NOVPUB
Chapter 1110: Chapter 970: Begin the Acquisition
A day later.
Ayman returned to Saudi.
He quickly completed the transfer of 3.2% of ARM’s stocks, and he informed the shareholders of ARM that the contract had officially taken effect. With such a shareholding ratio, he now qualified to serve as an important Board of Directors member.
Originally, the President of ARM had also wanted to invite Ayman to visit the United Kingdom.
But he simply didn’t have the time now.
"Tang Qing, I’m done here." As soon as the transfer agreement became legally effective, Ayman immediately informed Tang Qing. He had calculated the timing perfectly; it should be seven in the evening in China now.
Tang Qing had just finished class and returned home, watching the scenery in the living room, while Lin Jiaxue was doing homework in the bedroom, "Congratulations, you’ve made another ten-plus million dollars. In five minutes, the money will be in your UBS account."
Before leaving, Ayman had signed an agreement with him, stipulating that upon successful completion of the deal, Tang Qing would pay $87.5 million within twenty-four hours. This money, Tang Qing had still ’borrowed.’
"Haha, I’d be happy to help with this kind of business in the future," Ayman laughed.
He had never made money so easily.
Tang Qing smiled, "I also hope we have more opportunities to cooperate like this."
"I’m looking forward to it."
After chatting a bit longer.
The two ended their call.
Shanghai Stock Market.
Tang Qing said softly to the glass in front of him, "Begin."
"Yes, Commander."
Tang Yi’s voice came through his ear.
...
Aside from being listed on the Nasdaq in the United States,
ARM was also listed on the London Stock Exchange, accounting for 20% and 15% of ARM’s stocks, respectively. This meant that even after Tang Qing had bought up stocks, he would only own 35% of the shares.
Not to mention he couldn’t buy them all.
Because many holders were in it for the long haul.
Ordinary stock market fluctuations could hardly shake them out. Besides, Tang Qing was originally playing a ’supporting’ role, so he did not adopt any ’low-end’ tactics such as depressing stock prices, accumulating shares when prices were low, or spreading rumors.
Because they wouldn’t work.
ARM was a pure design company.
Its main business was selling intellectual property (IP). Unless the major international semiconductor giants announced production cuts or a switch to Intel architecture technology, this company was unlikely to have any negative news that could cause its stock price to fall.
But that was impossible.
The mobile communications sector was rapidly growing, with demand evident. ARM’s technology was distinctly competitive with Intel’s, with different positioning. Those manufacturers were unlikely to switch to Intel’s technology.
Due to this company’s uniqueness,
if Tang Qing were to use conventional methods to suppress the stock price,
companies like Apple, Qualcomm, Samsung, and others could easily lend a small hand and prop it up. As giants that employ ARM architecture technology, they were very familiar with the company’s situation.
If he were to use such mundane tactics,
he would definitely appear clownish, hopping around for everyone’s amusement, not to mention it wouldn’t please anyone. Perhaps it wouldn’t annoy others, but it would certainly be irritating to himself.
Therefore,
normal buying and selling of stocks would suffice.
For this purpose, Tang Qing had established an investment company last month and opened numerous branch offices, investing in some promising enterprises for the future, spending over one hundred million dollars overall.
Chinese Time.
Nine thirty in the evening.
United States.
The Nasdaq market opened.
ARM’s stocks had risen by 12% since the beginning of the year. However, because the volume was really small, just a few hundred million dollars, the daily trading volume wasn’t very active.
There weren’t many individual investors buying and selling either.
As soon as the market opened today,
all sell orders were devoured by a wave of capital, and then a massive buy order was left hanging there all alone. This tactic let investors know instantly: a local tyrant had come to sweep the board.
At the same time,
London.
The same scene played out again.
The result was: fewer sellers, more buyers, and in less than an hour, ARM’s stock price on both exchanges had risen by three percentage points and two percentage points, respectively.
Unfortunately,
Tang Qing remained unfazed.
Accumulating stocks.
It was a long process.
Tang Qing merely wanted to make a gesture; he didn’t care how many shares he acquired. Therefore, afterwards, when someone was willing to buy at a higher price, Tang Qing’s company did not respond.
The following few days were the same; Tang Qing’s investment company only traded at specific times each day, snagging reasonably priced stocks, and completely ignoring those who sought to make a big profit by setting excessively high prices...
It was as though,
after taking a bite of meat... it had fallen asleep.
Both stocks began to rise steadily, catching the attention of many.
...
New York.
Inside an investment company.
Many American stocks were traded by such institutions, commonly known as traders. They helped clients buy and sell stocks and collected transaction fees, also being the market’s biggest ’manipulators.’
"Have you traced the background of that company?"
