microsoft could add this key functionality and provide Walmart with an important way for us to reach and serve omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace and advertising businesses.

We are confident that a Walmart and Microsoft partnership would meet both the expectations of U.S. TikTok users while satisfying the concerns of US government regulators,” a Walmart spokesperson told CNBC.

TikTok is nearing an agreement to sell its U.S., Canadian, Australian and New Zealand operations in a deal that could be announced as soon as next week, sources say. The deal is likely to be in the $25 billion to $30 billion range, sources say.

Earlier this week, TikTok filed a lawsuit against Trump Administration claiming that the Executive Order issued by the Administration on August 6, 2020 has the potential to strip the rights of that community without any evidence to justify such an extreme action, and without any due process.

WMT shares are up 5% on the news while MSFT is better by 3.5%.

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TikTok suing Trump Administration

TikTok suing Trump Administration over efforts to ban TikTok in U.S.

TikTok stated in a post to its corporate website:

“Today we are filing a complaint in federal court challenging the Administration’s efforts to ban TikTok in the US…

TikTok sues Trump Administration

Today, 100 million Americans turn to TikTok for entertainment, inspiration, and connection; countless creators rely on our platform to express their creativity, reach broad audiences, and generate income; our more than 1,500 employees across the US pour their hearts into building this platform every day, with 10,000 more jobs planned in California, Texas, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, Illinois, and Washington State; and

On August 6th, Trump issued an executive order giving TikTok 90 days to sell

many of the country’s leading brands are on TikTok to connect with consumers more authentically and directly than they can elsewhere.

Put simply, we have a thriving community and we are grateful – and responsible – to them.

The Executive Order issued by the Administration on August 6, 2020 has the potential to strip the rights of that community without any evidence to justify such an extreme action, and without any due process.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance

We strongly disagree with the Administration’s position that TikTok is a national security threat and we have articulated these objections previously.”

ByteDance has reportedly been making progress in talks with potential acquirers of the U.S. operations of the short video app, including Microsoft (MSFT) and Oracle (ORCL), media reports have indicated. Reports have also indicated that Twitter (TWTR) is exploring a bid for TikTok.

Other publicly traded companies in the social media space include Facebook (FB) and Snap (SNAP).

TikTok/Douyin is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based Internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming. 

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Bitauto taken private at $16 a share

Bitauto enters definitive agreement for going-private transaction

Bitauto (BITA) announced that it has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Yiche Holding and Yiche Mergersub Limited, a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent, pursuant to which the company will be acquired by an investor consortium led by Morespark Limited, an affiliate of Tencent Holdings (TCEHY) and Hammer Capital Opportunities Fund L.P. in an all-cash transaction that values the company’s equity at approximately $1.1B.

BitAuto taken private

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger, each ordinary share of the company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive $16 in cash without interest, and each outstanding American depositary share of the company will be cancelled in exchange for the right to receive $16 in cash without interest, except for

(a) certain Shares owned by affiliates of Tencent, an affiliate of JD.com (JD), and Bin Li, chairman of the board of directors of the company, which will be rolled over in the transaction ,

(b) Shares owned by Parent, Merger Sub, the company or any of their respective subsidiaries,

(c) Shares held by the ADS depositary and reserved for issuance, settlement and allocation upon exercise or vesting of company’s options and/or restricted share unit awards, and

(d) Shares held by shareholders who have validly exercised and not effectively withdrawn or lost their rights to dissent from the merger pursuant to Section 238 of the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands.

The Merger is currently expected to close in the second half of 2020 and is subject to customary closing conditions including the approval of the Merger Agreement by an affirmative vote of holders of Shares representing at least two-thirds of the voting power of the Shares present and voting in person or by proxy at a meeting of the company’s shareholders. those dissenting shares in accordance with Section 238 of the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands.

Bitauto Holdings Limited provides internet content and marketing services, and transaction services for the automobile industry in the People’s Republic of China. 

BITA closed at $14.33.

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Amazon may buy AMC Movie Theatres

As AMC considers bankruptcy, Amazon may snap up the company

Amazon.com (AMZN) has held talks to acquire the troubled movie chain AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC), but it is unclear if the discussions are still active, Jamie Nimmo of Daily Mail reports, citing sources.

The companies are thought to have held talks about a potential takeover of AMC by Amazon, the sources said.

Amazon may buy AMC

Buying a cinema chain would enable Amazon to control the screening of films, giving it greater dominance of the industry. Amazon’s interest in cinemas is not new. 

