Expand Investment in Science and Technology and Empower Industry Development, Legend Holdings Realized Revenue of RMB483.7 billion by 2022

Apr 1, 2023 | Business

Legend Holdings Corporation (stock code: 3396.HK) announced its audited annual results for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “Reporting Period”) on March 31, 2023. During the Reporting Period, Legend Holdings achieved revenue of RMB483.7 billion and net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company of RMB1.167 billion.

In 2022, uncertainties in the international situation continued to increase, including rising global inflation and significant volatility in international financial markets and commodity markets, which also had a significant impact on the Company’s performance. The industrial incubations and investments segment successfully promoted the listing of over 60 enterprises in the last three years, among the best in the industry. However, as these investments were measured at fair value, the segment’s performance was affected by the volatility of the capital market; in addition, Joyvio Group made a provision for goodwill and asset impairment in 2022 year due to factors such as rising operating costs caused by the increase in raw material prices and the interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve. Facing the challenges, the company carefully studied the layout and solidly promoted its strategy to strengthen its competitive ability while stabilizing its fundamentals and ensuring sustainable profitability.

Mr. Li Peng, Executive Director and CEO of Legend Holdings, said that during the reporting period, the company’s performance recorded a considerable decrease, but the company insisted on the goal of achieving high-quality development, with “industrial operation and technological innovation” as the core of its long-term development strategy. The company’s fundamentals are sound, and certain enterprises in the industrial operations and incubations & investments sectors have good long-term growth potential. The main task now is to further strengthen the existing business foundation and enhance industrial competitiveness, while actively adjusting the business portfolio and optimizing the business model to improve shareholders’ returns. During the reporting period, the industrial operations segment overcame various unfavorable factors and continued to promote management improvement and operation enhancement; the industrial incubations and investments segment focused on national key fields, supporting independent innovation and industrial chain upgrades, promoting the development of specialized and innovative enterprises, and linking economic chains in line with the dual circulation strategy. At the same time, the company continued to increase investment in scientific research and frontier layout, grasp green opportunities, promote energy saving and carbon reduction, and make positive progress in various businesses.

Driven by Technological Innovation, Continuously Expand R&D Investment in Frontier Technologies

In the current context of China’s implementation of science and technology innovation to lead high-quality development, Legend Holdings grasps the opportunities of the times and has been constantly improving its enterprise-led innovation system based on partnership among industry, academia and research institutes, and shaping a collaborative and efficient innovation pattern with specialized and innovative enterprises to promote the sustainable development of the enterprises.

In 2022, R&D expenses within the Legend Holdings system increased 21% year-on-year to RMB15.3 billion, with total R&D expenses of RMB37.8 billion in the past three years, representing a compound annual growth rate of 27%, with over 20,000 licensed patents, maintaining a leading position among large Chinese enterprises. Lenovo Group boosted its R&D investment by 21% year-on-year and has nine labs including artificial intelligence and enterprise cloud computing. The investment in R&D of Levima Advanced Materials increased by 21% year-on-year, and applied for 53 patents and obtained 58 granted patents during the reporting period. It focused on investment in the layout of high-end new materials, and achieved a breakthrough in the domestic production of electronic-grade hydrogen chloride and chlorine products after taking the lead in achieving the local substitution of photovoltaic film materials. The “20,000 tons/year UHMWPE (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene) project” is expected to be put into operation in mid-2023, with the aim of reducing the UHMWPE import over-dependence. Fullhan Microelectronics’ R&D investment increased by 20% year-on-year, mainly in chip R&D field, with R&D staff comprising 85% of its workforce.

At the same time, Legend Holdings also promoted its funds to closely follow China’s national industrial plans and policy guidance and to intensively invest in national strategic industries, such as next-generation information technology, chips, new energy, new materials and AI. In 2022, the funds invested in almost 150 technology companies, and a total of 95 have been selected for the national list of specialized and innovative enterprises.

