Started from Hong Kong Island

Chapter 306 Chapter 304 [Playing a Public Opinion War]

Being able to be the boss of a large enterprise like the Hong Kong Electric Company, Connor is certainly not a rookie. After Li Wendi expressed the meaning of "the highest bidder wins", he was ready to sell the shares of the China Bus Company.

As soon as he received the news, he immediately notified the securities company to start selling and recover the principal as soon as possible. As for whether he could make a profit, Connor didn't care much. As long as he didn't lose money, it didn't have much impact on him.

In the business world, failed acquisitions are common unless the gap in strength between the two parties is too large or the founder intends to sell the company.

Li Wendi has another trick, which is to take advantage of the time difference. He learned this from Li Jiacheng. If he wants to "swallow" a big company, he does not have enough strength. He can only crawl forward like a wild wolf and wait for an opportunity. Once the opponent reveals a flaw, he will rush up and bite it.

Such acquisitions usually take a long time and require sufficient patience.

Since the share price of China Bus Company was inflated several times, although the defection of Changxin Real Estate Company caused stock market fluctuations and the share price began to plummet, the Electric Light Company absorbed a large number of shares at a lower price, so after the sale, it was still able to make a small profit.

Li Wendi felt that the Hong Kong Electric Company had been hovering before his eyes, as if it was some kind of reminder from heaven, so he considered whether to include the acquisition of this company in his plan.

Heung Kong Electric Company is one of the two power generation companies in Hong Kong. It is mainly responsible for the electricity supply in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon urban area. Now is its glorious moment. The other is China Light and Power Company, which is responsible for the electricity supply in the New Territories. With many factories relocating to the New Territories, China Light and Power Company's profits and scale are catching up with Heung Kong Electric Company, and it seems that it has already surpassed the Electric Company.

The actual controller of China Light and Power Company is the Kadoorie family, a British Jewish family. The family owns the famous Peninsula Hotel, which ranks second in the Hong Kong hotel industry.

The head of the Kadoorie family attached great importance to the power generation business. He did not hesitate to draw a large amount of funds from the hotel group to develop and expand the China Power Company. He knew very well that this would weaken the family's control over the hotel group, but he did not care at all. It seemed that he regarded the China Power Company as the cornerstone of the family to be developed and expanded.

It was for this reason that Liu Luanxiong, the sniper in his previous life, launched a sniper attack on the Grand Hotel Group. Although the Grand Hotel Group was saved, the Kadoorie family suffered heavy losses.

However, China Light and Power Company is a counterexample. The Kadoorie family has very strong control over it, and there is no possibility of takeover competition. The control over it is even stronger than the control of the Swire family of Jardine Matheson over Cathay Pacific Airways.

The market value of the Hong Kong Electric Company was very high. After all, it was one of the high-quality electricity franchise companies. The former Jardine Matheson Company began to secretly purchase its shares in 83. It took a full year and paid 28 billion yuan to acquire 34.9% of the shares of the Hong Kong Electric Company.

Even if it is halved now, it would still require a terrifying figure of 14 billion yuan. Li Wendi doesn't even have a fraction of that now, let alone 14 billion yuan.

Therefore, this is undoubtedly a longer process than acquiring Wharf Holdings.

Before signing the contract, Li Wendi had informed Lin Dongmei to sell part of the shares of China Bus Company to recover the lost funds.

As a result, he only sold about 4% of the shares and earned back the principal of 3000 million, and continued to hold 5.5% of the shares.

Yan Chengkun was very happy to hear the news, and thought that Li Wendi's move proved that Li Wendi was merely investing in China Bus Company and had no intention of "taking over the business". So he actively introduced Li Wendi to the board of directors, and at the same time persuaded the board of directors to sell the 9.5 square feet parking lot in North Point to Changxin Real Estate Company at 7.3% of the market price. However, the agreement clearly stated that within the next three years, the land could not be developed and had to be leased to China Bus Company for parking buses.

Of course Li Wendi agreed, because the old North Point power plant of the Electric Light Company had not yet been completely moved out, and even after the move, it would take time to demolish the building, and three years would be enough.

And by the 80s (land development takes time), housing prices will reach a small peak, and Changxin Real Estate Company will only make more money.

When Li Wendi was feeling gloating, a subpoena came from the Hong Kong Intermediate Court. Run Run Shaw had filed a lawsuit against him, and the charges were still the same.

Li Wendi really wanted to tear this thing up, but he held back. After all, this was contempt of court and in serious cases he would have to stay in Stanley Prison for a few weeks.