In 2018, Amazon looked at buying American arthouse cinema chain Landmark Theatres, but lost out to the eventual buyer, Cohen Media Group. Netflix was also reportedly in the running to buy Landmark.

Https://stockwinners.com/
Amazon.com is in talks to buy AMC, Stockwinners

However, a takeover of AMC would be on a different scale as Landmark only had about 250 screens in the US, while AMC has about 1,000 around the world.

Amazon certainly has the means to buy AMC, whose stock market value has collapsed in recent years to just $420million.

In a sign of bad times in the movie business, earlier this month AMC Theatres (AMC) sent a letter to Universal Studios (CMCSA) chairman Donna Langley, saying that, going forward, AMC will not license any Universal films in any of its 1,000 globally effective immediately.

Amazon bought supermarket chain Whole Foods Market in 2017 in a sign that the company was willing to spend money buying non-web-based companies. 

Stockwinners offers stocks to buy, stocks to watch, upgrades, stock downgrades, earnings, Stocks to Avoid
Amazon bought Wholefoods in 2017

AMC was bought by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda for $2.6 billion in 2012, but it bought back $600 million worth of shares in 2018 after Beijing cracked down on overseas investments by Chinese companies.

Under Wanda, AMC launched a major expansion plan, and in 2016 bought Odeon in the UK for £920 million from British financier Guy Hands’ private equity firm, Terra Firma, and US group Carmike Cinemas for $1.1 billion.

The deals turned AMC into the world’s largest cinema company, with 1,000 outlets and 10,000 screens around the world.

However, the expansion plan backfired and left AMC saddled with debts that are now close to $ 5billion. Last month, AMC raised $500 million from bond investors in an effort to stay afloat during the crisis. 

However, investors still questioned whether AMC could avoid bankruptcy, given its parlous financial state.

A group of AMC’s lenders reportedly hired lawyers to advise on restructuring options last month, underlining AMC’s financial strife. 

In Monday’s pre-market trading, AMC shares are up 70% to $7.00. AMZN closed at $2379.61.

Read our blog about AMC.

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Central Banks flood markets with cash

  • Fed lowers federal funds target rate to 0%-0.25% on coronavirus outbreak
  • Fed, other central banks announce action to enhance U.S. dollar liquidity
  • Fed to up Treasury securities holdings by at least $500B, MBS by at least $200B
  • Expect added volatility in financial markets
Corona slowdown leads to drastic decisions, Stockwinners

The Federal Reserve said in a Sunday night statement, “The coronavirus outbreak has harmed communities and disrupted economic activity in many countries, including the United States. Global financial conditions have also been significantly affected.

Available economic data show that the U.S. economy came into this challenging period on a strong footing. Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in January indicates that the labor market remained strong through February and economic activity rose at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending rose at a moderate pace, business fixed investment and exports remained weak. More recently, the energy sector has come under stress.

Global inflation from 2007-2017, Stockwinners

On a 12-month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent.

Market-based measures of inflation compensation have declined; survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed. Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The effects of the coronavirus will weigh on economic activity in the near term and pose risks to the economic outlook.

In light of these developments, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 0 to 1/4 percent.

The Committee expects to maintain this target range until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and price stability goals. This action will help support economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation returning to the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective.”

The Federal Reserve said “To support the smooth functioning of markets for Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities that are central to the flow of credit to households and businesses, over coming months the Committee will increase its holdings of Treasury securities by at least $500 billion and its holdings of agency mortgage-backed securities by at least $200 billion. The Committee will also reinvest all principal payments from the Federal Reserve’s holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities.

QE 4 initiated by the Feds on a Sunday night, Stockwinners

In addition, the Open Market Desk has recently expanded its overnight and term repurchase agreement operations. The Committee will continue to closely monitor market conditions and is prepared to adjust its plans as appropriate,” the central bank announced.

In an extraordinary move, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, and the Swiss National Bank announced a coordinated action to enhance the provision of liquidity via the standing U.S. dollar liquidity swap line arrangements.

The Federal Reserve stated: “These central banks have agreed to lower the pricing on the standing U.S. dollar liquidity swap arrangements by 25 basis points, so that the new rate will be the U.S. dollar overnight index swap rate plus 25 basis points.