In the future, Legend Holdings will further focus on technological innovation when exploring new industrial areas and allocating resources, and will make long-term commitments in selected industries. The Company has set up the innovation and development center and planned to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with top universities and international institutions on early-stage technologies in key innovation areas.

Solidly Consolidate the Real Industry and Take Measures to Enhance the Quality and Efficiency of Real Economy

In 2022, Legend Holdings consolidated its business fundamentals, and withstood external challenges through management improvements and operational enhancements to ensure the steady progress of all businesses.

In the industrial operations segment, Lenovo Group continued to top the global PC business and was the world’s No. 1 supercomputing maker, while at the same time, it fully promoted the transformation of its business to intelligent services, with the revenue share of non-PC business exceeding 40%. Among them, the Infrastructure Solutions Group has achieved rapid growth by grasping the trend of accelerated transformation of the global digital economy and the opportunity of the new computing revolution; the Solutions & Services Group, as the core business of digital and smart transformation, continues to maintain growth momentum.

Levima Advanced Materials maintained its leading edge in the new materials niche market, and expanded into new business areas to seize the opportunity of green development. During the Reporting Period, it completed the technical upgrade and capacity expansion of its EVA devices to further enhance operational efficiency, and several key projects were progressing ahead on track. The project covering lithium battery electrolyte materials completed its interim delivery and is about to be put into operation. Levima also entered the field of electronic materials by investing in electronic specialty gas. Construction of projects covering new energy materials for battery and biodegradable materials are progressing into the construction phase. The “New Energy Materials and Biodegradable Materials Integration Project” has obtained approval and is now under construction in an orderly manner.

Banque Internationale a Luxembourg (“BIL”) has responded well to the challenges of the European economy and achieved good growth in all business indicators, while continuing to vigorously promote its business in China, helping Chinese enterprises issue overseas green bonds and contributing to the development of green finance; the bank’s CET-1 ratio was 13.35% and its international credit ratings remained high. Joyvio Group’s fruit business continued to reinforce its vertically integrated supply chain and core product strategy, and stepped up the development of new e-commerce retail channels.

On the other hand, a number of companies in the industrial incubations and investments segment have maintained their leading positions and steady development in their respective industries.

At the same time, Legend Holdings is also committed to promoting its portfolio companies to give full play to their advantages to empower the real economy.

Lenovo has been named to Gartner’s Global Top 25 Supply Chain ranking for eight consecutive years and was the only Asia-Pacific high-tech manufacturer on the list, with more than 850 manufacturing suppliers, promoting mutual development with SMEs along the industrial chain. In 2022, its manufacturing bases in Tianjin and Shenzhen commenced operations, and its Hefei base was recognized as a “lighthouse” factory by the World Economic Forum. Its new IT solutions to intelligent transformation were successfully deployed by nearly 1,000 companies across various sectors.

Promote Green Development, Help Rural Revitalization and Increase Investment in Public Welfare of Science and Technology

As a company growing up under the system of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Legend Holdings has been actively focusing on public welfare investment in the field of science and technology. In 2022, the company entered into a donation agreement with University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Education Foundation (UCASEF) to donate RMB60 million to set up the Scientific and Technological Innovation Project Fund of Legend Holdings, specifically for nurturing of the talents and basic researches in the fields of information technology, artificial intelligence, new materials and biotechnology of UCAS. Legend Capital has also set up the ” Legend Capital Scholars Program” to help the construction of China’s innovative talents; Lenovo Group has reached cooperation with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tsinghua University and initiated donations to help the cultivation of R&D talents in universities.

Rural revitalization is an important part of Legend Holdings’ corporate social responsibility. In terms of industry, the company has cooperated with the China Women’s Development Foundation since 2018 to help women from low-income rural families to start businesses with local features through the “Revolving Fund for Mothers Project”, helping the local community to move towards the development path of quality-boosting agriculture, green-boosting agriculture and benefit-first. In terms of talents, the company has established Legend Holdings Rural Education Fund since 2004 to focus on rural education on an ongoing basis, helping students with limited family financial conditions realize their dreams of attending university.

