SHANGHAI, China, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinhua Finance Limited and the Milken Institute today release the media update on the Chinese IPO Indicator. Indicator Value Change April 2007: 251.1 March 2007: 244.5 Month-to-month change: 2.7% April 2006: 184.2 Year-to-year change: 36.3% (Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200611140926.gif ) Click http://www.xinhuafinance.com/en/charts/ipo_rpi/0705/ipo_chart_en.jpg to download the chart. Highlights The IPO indicator advanced in April, riding the wave of the broader Chinese stock market, which has continued its ascent despite warnings of a market bubble from various government officials. The IPO indicator registered 251.1 at the end of April, 6.6 points higher than the previous month's score of 244.5. Fourteen equities were added to the indicator. Among them was CITIC Bank (A share, 601998; H share, 0998), which raised a combined US$5.4 billion in its dual IPO on the A and H share markets, the largest IPO worldwide this year. Analysis Of the ninety-three stocks included in the April indicator, twenty-one declined in price, while seventy-two increased. Energy, commodity, and transportation stocks pushed the indicator value higher, accounting for eight of the ten equities with the largest increase in market cap this month. Daqin Railway (A share, 601006), China Merchants Energy (A share, 601872), and Datong Coal (A share, 601001) contributed to 62 percent of the increase in score. The A share and H share prices of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC; A share, 601398; H share, 1398)) dropped 2.4 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. Of all constituents, ICBC had the greatest negative contribution to market cap in April, due to its large capital base. Methodology A stock's float-adjusted market capitalization over time forms the basis for indicator calculations. Stock dividends, stock splits, special dividends, share consolidations, repurchases, spin-offs, and combination stock distributions may trigger adjustments to the indicator values. Only companies incorporated and domiciled in mainland China that go public on the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong stock exchanges are included. Companies are removed from the indicator after a period of twelve months. Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute China Indicators The Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute China Indicators are aimed at providing investors, analysts, and financial professionals deeper insight into China's money and capital markets. Five of the eight indicators have been launched since November 2006: the Renminbi Pressure Indicator, the Chinese IPO Indicator, the Market Adjusted Debt (MAD) Indicator, the Banking Strength Indicator (BSI), and the Adjusted Trade and Finance (ATF) Indicator. The remaining three indicators will be launched later this year. Time Period Coverage and Frequency New companies are added to the indicator as soon as they are listed, while current companies are removed after twelve months. The IPO Indicator has a base date of December 31, 1997, when the indicator's value was set equal to 100, and covers the period from December 31, 1991, to the present. Values are calculated on a monthly basis. The indicator for each month is released in the third week of the following month. Sources of Data The real-time and historical trading data used in the construction of this indicator are provided by Bloomberg and Xinhua Finance; underlying information used to calculate the float ratio is obtained from a variety of sources, including Xinhua Finance's subsidiary Mergent, stock exchanges, regulators, and the companies themselves. Corporate actions are sourced from Xinhua Finance, regulatory filings, and news services. To view additional information, visit http://www.xinhuafinance.com/indicators and http://www.milkeninstitute.org/chinaindicators . Xinhua Finance Limited is China's premier financial information and media service provider and is listed on the Mothers Board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399) (OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China's financial markets and the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions, corporations and re-distributors through five focused and complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial News, Investor Relations, and Distribution. Founded in November 1999, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai, with offices and news bureaus spanning 14 countries worldwide. The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, independent economic think tank whose mission is to improve the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations around the world by helping business and public policy leaders identify and implement innovative ideas for creating broad-based prosperity. The Milken Institute has extensive expertise in China and conducts ongoing research on China's banking and capital markets. It is based in Santa Monica, Calif. For more information, please visit http://www.milkeninstitute.org . For more information, please contact: Xinhua Finance China Ms. Joy Tsang Tel: +86-21-6113-5999 or +852-9486-4363 Email: joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com Mr. Scott Zhang Tel: +86-21-6113-5996 Email: scott.zhang@xinhuafinance.com Japan Mr. Jiong Sun Tel: +813-3221-9500 Email: jsun@xinhuafinance.com Taylor Rafferty (Media contact for Xinhua Finance) Japan Mr. James Hawrylak Tel: +81-3-5733-2621 Email: James.hawrylak@taylor-rafferty.com United States Mr. John Dudzinsky Tel: +1-212-889-4350 Email: John.Dudzinsky@taylor-rafferty.com Europe Faisal Kanth Tel: +44-20-7614-2900 Email: Faisal.Kanth@taylor-rafferty.co.uk Milken Institute Ms. Jennifer Manfre Associate Director of Communications Tel: +1-310-570-4623 Email: jmanfre@milkeninstitute.org