To increase the swap lines’ effectiveness in providing term liquidity, the foreign central banks with regular U.S. dollar liquidity operations have also agreed to begin offering U.S. dollars weekly in each jurisdiction with an 84-day maturity, in addition to the 1-week maturity operations currently offered. These changes will take effect with the next scheduled operations during the week of March 16.

The new pricing and maturity offerings will remain in place as long as appropriate to support the smooth functioning of U.S. dollar funding markets. The swap lines are available standing facilities and serve as an important liquidity backstop to ease strains in global funding markets, thereby helping to mitigate the effects of such strains on the supply of credit to households and businesses, both domestically and abroad.”

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Changyou.com sold for $579M

Changyou.com enters into definitive agreement for going private transaction

Changyou.com (CYOU) announced that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger with Sohu Game, an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of Sohu.com (SOHU), and Changyou Merger, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sohu Game, pursuant to which the company will be acquired by the Sohu Group in an all-cash transaction implying an equity value of the company of approximately $579M.

Changeyou.com sold to Sohu, Stockwinners.com

Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger, each Class A ordinary share of the company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, other than the Excluded Shares, will be cancelled and cease to exist, in exchange for the right to receive $5.40 in cash without interest, and each outstanding American depositary share of the company, other than the ADSs representing the Excluded Shares, will be cancelled in exchange for the right to receive $10.80 in cash without interest.

Sohu buys Changeyou.com, Stockwinners

The Merger Consideration represents a premium of 82.4% to the closing price of the company’s ADSs on September 6, 2019, the last trading day prior to the company’s announcement of its receipt of the “going-private” proposal, and a premium of 70.1% to the average closing price of the company’s ADSs during the 30 trading days prior to its receipt of the “going-private” proposal.

The Sohu Group intends to fund the Merger primarily with debt financing.

The Sohu Group has delivered a copy of an executed debt commitment letter to the company pursuant to which Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, Tokyo Branch will provide, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, an amount sufficient to fund in full the consummation of Merger and the other transactions related thereto.

The company’s board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a committee of independent and disinterested directors established by the board, approved the Merger Agreement and the Merger.

The Special Committee negotiated the terms of the Merger Agreement with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors.

Because the Sohu Group owns over 90% of the voting power represented by all issued and outstanding shares of the company, the Merger will be in the form of a short-form merger of Merger Co. with and into Changyou in accordance with section 233(7) of the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands, with Changyou being the company surviving the Merger.

Shareholder approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger is not required.

The Merger is currently expected to close in Q2 of 2020. If completed, the Merger will result in the company becoming a privately-owned company wholly owned directly and indirectly by Sohu, its ADSs will no longer be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, and the ADS program will be terminated.

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BeiGene announces acceptance of supplemental NDA in China for REVLIMID

BeiGene announces acceptance of supplemental NDA in China for REVLIMID for the treatment of lymphoma

BeiGene (BGNE) announced that the China National Medical Products Administration has accepted a supplemental new drug application for #REVLIMID, in combination with rituximab, for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma.

BeiGene shares have been active lately, Stockwinners

REVLIMID was first approved in China in 2013 for the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with dexamethasone, in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy, and the label for the combination was expanded in 2018 to include adult patients with newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma who are not eligible for transplant.

REVLIMID used for the treatment of multiple myeloma, Stockwinners

It is currently marketed in China by BeiGene under an exclusive license from Celgene Logistics Sarl, a Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) company.

The sNDA is supported by a clinical, non-clinical, and chemistry, manufacturing and control data package, including the results from the pivotal Phase 3 AUGMENT study sponsored and conducted by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Bristol-Myers treatment for colorectal cancer approved, Stockwinners
Bristol-Myers purchased Celgene and REVLIMID awhile back, Stockwinners

AUGMENT is a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial in which a total of 358 patients with relapsed or refractory follicular or marginal zone lymphoma were randomized 1:1 to receive REVLIMID and rituximab or rituximab and placebo.

With a median follow-up of 28.3 months, R2 demonstrated clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival, evaluated by an independent review committee, relative to the control arm with a 54% reduction in the risk of progression or death.

The median PFS was 39.4 months for the R2 arm and 14.1 months for the control arm with an improvement by more than 2 years. Overall response rate, a secondary endpoint, was 78% in the R2 arm vs. 53% in the control arm, as assessed by the IRC.

Duration of response was significantly improved for R2 vs. control with median DoR of 37 vs. 22 months, respectively.