The company continued to promote the focus on green and low-carbon development within the system, in active respond to the carbon peak and carbon neutrality strategy of the country. Lenovo is the first domestic high-tech manufacturer to pass the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) net-zero target validation, its Wuhan manufacturing base obtained the ICT industry’s first zero-carbon factory certificate, while its Tianjin industrial park completed a pilot project that met the ICT industry’s zero-carbon factory standard. As the “National Green Factory”, Levima Advanced Materials has improved self-sufficiency in terms of core raw materials in the photovoltaic industry, and landed its new biodegradable material PPC project. In addition, a number of portfolio companies of Legend Holdings have also helped to achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality through green finance.

In addition, the public welfare program “Legend Star Entrepreneurial CEO Training Course” established by the company in 2008 has trained more than 1,000 innovative and entrepreneurial talents, and 50 of the enterprises founded by the trainees have been successfully listed and 73 have been selected as national specialized and innovative enterprises.

Grasping the opportunities of the times and working hard to make contributions to high-quality development

In 2023, Legend Holdings will continue to actively improve asset quality and solidify business fundamentals through substantive investment management and services. Focusing on the long-term development, it will improve the business to position it for steady growth. In the industrial incubations and investments segment, technological innovation remains a key area. While safeguarding against potential volatility in the capital markets, the company will be creative and strive to discover new values. At the same time, the company will also take a positive attitude and innovative approaches to further adjust its business portfolio, realize returns, and find new opportunities for strategic layout, especially in the field of science and technology innovation. Meanwhile, it will further optimize the organization development, increase the introduction of scientific and technological talents, and improve and enhance the human resource structure.

Despite the evolving international situation, China’s long-term positive fundamentals will not change, and Legend Holdings’ prospects are promising in deploying the country’s major strategic initiatives. The company will closely follow the national strategy of achieving high-quality development driven by technological innovation, carry out “Industrial operations and technological innovation”, and continue to fulfill the corporate social responsibility at a strategic level, advancing the ESG work in the system.

Mr. Ning Min, Chairman and Executive Director of Legend Holdings, said that in 2022, facing the great uncertainties and challenges brought about by global changes, Legend Holdings, while consolidating its business fundamentals, insisted on strengthening investments in science and technology innovation and promoting the development of real economy, to overcome difficulties with toughness and ride out the storm, further consolidating the foundation for long-term corporate development. 2023 is the opening year of the comprehensive implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. With the successful convening of the Central Economic Work Conference and the gradual emergence of the effects of various policies, China’s economy once again is enjoying a broader space for development. Legend Holdings will work together to seize the opportunity, continue to give full play to the enthusiasm and creativity of all employees, adhere to innovation orientation, promote industrial upgrading, work hard, actively participate in the overall high-quality national development, and continuously contribute to the construction of Chinese path to modernization.


Topic: Press release summary

Sectors: Daily Finance, Daily News

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RACO Investment Presents Solutions to Connectivity and Efficiency Challenges for Maritime Businesses Operating in Remote and Low Bandwidth Environments

Mar 18, 2023 | Business

RACO Investment has unveiled solutions to address the connectivity and efficiency obstacles maritime businesses face in remote and low-bandwidth environments.

San Jos, Costa Rica – WEBWIRE –

RACO Investment, a financial investment firm dedicated to supporting small- and medium-sized businesses in Panama and Costa Rica, has recently shared innovative solutions to overcome the connectivity and efficiency challenges maritime businesses and their mobile workforces or customers face when operating in remote and low bandwidth environments. In addition, the companys expertise in facilitating financial backing for startups and providing bridge loans for businesses seeking restructuring or enhancement makes them well-equipped to address the unique challenges of the maritime sector.