Easy-to-use and Cost Effective AVS IPTV STB Solution Speeds the Deployment of IPTV Services in China BEIJING, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) and National Source Coding Audio & Video Technologies (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (NSCC) today announced the delivery of the industry's first single-chip IPTV set-top box (STB) solution enabling dual decoding of AVS and H.264, HM2006. Built on TI's innovative DaVinci(TM) technology platform, the solution targets on home audio and video entertainment applications that adopt China's digital television (DTV) standard - AVS. It is an easy-to-use and cost effective solution that will drive the widespread deployment of IPTV services in China. (See http://www.ti.com.cn .) (Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20.jpg ) According to In-Stat, China's IPTV subscribers will be 6.3 million with the annual revenue rapidly reaching to US$888 million by 2010. As the local DTV standard, AVS has been increasingly matured. The timely delivery of the single-chip IPTV STB solution by TI and NSCC will push forward the development of this market with great potential. As China's first single-chip IPTV STB solution that concurrently enables AVS and H.264 dual decoding, HM2006 is integrated with NSCC's AVS decoding algorithm and uses TI's innovative DM644x digital signal processors (DSPs) based on DaVinci technology. The solution enables AVS, H.264, MPEG2, MPEG4 and WMV video decoding. Digital signal processing gives designers using TI's DaVinci technology the ability to add video functions to an application, because the programmable engine makes is as simple as writing to an application programming interface (API), saving original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) months of development time and lowering overall system costs. The solution also can help operators meet faster deployment schedules at a lower development cost. "China's IPTV market is experiencing gradual but solid growth. Today's announcement of the industry's first local AVS-enabled single-chip IPTV STB solution will surely push forward the market." said Kun Lin, Vice President of TI Greater China Strategic Business Development, "We believe that TI's integrated, flexible and programmable devices based on DaVinci technology will promote the deployment of this industrial ecosystem and provides OEMs and operators with low-cost, high-performance, simple and easy-to-use technical solutions, thus eventually allowing consumers to enjoy more clear and vivid video experiences with reduced expenses." "TI's ability to provide an IPTV STB single-chip hardware platform within such a short time in the AVS deployment process plays an important role in the promotion of AVS. NSCC believes that the introduction of this solution will significantly accelerate AVS promotion efforts in the IPTV market", said Zhu Xuiao, NSCC deputy general manager, "The cooperation is just the beginning. We look forward to deepening our cooperation with TI, give full play to the advantages of DaVinci technology-based processor and introduce more solutions for AVS codecs applications." About Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Education Technology business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com . About NSCC Founded in December 2003, National Source Coding Audio & Video Technologies (Beijing) Co., Ltd. is a joint-stock system enterprise engaged in the development of digital audio and video core technologies, standards and key application products. Its leading R&D forces come from the Motorola-NCIC Joint Research and Development Laboratory for Advanced Computer and Communication Technologies founded by the Computing Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1996. Shareholders of the company consist of 5 units from industries, universities and research institutions which have years of research experiences and an industrial background. As one of the leading sponsors of AVS standard research and industry promotion, NSCC is committed to the R&D and promotion of the next-generation digital audio and video technology AVS standard and products, and has introduced AVS-based decoding software, decoding chip and Powercoder serial encoders. For more information, visit http://www.usc.com.cn . Trademarks DaVinci is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Tracy Zhou Texas Instruments Tel: +86-10-6513-8056 Email: zhoupeilei@ti.com Tara Hanney GolinHarris Tel: +1-713-513-9561 Email: thanney@golinharris.com
SHANGHAI, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinhua Finance Limited and and the Milken Institute today release the media update on the Renminbi Pressure Indicator. (Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200611140926.gif ) Indicator Value Change February 2007: 200.1 January 2007: 196.6 Month-to-month change: 1.75% January 2006: 178.6 Year-to-year change: 12.04% Please visit http://www.xinhuafinance.com/en/charts/ipo_rpi/0705/rpi_chart1_b.jpg to download the chart. Highlights In February 2007, the Renminbi Pressure Indicator (RPI) score increased by 1.75 percent, the largest month-to-month increase since the initial revaluation in July 2005. China's foreign exchange reserves rose to US$1.16 trillion. Analysis The gain in the RPI, from 196.6 to 200.1 over the previous month is attributable to appreciation of the yuan and an increase in foreign exchange reserves, which rose nearly US$52.7 billion from January, making it the highest-ever month-to-month jump in terms of absolute dollar amount. In percentage points, China's foreign exchange reserves showed the greatest gain since December 2004. The yuan