Bristol Meyers Comments on Celgene purchase, Stockwinners
Bristol Meyers Comments on Celgene purchase, Stockwinners

The most frequent adverse event in the R2 arm was neutropenia, vs. 22% in the control arm.

Additional commonly observed AEs in more than 20% of patients included diarrhea, constipation, cough, and fatigue. Adverse events that were reported at a higher rate in the R2 arm were neutropenia, constipation, leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia and tumor flare.

BMY closed at $63.51. BGNE closed at $173.14.

See our other blogs about BeiGene.

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BeiGene drug wins FDA approval for rare form of lymphoma

The FDA granted accelerated approval to the capsules for treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma, who have received at least one prior therapy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved BeiGene Ltd’s lymphoma drug, accepting the Chinese drugmaker’s strategy of largely using data from trials held outside the United States to file for approval.

FDA granted accelerated approval to the capsules for treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma
FDA granted approval to the capsules for treatment of aduls with mantle cell lymphoma, Stockwinners

The company tested the treatment, Brukinsa, in 118 patients with mantle cell lymphoma enrolled in two studies. About three-quarters were Asian, 21% Caucasian, and between 10% to 15% were from the United States, BeiGene said.

The FDA granted accelerated approval to the capsules for treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma, who have received at least one prior therapy.

Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer that most often affects men aged over 60. The company estimates between 3,000 and 4,000 new patients were diagnosed in the United States in 2015.

Last month, BeiGene (BGNE) and Amgen (AMGN) announced a global strategic oncology collaboration for the commercialization and development in China of Amgen’s XGEVA, KYPROLIS, and BLINCYTO, and the joint global development of 20 oncology assets in Amgen’s pipeline, with BeiGene responsible for development and commercialization in China.

In connection with the collaboration, Amgen said it will purchase a 20.5% stake in BeiGene for approximately $2.7B in cash at $174.85 per American Depositary Share, or ADS.

BGNE closed at $196.40.

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BeiGene shares soar on Amgen stake

Amgen to buy 20.5% stake in BeiGene for $2.7B at $174.85 per ADS

BeiGene (BGNE) and Amgen (AMGN) announced a global strategic oncology collaboration for the commercialization and development in China of Amgen’s XGEVA, KYPROLIS, and BLINCYTO, and the joint global development of 20 oncology assets in Amgen’s pipeline, with BeiGene responsible for development and commercialization in China.

Amgen takes 20% stake in BeiGene, Stockwinners

In connection with the collaboration, Amgen will purchase a 20.5% stake in BeiGene for approximately $2.7B in cash at $174.85 per American Depositary Share, or ADS.

Amgen will receive one seat on BeiGene’s Board of Directors.

Under the agreement, BeiGene will commercialize XGEVA, KYPROLIS and BLINCYTO in China for five or seven years, during which time the parties will equally share profits and losses.

Amgen enters Chinese market by taking stake in BeiGene, Stockwinners

Following the commercialization period, BeiGene will have the right to retain one product and will be entitled to receive royalties on sales in China for an additional five years on the products not retained; and XGEVA was approved in China in 2019 for patients with giant cell tumor of the bone and is in development for prevention of skeletal-related events in cancer patients with bone metastases.

Blincyto is indicated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Stockwinners

KYPROLIS is in late-stage development in China for patients with multiple myeloma, and BLINCYTO is in late-stage development in China as a treatment for adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Kyprolis is indicated for multiple myeloma , Stockwinners

BeiGene has agreed to jointly develop 20 Amgen oncology pipeline assets globally, which include targeted small-molecule agents such as AMG 510, a first-in-class investigational KRAS G12C inhibitor, as well as BiTE antibodies, for solid and hematologic malignancies; Amgen and BeiGene will co-fund global development costs, with BeiGene contributing up to $1.25B worth of development services and cash over the term of the collaboration.

BeiGene is entitled to receive royalties from global sales of each product outside of China, with the exception of AMG 510; For each pipeline asset that is approved in China, BeiGene will receive commercial rights for seven years from approval, during which time the parties will share equally in profits and losses.

BeiGene is also entitled to receive royalties from sales in China for five years after the seven-year commercial term; and BeiGene will also have the right to retain approximately one of every three approved pipeline assets, up to a total of six, other than AMG 510, for commercialization in China, during which time the parties will share in profits and losses.