Maritime businesses operating in remote and low bandwidth environments often need help with reliable communication systems, which can hinder their ability to provide seamless services to customers and manage their mobile workforces effectively. RACO Investment has identified several strategies to help these businesses overcome obstacles and enhance operational efficiency.

1. Leveraging satellite communication technology: RACO Investment recommends investing in advanced satellite communication systems that provide reliable connectivity even in remote locations. These systems can help businesses maintain constant communication with their mobile workforces and customers, facilitating real-time updates and ensuring uninterrupted service.

2. Optimizing data transmission: The firm suggests employing data compression and optimization techniques to maximize data transmission efficiency in low bandwidth environments. This can help businesses minimize communication delays and reduce the bandwidth required for smooth operations.

3. Implementing edge computing solutions: Edge computing enables data processing closer to the source, which can be particularly beneficial for businesses operating in remote locations with limited connectivity. RACO Investment encourages maritime companies to explore edge computing solutions that can help reduce latency, improve data processing efficiency, and optimize network usage.

4. Adopting cloud-based services: RACO Investment advises businesses to consider adopting cloud-based services, which can help streamline their operations and provide greater resource management flexibility. Cloud-based solutions can offer improved scalability, allowing businesses to quickly adapt to changing demands and reducing the need for on-site infrastructure.

5. Fostering collaboration with technology providers: RACO Investment recommends forming strategic partnerships with technology providers specializing in maritime communication solutions to address connectivity challenges. These collaborations can enable businesses to access cutting-edge technology and receive expert guidance on implementing suitable solutions tailored to their specific needs.

6. Investing in staff training: Finally, RACO Investment emphasizes the importance of staff training to ensure employees are well-versed in utilizing new technologies and communication systems. This can help maritime businesses maximize the benefits of their technology investments and maintain seamless operations in challenging environments.

Randall Castillo Ortega, the founder of RACO Investment, has expressed his commitment to helping maritime businesses overcome the hurdles they face in remote and low bandwidth environments. At RACO Investment, we understand the unique challenges faced by maritime businesses and their mobile workforces. Our goal is to provide them with the necessary financial support and guidance to implement innovative solutions that enhance connectivity, efficiency, and overall operational success, said Ortega.

RACO Investments dedication to empowering businesses in Panama and Costa Rica and its extensive experience in providing financial support and strategic advice places the firm in a strong position to help maritime businesses navigate the complexities of operating in remote and low bandwidth environments. RACO Investment aims to contribute to its long-term growth and success by addressing these businesses connectivity and efficiency challenges.

About RACO Investment

RACO Investment is a financial investment firm supporting small- and medium-sized businesses in Panama and Costa Rica. Established by Randall Castillo Ortega, an accomplished financial advisor with deep connections to the Latin American import and export sectors, the firm has played a crucial role in empowering numerous startups with the financial backing they require to launch. Additionally, RACO Investment provides bridge loans to assist companies seeking to restructure or enhance their operations.

RACO Investment founder Randall Castillo Ortega provides personnel management tips for startups

Feb 20, 2023 | Business

Financial and business expert Randall Castillo Ortega explains the benefits of proper personnel management to get a startup off the ground.

San Jos, Costa Rica – WEBWIRE –

As an organization, you must have a clear understanding of your employees as well as their skills, experience, information, ideas, and creative thinking. If you want them to be successful, an organization should be able to appreciate their skills, experience, information, ideas and creative thinking. Randall Castillo Ortega, an entrepreneur and the founder of RACO Investment, discusses the five main components of this plan.

In order to be a good manager of human capital, it is important to create processes for bringing out the best talent available to the organization, creating work plans for employees, leading and training representatives, convincing employees to deliver the best work possible, and creating a plan that is appropriate for the individual employee. When it comes to a team, it is important to understand what is going on right now and what would be ideal if everything was perfect.

A financial goal can be set for employees based on a personal financial goal, which will allow them to develop their general skills, which makes them more interested in positions close to the association in the future. The goal of human capital is to retain dedicated and dedicated agents, to work hard at work, to develop onboarding programs for new contracts, and to get the best deals in the pool, according to Puig.