appreciated against the dollar at a rate of 0.47 percent, up from 0.40 percent in January, while growth in foreign exchange reserves rose to 4.77 percent, from 3.60 percent. Yuan appreciation accounted for 0.16 of the 1.75 percent growth in the RPI, while growth in reserves contributed the remaining 1.59 percentage-point increase. There was no change in domestic interest rates in February. (In March and April 2007, the month-to-month growth rate of yuan appreciation against the dollar slowed to 0.07 percent and 0.04 percent, respectively. Interest rates increased by 0.27 percent in March and remained unchanged in April.) Methodology The RPI is based on a monthly examination of the interaction between the following variables to compute overall cumulative exchange rate pressure: the percentage change in the spot exchange rate, the percentage change in foreign exchange reserves, and the change in domestic interest rates. The indicator measures the pressure on China's currency relative to the U.S. dollar. It is set equal to 100 on January 1, 2000. Increases in the RPI reflect appreciation pressure on the renminbi (RMB). Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute China Indicators The Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute China Indicators are aimed at providing investors, analysts, and financial professionals deeper insight into China's money and capital markets. Five of the eight indicators have been launched since November 2006: the Renminbi Pressure Indicator, the Chinese IPO Indicator, the Market Adjusted Debt (MAD) Indicator, the Banking Strength Indicator (BSI), and the Adjusted Trade and Finance (ATF) Indicator. The remaining three indicators will be launched later this year. Time Period Coverage and Frequency The indicator covers the period from November 30, 1980, through January 2006. Data are available from the Milken Institute upon request. There will be a two- to four-month delay in reporting values for the indicator, depending on the release of information from authorities in China. Sources of Data The data used in the construction of the indicator are obtained from the International Monetary Fund, People's Bank of China, and State Administration of Foreign Exchange. To view additional information, visit http://www.xinhuafinance.com/indicators and http://www.milkeninstitute.org/chinaindicators. Xinhua Finance Limited is China's premier financial information and media service provider and is listed on the Mothers Board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399) (OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China's financial markets and the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions, corporations and re-distributors through five focused and complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial News, Investor Relations, and Distribution. Founded in November 1999, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai, with offices and news bureaus spanning 14 countries worldwide. The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, independent economic think tank whose mission is to improve the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations around the world by helping business and public policy leaders identify and implement innovative ideas for creating broad-based prosperity. The Milken Institute has extensive expertise in China and conducts ongoing research on China's banking and capital markets. It is based in Santa Monica, Calif. For more information, please visit http://www.milkeninstitute.org . For more information, please contact: Xinhua Finance China Ms. Joy Tsang Tel: +86-21-6113-5999 or +852-9486-4363 Email: joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com Mr. Scott Zhang Tel: +86-21-6113-5996 Email: scott.zhang@xinhuafinance.com Japan Mr. Jiong Sun Tel: +813-3221-9500 Email: jsun@xinhuafinance.com Taylor Rafferty (Media contact for Xinhua Finance) Japan Mr. James Hawrylak Tel: +81-3-5733-2621 Email: James.hawrylak@taylor-rafferty.com United States Mr. John Dudzinsky Tel: +1-212-889-4350 Email: John.Dudzinsky@taylor-rafferty.com Europe Faisal Kanth Tel: +44-20-7614-2900 Email: Faisal.Kanth@taylor-rafferty.co.uk Milken Institute Ms. Jennifer Manfre Associate Director of Communications Tel: +1-310-570-4623 Email: jmanfre@milkeninstitute.org
BEIJING, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Union leaders from Change to Win, the new American labor movement, will discuss their observations and activities from their fact-finding mission in China at 5:30 p.m. today, May 22 (Beijing time). The delegation from Change to Win, an alliance of seven unions representing six million workers in the jobs that are forming the basis of the new American economy, are meeting with workers, representatives, and high-ranking leaders from labor networks, business groups and the government. In addition, Change to Win met with the ACFTU and is exploring the ways to work with the organization to advance the interests of both American and Chinese workers. WHO: Anna Burger, Change to Win Chair Edgar Romney, Change to Win Secretary-Treasurer James P. Hoffa, General President, Teamsters Andy Stern, President SEIU Arturo Rodriguez, President UFW WHERE: American Club, 28th Floor, China Resources Building No. 8 Jianguomenbei Ave. Beijing 100005 "We are ready to build a new generation of solidarity to ensure that all workers can share in the prosperity of the global economy," said Anna Burger, Change to Win Chair. Change to Win unions share common employers with millions of Chinese workers throughout the service, transportation and industrial sectors, including major U.S.