The transactions have been approved by the boards of directors of both companies and are expected to close in the first quarter of 2020, subject to approval by a majority vote of BeiGene’s shareholders pursuant to the listing rules of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods under applicable antitrust laws, and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

BeiGene has already received commitments from shareholders holding approximately 40% of its outstanding shares to vote in favor of the transactions.

BGNE closed at $138.34, last traded at $174.58.

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Ford launches new business model in Europe

Ford to cut 12,000 jobs in Europe by end of 2020

Ford to realign its European operations, Stockwinners

Ford (F) said in a statement that it is launching a new business model and fresh vehicle line-up as part of the most comprehensive redesign in the history of its business in Europe.

The company also is on track to significantly improve its financial results in Europe this year, paving the way to sustainable profitability and its longer-term goal of delivering a 6% EBIT margin.

The new European operating model and resulting organization are effective July 1.

Three new business groups – Commercial Vehicles, Passenger Vehicles and Imports – are being established to facilitate fast decision-making centered on customer needs, Ford said.

Ford Kuga will now be manufactured in China instead of Europe, Stockwinners

Ford is freshening and expanding its vehicle line-up in Europe, introducing at least three new nameplates in the next five years as it continues to grow its utility vehicle portfolio, including the all-new Mustang-inspired fully electric performance utility.

The new nameplates are in addition to all-new Kuga, Puma and Explorer Plug-In Hybrid coming by early 2020.

Manufacturing efficiency is being improved through the previously announced proposed or confirmed closure or sale of six assembly and component manufacturing plants by the end of next year: Proposed closure of Bridgend Engine Plant in South Wales; Closure of Ford Aquitaine Industries Transmission Plant in France; Closure of Naberezhnye Chelny Assembly, St. Petersburg Assembly and Elabuga Engine Plant in Russia; Sale of the Kechnec Transmission Plant in Slovakia to Magna.

This Ford Mustang designed for the European market, Stockwinners

As a result, Ford’s manufacturing footprint in Europe will be reduced to a proposed 18 facilities by the end of 2020, from 24 at the beginning of 2019.

In the U.K., the Ford of Britain and Ford Credit Europe headquarters in Warley also will close later this year and operations consolidated in Dunton.

In addition, Ford is implementing shift reductions at its assembly plants in Saarlouis, Germany, and Valencia, Spain, as well as a more streamlined management structure and marketing and sales operations.

In total, approximately 12,000 jobs will be impacted at Ford’s wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures in Europe by the end of 2020, primarily through voluntary separation programs.

Around 2,000 of those are salaried positions, which are included among the 7,000 salaried positions Ford is reducing globally.

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No more rate hikes in 2019

Majority of Fed members see rates unchanged for rest of 2019

Members see rates to remain unchanged in 2019, Stockwinners

Minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting read, “With regard to the outlook for monetary policy beyond this meeting, a majority of participants expected that the evolution of the economic outlook and risks to the outlook would likely warrant leaving the target range unchanged for the remainder of the year.

Several of these participants noted that the current target range for the federal funds rate was close to their estimates of its longer-run neutral level and foresaw economic growth continuing near its longer-run trend rate over the forecast period.

Participants continued to emphasize that their decisions about the appropriate target range for the federal funds rate at coming meetings would depend on their ongoing assessments of the economic outlook, as informed by a wide range of data, as well as on how the risks to the outlook evolved.

Short term rates should decline as 30-year rates rise, Stockwinners

Several participants noted that their views of the appropriate target range for the federal funds rate could shift in either direction based on incoming data and other developments.

Some participants indicated that if the economy evolved as they currently expected, with economic growth above its longer-run trend rate, they would likely judge it appropriate to raise the target range for the federal funds rate modestly later this year.”

Economic growth in 2019 likely lower than previous forecast

“Participants continued to view a sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective as the most likely outcomes over the next few years.

Underlying economic fundamentals continued to support sustained expansion, and most participants indicated that they did not expect the recent weakness in spending to persist beyond the first quarter.

Nevertheless, participants generally expected the growth rate of real GDP this year to step down from the pace seen over 2018 to a rate at or modestly above their estimates of longer-run growth. Participants cited various factors as likely to contribute to the step-down, including slower foreign growth and waning effects of fiscal stimulus.

A number of participants judged that economic growth in the remaining quarters of 2019 and in the subsequent couple of years would likely be a little lower, on balance, than they had previously forecast. Reasons cited for these downward revisions included disappointing news on global growth and less of a boost from fiscal policy than had previously been anticipated.”