Furthermore, it is important for the organization to clarify its direction. This part involves identifying the back-and-forth connections between management and the organization. In order to accomplish short and clear goals, it is essential to understand top management, customers, partners desires and needs, team vision, budget requirements, and delegation requirements.

Organizations need to collect information from employees, customers, and partners in order to learn about their wants and needs in order to accomplish this. As a result of talking about these issues, an organization will be able to define its vision and its team in a more productive manner.

As part of a successful review, current reps will be asked to discuss where they see themselves in the organization in two years. A team can then identify any weaknesses or gaps in the organization through this type of analysis.

An organization or process is only effective when it is properly managed. This includes improvements in key monitoring and reporting processes, such as planning for disappointments and processing them more efficiently. Additionally, he suggests that the team consider the evasive aspects of the arrangement and how the equation can be changed, if they are an asset. Members will be unable to determine whether the key management plan is working if there is no accountability system in place, Castillo explains.

An effective human capital management strategy is also the combination of the methods and functions necessary for the successful implementation of this system. Developing a foolproof plan for its implementation is also a requirement.

A successful human capital management strategy will include the allocation of assets, budgeting, and setting deadlines or allocating time. Clarity is of utmost importance when it comes to human capital management strategies. A clear usage plan outlines the process and goals clearly.

The purpose of human resources professionals is to develop long-term strategies to ensure that their employees are satisfied with their work. Once an organization has identified its goals and objectives, it will be able to make arrangements and procedures to achieve them. Employees who are successful are able to perform at their best, so they can increase their chances of winning. Organizations can assign employees based on their territorial merits, abilities, teaching abilities, and skills.

In order to understand the needs of their employees in order to monitor their developments within the organization, directors must have regular conversations with their employees. As part of human capital planning, organizations are encouraged to align human capital strategies, activities, and processes to ensure employee productivity and the achievement of the companys goals and objectives, as well as improve employee productivity.

Concludes Castillo, HR professionals are able to employ the right people, prepare them in the best way possible, treat them as agents, examine their abilities when needed, and protect them as workers by using a human capital management system.

About RACO Investment

RACO Investment is a financial investment firm serving small- and medium-sized companies in Panama and Costa Rica. It was founded by Randall Castillo Ortega, an expert financial adviser who has his roots in the import and export industry in Latin America. The firm has helped numerous startups find the financial support they needed to get off the ground. It has also contributed bridge loans to assist those looking to restructure or improve their operations.

Investment is Valued and Rewarded in Nigeria says NITDA DG Kashifu Inuwa

Feb 4, 2023 | Business

The Director General, NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency), Kashifu Inuwa has called on international investors to invest in the Nigerian tech ecosystem because doing so is valued and comes with many rewards. Speaking on the “Evolution of the Nigerian Tech Ecosystem” to the Ludwig von Bayern Startup Lions, Inuwa said there are four comparative advantages you won’t find anywhere but in Nigeria.
Firstly, Inuwa suggested that Nigeria’s large population and its emerging economic status positioned as a suitable investment destination in Africa. “Nigeria alone has 15% of the population and the GDP, so investing in Nigeria is like investing in Africa. Moreover, it is emerging because if you look at the tech-ecosystem, Nigeria attracts 30% of African FDI. Last year alone, the country attracted more than USD 2 billion.”

Secondly, Inuwa suggested that the level of support the government now gives to the tech ecosystem is unparalleled in the history of the country. He said the government has been supporting innovation and startup. There are many interventions in terms of policies, laws and infrastructure to help businesses to grow.

“In 2019, the President expanded the mandates of our ministry to cover digital economy. Before, it was just ministry of Communications but realizing that communication is not an end, but a means to an end, while the end is how we can use technology for economic prosperity.”