So, Li Wendi summoned the company's legal advisor and asked for professional advice. When he heard that he did not need to appear in court in person, Li Wendi did not care. He did not want to go to court to waste time and energy.

I have to say that Uncle Shao is very boring. He always does these disgusting tricks, but he doesn't dare to compete with Li Wendi in the business world.

After the legal advisor left, Li Wendi immediately came up with an idea. He then called He Qijun and asked her to send a few reporters to report on Uncle Shaw's deeds and to look into the old accounts of Shaw Brothers Film Company.

The next morning, the Qi Nian Newspaper, Hong Kong Daily and gossip magazines under the Qi Nian Newspaper Company all reported the incident. At the same time, they listed similar incidents involving Uncle Run Run Shaw and Shaw Brothers Film Company, which attracted the attention of Hong Kong citizens who like to gossip.

One is a movie tycoon, the other is a new real estate tycoon. When two tigers fight, news comes out.

As a result, some gossip magazines smelled a business opportunity and investigated the feud between the two men. After a little artistic processing, an article about the past and present feuds between the two tycoons was born, and the sales were extremely hot.

"It says here that the feud was caused by Fong Yi-wah of Shaw Brothers Film Company. Isn't that Fong Yi-wah over 40? Li Wendi is only 26 years old. How could she like her?"

"You don't know this. What if Li Wendi has a special fetish? A mature woman is more attractive. How can a young woman know some good things?"

"What Lao Hua said makes sense! Tycoons are a little different from us. We are used to eating abalone and lobster, so we occasionally eat dry fried beef noodles to change the taste. Do you think you will always eat the same thing?"

There are many magazines on the desk in the office of Changxin Real Estate Company, covering all kinds of topics.

Li Wendi was furious. Who would like an old woman like Fang Yihua? I already have such a beautiful mistress, why should I compete with Run Run Shaw for an old woman?
"Wendi, this is even more outrageous. You said that Run Run Shaw refused to marry his daughter to you, and you got angry and humiliated, so you slandered Run Run Shaw." Zhang Yan didn't care about Li Wendi's livid face and laughed until tears came out.

Li Wendi glared at Zhang Yan and put the magazine on the table, his face still dark.

He didn't expect things to turn out like this, with several magazines saying good things about Run Run Shaw and bad things about him. Obviously Run Run Shaw guessed this outcome and took timely action to bribe several newspapers.

Although it was a bit disappointing, the effect was better than expected. Many citizens began to pay attention to and look forward to this movie called "The Romantic Movie Tycoon".

However, Li Wendi thought about it calmly and felt that it was nothing. Making up stories would make people see that they were fake, and it was purely to please customers.

After figuring it out, Li Wendi sighed, put away the magazines and newspapers on the desk, and prepared to start reading some serious newspapers. The world still needs to understand current affairs through newspapers.

Zhang Yan read the magazine (especially the chapter about Li Wendi), and said to Li Wendi with a smile, "Will sister-in-law come to settle accounts with you later?" Li Wendi rolled her eyes at Zhang Yan and said unhappily, "Qijun is not you. You believe these messed up things. You can tell they are fake at a glance."

Zhang Yan said with a wicked smile, "Do you want to bribe those newspapers? Give Run Run Shaw some news."

Li Wendi thought about it, then nodded and said, "You do it. Don't make the content too outrageous. Give others some authenticity."

"Okay, then leave it to me, Master Zhang. I guarantee that Boss Li will be satisfied." Zhang Yan said jokingly.

Li Wendi took out his checkbook and wrote a check for 20 to Zhang Yan, but Zhang Yan said, "No need, it's just a small amount of money. We brothers don't do such polite things."

Li Wendi did not force Zhang Yan to take it, but just put the check on the table.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Zhang Yan took out a plan from his briefcase, handed it to Li Wendi, and said, "Wendi, can you help me see if this plan is feasible?"

Li Wendi took the document, opened it and started reading, during which he looked deeply at Zhang Yan.

Ten minutes later, Li Wendi said in a serious tone, "The plan is feasible, but it is very dangerous. If you are not careful, it will collapse immediately and no one can save you."

"This method can allow you to expand quickly. The foundation is like foam, which will fall down if you push it." Li Wendi stood the document upright and then gently pushed it down.

Li Wendi didn't expect that Zhang Yan still wanted to use this method. In his previous life, Chen Songqing (the boss of Jianing Group) used this method to turn a company with an asset value of only 5 to 36 million into a large group with a market value of billion in years. Finally, during the negotiations between the two countries, it collapsed with the collapse of the Hong Kong market, and it was unknown how many shareholders were crushed to death.