"Yes, it’s an investment company opened by a Chinese individual, absorbing ARM Technology Company’s shares in both markets without any disguise or tricks, as if... they just bought whatever seemed appropriate."
The person reporting also found it a bit incredible.
"..."
The manager was speechless. This approach was just too ’crude’, a complete loss of face for the profession of traders, yet it was also possible that this was some kind of ’operational’ technique they didn’t understand.
"Who’s the company boss?" the manager asked.
"The chairman of the Comet Group from Huaxia."
"What? A Chinese person? And the chairman of the Comet Group? The company that produced the two ’Civilization’ movies?" The manager was shocked. He was a fan of the ’Civilization’ movies and, as an agent, he well knew the potential of this company.
"Yes."
"Could it be that he wants to acquire ARM?" the manager wondered.
One of the traders analyzed, "It doesn’t seem like it. It looks more like an investment. If it were an acquisition, they would probably use some strategy, hire an experienced operator. They wouldn’t buy practically at random like they are doing now, without any further action."
"So what do we do..."
"Continue to observe, and don’t sell the stocks we hold for now."
"Yes."
Just then.
The manager received a phone call.
The next moment.
His face showed surprise.
"What? The company has just submitted a buyout offer to ARM? Uh-huh... Okay... I understand..." After speaking for nearly five minutes and grasping the details, the manager hung up the phone.
Seeing the puzzled expressions of the others.
"This company has just officially proposed an acquisition to ARM, but the ARM board of directors immediately rejected them. It seems that Comet Group’s success has made him overconfident, thinking money can buy everything, out of his depth," the manager chuckled.
Hearing this.
The trader who had just said that an acquisition was unlikely immediately turned red. The slap to the face came too quickly, and it was all because the company didn’t play by the rules, which broke his logical analytical framework.
"Hmph, a nouveau riche from Huaxia, a company like that, how could it possibly be sold to Huaxia? ARM’s shareholders would never agree. Serves him right. He doesn’t understand the world of capital."
"I even thought his operation was some method we didn’t understand, but it turns out he’s just a greenhorn, clueless."
"If that special effects company were in the United States, we could make a movie even better than ’Civilization’. No, by the end of this year, our Hollywood movies will beat it."
Envy burns, regardless of nationality.
"..."
...
At another company.
They received the same news, but had done their homework better.
"Shut up."
The boss stopped the traders’ disdain with a command.
"Everyone’s success might seem like a fluke, but when you really understand the other companies under his command, I wonder if you’ll still be able to laugh. He’s a very clever person."
"He has other businesses? What kind?"
The traders weren’t familiar with Tang Qing’s other ventures, as it wasn’t part of their job.
"The latest investigation shows that he has a lot of industries. The Comet Group is just the most prominent one. He is also involved in several other fields, such as fashion, oil, minerals, photovoltaic energy, security, communication, enterprise services, and audio equipment."
"What? So many fields?"
"How come we never heard about it?"
"Are the media dead? Why don’t they report?"
"..."
After the turmoil, the boss continued speaking.
"Some of these fields are even the leading ones in Huaxia. The Comet Group is not just the largest video-sharing website and the most profitable entertainment company in Huaxia, which developed the ’Civilization’ series."
"The clothing company is now Huaxia’s largest fashion enterprise, the largest business consultancy, the largest headhunting company, the largest security company, and as for the audio equipment company, its annual profit won’t be less than five hundred million U.S dollars."
"Someone who controls so many enterprises, do you really think you’re qualified to laugh at him?" Finally, the boss looked at his subordinates sternly.
After listening to all this.
The traders closed their mouths. Such a person, indeed, was not someone they could casually criticize.
However.
This prompted doubts.
Why hadn’t their media reported on this legendary figure? Logically, someone like him should have been a household name in Huaxia by now, but at present, he was treated as if he were invisible.
Too strange.
Soon.
Their boss cleared up their confusion.
"Many of his companies are registered in offshore centers, and ordinary media can’t find them. We also obtained this comprehensive information through special channels. Most importantly, he generally keeps a low profile and hardly ever appears in the public eye."
This was information he had access to through his privileges from Citibank.
Data from the offshore center.
For a bank like Citibank, this was no issue at all. The core positioning of an offshore center is a ’tax haven’ not ’concealment of equity’; therefore, client information management isn’t as strict as that of Swiss Bank.
Their company head had connections with Citibank shareholders, naturally allowing them some conveniences through the registry, though they still had to pay for them. This kind of data trading was public within the industry.
At the same time.
He had something else he didn’t say.
This individual was not yet twenty years old and was currently attending university in Huaxia. As for exactly where, Citibank did not disclose, and he didn’t ask. The bank’s intelligence was always aloof, and he also knew something else.
It wouldn’t be long.
Perhaps next week.
At the latest, next month.
The whole world would know this person.