-based employers. In addition to Beijing, the delegation has visited Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Macau to meet with workers in factories and other sites to learn about daily life on the job. They also visited transportation and logistics facilities as part of Change to Win's focus on the global supply chain. Who We Are Seven unions and six million workers united in Change to Win to build a new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global economy and restore the American Dream: a paycheck that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity on the job. The seven partner unions are: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America, Service Employees International Union, UNITE HERE, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, United Farm Workers of America, and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. For more information, please contact: China: Bret Caldwell, Change to Win Tel: +1-202-437-5853 Email: international456@sprintpcs.com Wash., DC: TJ Michels, Change to Win Tel: +1-202-721-6061 Email: tj.michels@changetowin.org
BEIJING, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- A comprehensive effort to teach Chinese language and culture in Arizona's elementary and secondary schools is a major focus of a new Arizona State University-Sichuan University Joint Confucius Institute. A signing ceremony between delegations from both universities and China's National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOCFL) is scheduled for May 23 in Beijing. "A great research university must focus on the needs of its immediate community, but must also be international in scope," says Michael M. Crow, president of Arizona State University. "ASU's Confucius Institute partnership enhances the university's global impact and also benefits the local community by expanding our knowledge of one of the world's great cultures and emerging economic powers." The agreement is the latest in a series of initiatives ASU is creating with its sister university, Sichuan University, to implement a new higher education model with global engagement as one of design imperatives. The ASU-Sichuan University Joint Confucius Institute is designed to engage academic units across each of the universities. The institute, to be located at Arizona State University's Tempe campus, will be committed to promoting Chinese language and culture studies to elementary, secondary schools and the general public in Arizona. Initiative will include: collaborating on K-12 pedagogy for teaching Chinese language and culture; developing curriculum for heritage speakers of Chinese; linking K-12 schools with cultural resources in the community: museums, cultural centers, community groups. It will become an integrated part of ASU and of the greater Phoenix community by working with several offices and academic units including the President's China Initiatives Office; the new School of International Letters and Cultures, and the Center for Asian Research, both in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education; and the Contemporary Chinese School of Arizona, a non-religious, non-political and non-profit school that teaches 445 students from the ages of 5 to 16 and provides classes in conversation for professionals. "The presence of the Confucius Institute on campus will enhance and promote the teaching of Chinese language and culture to Arizona school children. We will have the opportunity to promote our engagement with ASU partner institutions in China and ensure the movement of students and faculty between China and Arizona," notes Deborah Losse, dean of the Division of Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "We have a responsibility to prepare our students in Arizona for the global challenges and opportunities that lie before them, and to prepare them to be responsible global citizens. The Confucius Institute at ASU offers a unique opportunity to bring the world a bit closer to these students and to dramatically broaden their global horizons," says Anthony "Bud" Rock, ASU vice president for global engagement. Additional information about Arizona State University's China initiatives is online at http://www.asu.edu/china . The first Confucius Institute in the United States was founded at the University of Maryland in partnership with Nankai University, Tianjin, China, in November 2004. As outlined by the NOCFL, Confucius Institutes are devoted to promoting the study of Chinese language and culture. They take a number of different forms and execute diverse responsibilities, depending upon the needs of the region and the institute's role at the host institution. After a pilot institute in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in June 2004, the first Confucius Institute in the world was officially opened in November 2004 in Seoul, Korea Oceania. For more information, please contact: Carol Hughes Arizona State University Tel: +1-480-254-3753 Email: carol.hughes@asu.edu
HONG KONG, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- International law firm Sidley Austin advised J.P. Morgan Securities Limited and ING Bank, London Branch, as initial purchasers in connection with the issuance by Indo Integrated Energy B.V. of its US$250 million 8.50% Senior Notes due 2012. The Notes are guaranteed by the issuer's parent, PT Indika Inti Energi, a leading Indonesian energy conglomerate with a 46.0% equity interest in the third-largest coal mine in Indonesia. Sidley created a unique structure using customary high-yield covenants to capture the dividend stream from the minority-owned coal asset, which comprised an integral part of the credit. The Sidley team was led by Jason T. Elder and Matthew Sheridan, partners in the corporate practice of Sidley's Hong Kong office. The team also included Carrie Li, Constance Chou, Stanley T. Ko, Xuemei Lu, Wendy Shen and Clara Wong in Hong