Li Wendi no longer believes that this method can be successful after a long period of operation, because people are greedy, and making money this way is too quick. People are extremely restless and it is impossible for them to calm down.

Moreover, the group is too large, and it would be difficult to complete the asset restructuring within two to three years.

How can a bubble-like building withstand wind and rain, let alone a typhoon?

"I know, but this method is very suitable now. Luckin Coffee needs to expand rapidly and at least become stronger than Dasheng Real Estate." Zhang Yan said with narrowed eyes.

It seems that the fact that Dasheng Real Estate took away Yongchangsheng Real Estate Company had a great impact on him, making him impatient and strong.

Li Wendi thought for a moment and said, "Ayan, Dasheng Real Estate Company is not that easy to deal with. We need to slowly wait for the right opportunity. The best way is to kill Dasheng Real Estate Company with one strike."

"It's not that the plan is not feasible. It tests your willpower. If you acquire two or three companies, then stop acquiring them, and find a reliable bank, you may succeed."

Zhang Yan followed Li Wendi's advice and planned to first acquire a company similar to Yongchangsheng Real Estate as the main foundation.

Even so, Li Wendi still did not think highly of Zhang Yan. After all, he was not Chen Songqing, who had seized the leverage over the top management of Yumin Financial Company (some sources called it Yumin Bank) and was desperately trying to fleece the company. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to create the legend of the Jianing Group.

However, it is still possible to expand several companies rapidly, but troubles will also follow. The pressure of repaying the loan depends on the speed of appreciation of the real estate market. Now is not the 80s, and the increase in the real estate market in 76 was not large.

Commercial buildings in Sheung Wan entered a period of vigorous development, and many commercial buildings were built. With the recovery of the local market, citizens found that this was a good time to buy properties, so even wealthy people from Southeast Asia came to Hong Kong to buy properties.

Although the property prices in Sheung Wan do not change every day, they change every week. The increase is not large, but it is rising rapidly.

Under the spontaneous trend of the people, no one can change this trend. However, the companies that move into the commercial buildings in Sheung Wan are those that cannot afford the rent in Central, and the commercial buildings that are farther away are facing a terrible situation with a vacancy rate as high as 40%.

Of course, areas close to Central are easy to sell and rent out. Even if they cannot make as much money as the commercial buildings in Central, they are still better than the Causeway Bay area.

Li Wendi knows that this is temporary and that the Causeway Bay area will eventually surpass Sheung Wan because Causeway Bay is connected to the undersea tunnel in Tsim Sha Tsui, which allows the resources in Tsim Sha Tsui to flow directly into Causeway Bay.

Changxin Real Estate Company has more land properties in Sheung Wan than in Causeway Bay, but Li Wendi still plans to sell most of the properties in Sheung Wan and keep all the properties in Causeway Bay as rental properties for Changxin Real Estate Company.

Since 76, the Hang Seng Index has risen by 93 points and fluctuated within 500 points. However, compared with the stock market in 75, 76 will enter a new state. It is unlikely that the Hang Seng Index will surge, but the number of takeovers will increase significantly.

This is Li Wendi’s memory from his previous life. There may be changes, but they will never be drastic changes.

Thinking of this, Li Wendi's mind emerged with Jardine Lund Insurance Company Limited. As the name suggests, this company is engaged in insurance business. Jardine Company lacks the strength in this area, so in the previous life it launched an acquisition of Lund Insurance Company to expand its influence in the insurance field.

Li Wendi put down his work and came to Sun Hung Kai Securities.

"Mr. Hu, I heard that under your operation, Sun Hung Kai Securities made a lot of profits from the acquisition of Wheelock Group." Li Wendi joked with a smile.

"Mr. Li, Sun Hung Kai Securities bought Wheelock's shares only after Jardine Matheson announced the acquisition, not before that." Hu Jinyan explained anxiously. He was afraid that Li Wendi would think that Sun Hung Kai Securities stole customer information to make money.

"Mr. Hu, don't be nervous! I know the money you earn is clean, I just want to congratulate you." Li Wendi said with a smile.

Hu Jinyan immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Mr. Li!"

"I'm here this time to ask about the information of a stock, Lund Insurance Company," said Li Wendi.

Hu Jinyan immediately replied, "The share price of Longde Insurance is 75 yuan, there are not many scattered shares on the market, and the total share capital is not large."

(End of this chapter)