He recalled the Nigerian Startup Act, the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business, which includes incentives like visa on arrival and business incorporation under 24 hours, each aimed at transforming the economy.

“Thirdly, we have youthful and talented population which you won’t find elsewhere in the world. While the developed countries are suffering from aging population, we have one of the youngest populations in the world,” he observed.

“Finally, any investment has high potential for social and economic impacts, and helps the country solve its many challenges. We have challenges that require innovative solutions; we have challenges around healthcare, financial inclusion, education, transportation, and logistics. And you all know: IT or technology can provide faster solutions for us to solve all these problems.

“So, come to Nigeria and invest. You will easily feel our comparative advantages,” concluded Inuwa.

While urging investors to look the way of Nigeria, Inuwa invited them to grace the Africa Tech Conference that comes up in July 2023.

NITDA, National Information Technology Development Agency, NIGERIA.
More information: https://nitda.gov.ng, Mail to: info@nitda.gov.ng.


Topic: Investment

RACO Investment founder Randall Castillo Ortega explains customer acquisition costs for businesses

Jan 5, 2023 | Business

Financial and business expert Randall Castillo Ortega, the founder of SME backer RACO Investment, offers insight into customer acquisition costs and how to calculate them.

San Jos, Costa Rica – WEBWIRE –

Numbers are a concern for all businesses, especially when they start adding expenses. There are many investments, in addition to expenses. The cost of customer acquisition is an example of such an investment. This concept helps us understand the most effective recruitment strategies and how to price our products and services. Randall Castillo Ortega is the founder of SME backer RACO Investment and a financial expert, and provides deep insight into how to calculate customer value.

Attracting new customers costs more than keeping the ones you have. It is good to have a loyalty program in any company. This will allow you to make up for the loss by investing in another. These are just a few of the things companies should know how much they invest. Information is power, and in this case, it is a resource that can help you define your ideal customer and determine the success rate of a campaign. It also helps you identify the most profitable channels.

Considering the consumers lifestyle, all this is impossible. This idea is very similar to what we discussed. It directly affects the calculation of customer acquisition costs.

Customer acquisition cost (CAC) is the sum of all the money a business spends to attract customers, divided by actual revenue. According to Castillo, These funds should include staff salaries, fees for external hires, advertising fees, and implementation tools and materials necessary to retain leaders and convert them into customers.

Customers who buy from the same company tend to return to it again and again. This can last for months or even years. Customer lifetime is the amount of money a customer earns during the time they stay with the business. Every time the idea is different.

First, you need to get customers. This is where more effort is needed and where the investment described in the acquisition pricing process should be made. Converting prospects into customers is the last part; thats how you sell. This process requires the same investment as the previous one: backup, email software and human resources to implement the plan.

After closing the market and acquiring customers, the next stage of growth is to maintain the relationship between the brand owner and the user, strengthen it and launch new products and services through a sales strategy or offensive. This method does not see as much money and advertising as the previous methods.

There will also be investments in strategies through email marketing and/or telemarketing. Then you have to look at loyalty. It is important for companies to retain their customers after all the investments they have made.

This will ensure that they do not leave the company and add more value. It is important to set up loyalty programs such as discounts, offers and special products. Castillo adds, “The biggest expense is for workers and equipment.

You need to do something to convert those customers who have already purchased. This plan is worth more than buying it. However, like everything, there must be balance and measure.

The company makes a profit from each customer if the difference between the total investment at each stage of the customers life and the income is less than the sum of all investments. These benefits are very important in calculating life cycle benefits. This is done by multiplying the profit by the number of transactions and the number of years the customer has been in business.

About RACO Investment

RACO Investment is a financial investment firm serving small- and medium-sized companies in Panama and Costa Rica. It was founded by Randall Castillo Ortega, an expert financial adviser who has his roots in the import and export industry in Latin America. The firm has helped numerous startups find the financial support they needed to get off the ground, and has also contributed bridge loans to assist those looking to restructure or improve their operations.