Kong; Irving Rotter and Guilherme Ferraira (accounts structure) and Alex Gelinas and Brandon Holder (tax) in New York; and Manoj Purush in Singapore. Sidley is one of the world's largest full-service law firms, with more than 1,700 lawyers practicing in 16 offices in Asia, Europe and the United States. Sidley is consistently ranked at the top of the Thomson Financial league tables. For 2006, the firm was ranked as: -- top issuer's counsel and third as underwriter's counsel for U.S. debt, equity and equity-related offerings; -- top issuer's counsel and top underwriter's counsel for U.S. investment grade debt; and -- top issuer's counsel and third underwriter's counsel for U.S. straight debt, including asset-backed and mortgage backed securities. In Asia, lawyers in the corporate finance team advise clients on U.S., Hong Kong and English law in connection with all types of equity, debt and equity-linked transactions, including SEC-registered offerings in the United States, international securities offerings pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S governed by U.S. and English law, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Main Board and Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) listings, and issuances involving the creation of ADR or GDR programs. In 2005, Sidley ranked first in relation to the number of transactions advising issuers and first (tied) in relation to the number of transactions advising underwriters for listings on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Mainboard. (Asian Legal Business, Jan 2006). In 2006, Sidley was named to Legal Business' Global Elite, their survey of "the 15 finest law firms in the world." For purposes of the New York State Bar rules, this press release may be considered Attorney Advertising and the headquarters of the firm are Sidley Austin LLP 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, 212.839.5300 and Sidley Austin LLP One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, 312.853.7000. Prior results described herein do not guarantee a similar outcome. For more information, please contact: Sidley Austin Janet Zagorin Director of Practice Development Tel: +1-212-839-8797 Email: jzagorin@sidley.com Jason Elder Partner Tel: +1-852-2901-3879 Email: jelder@sidley.com Rubenstein Communications Dan Brady Tel: +1-212-843-8292 Email: dbrady@rubenstein.com SOURCE Sidley Austin
MONTEREY PARK, Calif., May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- First California Equity Group, LLC, recently announced their plans to redevelop the property located at 220 North Atlantic Boulevard, Monterey Park, the former site of the Sunday Cafe restaurant. The project was approved on May 8, 2007 by the City of Monterey Park Planning Committee. The $40 million, 54-unit mixed-use condominium and retail complex will serve as a catalyst to revitalize the underutilized North Atlantic Corridor by introducing visually stunning architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, and enhanced community and commerce to the city. The project will seek to become Monterey Park's first environmentally sustainable site development by adhering to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building and operation standards. LEED certification requires that builders adhere to a whole-building approach to sustainability through water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and attention to indoor environmental quality. Thoughtfully designed with Monterey Park's residents in mind, the project has been planned to encourage community. The site will incorporate a coffee shop and an upscale, 400-seat California fusion restaurant with space that may be rented by the public for private functions such as weddings, birthday parties, and corporate events. Nearly 20,000 square feet of landscaped, park-like open space will be available for public gathering, art and music performances. This space will also incorporate tasteful art and water-feature sculpture for the public's enjoyment. In order to minimize visual clutter and land waste, all parking at the site will be underground. Guests to the complex will experience maximum convenience with first-class valet parking service. "The Springfield project represents a new standard of luxury living for both residents of Monterey Park and future owners of the condominiums. The project will exceed the design standards set forth in the City of Monterey Park's General Plan, which was created in 2001 to create a vision for the downtown area. In addition, it will provide residents of Monterey Park with increased public space, high-paying jobs in the project's management office, restaurant and shops, and tax revenue from on-site commerce. We are proud of the leadership role we are taking in creating the future of this great community and grateful to the city's leaders for their counsel in the creation of this project," states Jason Chung, Owner and Developer, First California Equity Group, LLC. The project is scheduled for completion in Summer 2009. For more information, please contact: Robert Kim First California Equity Group, LLC Email: rhkim@renpacdev.com