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Altaba to dissolve itself

Altaba board approves plan of complete liquidation and dissolution

Altaba to dissolve itself, Stockwinners

Altaba (AABA) announced last night that the fund’s board of directors has approved the liquidation and dissolution of the fund pursuant to a plan of complete liquidation and dissolution, subject to stockholder approval.

Altaba Inc. is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company based in New York City that was formed from the remains of Yahoo! Inc. after Verizon acquired Yahoo’s Internet business  The company that remained after the purchase changed its name to Altaba Inc. on June 16, 2017.

Verizon completed its acquisition of Yahoo!’s core internet business on June 13, 2017, and put the assets under a new subsidiary named Yahoo! Holdings within its newly created division, Oath.

The only Yahoo!-branded interest held by Altaba was its stake in the joint venture Yahoo! Japan but this stake has since been sold to SoftBank Group.

The fund intends to file a proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to a special meeting of stockholders to seek stockholder approval of the liquidation and dissolution pursuant to the plan.

Altaba said the fund “has pursued a number of strategies with the goal of achieving its investment objective, including by repurchasing the shares, both in the open market and through an exchange offer of American Depository Shares of Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) and cash for shares, the simplification of the fund through the disposition of assets other than its position in Alibaba and the resolution of certain actual and contingent liabilities, and through other means.

After carefully considering the risks, timing, viability and potential impact on the fund’s stockholders of additional strategies potentially available to the fund to achieve its investment objective, as well as the recommendation of management, and in consultation with the fund’s advisors, the board unanimously determined that the liquidation and dissolution pursuant to the plan is advisable and in the best interests of the fund and its stockholders.

” If the liquidation and dissolution pursuant to the plan is approved by the fund’s stockholders, the fund expects to sell or otherwise dispose of all of the remaining ordinary shares and ADSs of Alibaba held by the fund, other than Alibaba ADSs, if any, to be distributed in kind, and its equity interests in Excalibur IP, to the extent any such assets have not been sold or disposed of by the fund before the special meeting, Altaba stated.

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Top Stories for weekend of February 22

U.S. extends trade talk deadline with China

As a result of these very… productive talks, I will be delaying the U.S. increase in tariffs now scheduled for March 1.

1. Using his Twitter account, President Donald Trump said that, “I am pleased to report that the U.S. has made substantial progress in our trade talks with China on important structural issues including intellectual property protection, technology transfer, agriculture, services, currency, and many other issues.

  • Shares of industrial metal makers, miners surge on IMF's China comments. See Stockwinners.com for stocks to buy, stocks to watch, stocks to trade
    China Trade Talks Deadline Extended, Stockwinners

Assuming both sides make additional progress, we will be planning a Summit for President Xi and myself, at Mar-a-Lago, to conclude an agreement. A very good weekend for U.S. & China!”

2. Kraft Heinz (KHC) has tapped investment bank Credit Suisse to review options for its Maxwell House coffee business, which could include a potential sale, CNBC’s Lauren Hirsch reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Based off valuations for other sales of consumer brands, a sale could fetch a price of at least $3B, sources said.

3. While investors are cheering indications of progress being made toward a resolution of trade issues between China and the U.S., the battle for tech supremacy between the two global superpowers shows few signs of abating, Reshma Kapadia wrote in this week’s edition of Barron’s. Global chip makers remain highly reliant on China, which makes just 30% of the chips it actually needs, the publication noted.

    Companies with revenue exposure to china include Qualcomm (QCOM), Micron (MU), Marvell Technology (MRVL), Broadcom (AVGO), NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), AMD (AMD), Maxim Integrated Devices (MXIM), Applied Materials (AMAT), Intel (INTC), Xilinx (XLNX), Skyworks (SWKS), Nvidia (NVDA), Analog Devices (ADI), Lam Research (LRCX), and KLA-Tencor (KLAC).

    How to train your dragon top the box office, Stockwinners

    4. Comcast (CMCSA; CMCSK) subsidiary Universal’s “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” won the weekend with a franchise-best launch of $55.5M from 4,259 theaters in North America, the top opening of the year so far. Overseas, the threequel earned another $34.7M from 53 market for a foreign total of $216.9M and $274.9M globally. The movie sports an audience grade of A and a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score.

    5. Altria Group’s (MO) and WellCare Health (WCG) saw positive mentions in Barron’s, while Windstream (WIN) was mentioned cautiously.

    STOCKWINNERS

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    This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.

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