SHANGHAI, China, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- SHANGHAITEX 2007, which is sponsored by Shanghai Textile Holding (Group) Corporation, CCPIT Shanghai Branch and ICC China Shanghai Branch and organized by Shanghai Textile Technology Service & Exhibition Centre, Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. and Shanghai International Exhibition Co. Ltd., will be held in Shanghai's New International Expo Center from June 1 to 4 and its exhibition scale will reach 120,000 m2. This exhibition will be highly specialized, technical and service-oriented, serving as a trading platform with high-value returns to introduce new technology and new products, upgrade brands and develop the market for numerous textile enterprises. (Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061108114544-37.jpg ) By the end of March 31, 2007, more than 1,400 manufacturers from over 20 countries had entered their names, including Austria, Denmark, Brazil, the Netherlands, Britain, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and the USA. Additionally, 23 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions in China had registered for the event, creating a total of more than 900 Chinese exhibitors and 500 foreign ones. All exhibition booths have been confirmed or reserved. In order to satisfy the exhibition needs of more companies, the temporary hall is being prepared now. This exhibition is highlighted by six characteristics: 1. The exhibition scale is the ever largest in history, reaching 120,000 m2, and the exhibition space is divided into nine indoor exhibition areas and a temporary shed. 2. Different equipment and technology are exhibited in corresponding specialized exhibition areas, breaking through the former boundary between Chinese and foreign exhibition areas to greatly facilitate professional visitors who come from all parts of the world with different needs. 3. In light of the current developmental trend of dying and trimming technologies in the textile industry, this exhibition focuses on new dying and trimming technologies, which account for 30% of the entire exhibition. 4. According to protection of environment and energy by the state macro regulation and control, another focus of this exhibition is on energy saving, with new equipment and new technology for environmental protection. 5. The former routine measure is changed for the trade liaison work in the exhibition. Apart from focusing on purchasing overseas exhibits after the exhibition closes, export of equipment and newly developed technology in China is also emphasized. 6. In addition to attaching importance to specialization, this exhibition pays more attention to service. The online reservation system will be open for visitors before the exhibition and the press center. The office for putting high-tech achievements into production and appraising companies, the IPR office and the trade liaison department are all on-site to better serve exhibitors and visitors. As an exhibition for famous brands in the textile machinery industry, SHANGHAITEX has always been followed closely by the global textile industry. More than 130,000 professional visitors from over 60 countries or regions in the world are expected to come to the event and hold talks and, likewise, more than 40 private media outlets, and public media from around the world as well as important textile provinces within China, will cover the development of SHANGHAITEX at the same time. 2007 is the key year in the "Eleventh Five-Year" plan for China's textile industry, which has entered the stage of tackling key technical problems, industrializing key technical achievements, enhancing independent innovative ability, pushing forward technological progress and industrial upgrading, and actively advancing the gradual transfer of the textile industry. In order to raise the professional-added value of the exhibition, exchange meetings on "Probing into Applications of Close Spinning Technology" and "Applications of New Spinning Technology and New Products" will be held. There will also be seminars on "New Equipment, New Technology and New Products for a New Weaving" and "New Dying and Trimming Technologies and Environment-friendly Chemicals". Twelve sessions of SHANGHAITEX have been held since it was initiated in 1984. From the 100,000 m2 in 2005 to the 120,000 m2 in this session, SHANGHAITEX has made great progress. It has become one of the most influential specialized exhibitions in Asia and, in particular, is recognized by industry insiders as an authoritative and forward-looking trade exchange event. About Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. (SIEC) Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. (SIEC) is jointly invested by Shanghai World Expo (Group) Co., Ltd. and the Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Shanghai. SIEC was founded on July 1st, 1984 with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation and the People's Government of Shanghai Municipality. The SIEC is a full member of Union des Foires Internationales (UFI). The SIEC has held 500 international exhibitions of various themes and sizes. It also has successfully held a number of solo exhibitions at a national level. "AUTO SHANGHAI," "SHANGHAITEX," "CHINA CYCLE," "FASHION SHANGHAI," "ELE/PT COMM CHINA" are among the first eight exhibitions approved by The Evaluation Committee of Shanghai Conventional & Exhibition Industries. For more information, please contact: Stanley Dai Show Manager Tel: +86-21-6279-2828 Fax: +86-21-6545-5124 Email: ricesong@siec-ccpit.com Web: http://www.siec-ccpit.com
Cenduit(TM) combines state-of-the-art technology with clinical trial expertise RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Quintiles Transnational Corp. and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) today announced the creation of a joint venture, called Cenduit(TM), that provides seamless, integrated Interactive Response Technology (IRT) services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology product development. IRT is a technology platform that integrates patient interaction systems through a combination of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, Web interfaces and handheld electronic patient diaries. The use of IRT is expected to grow as pharmaceutical companies look to streamline and better control increasingly complex drug development processes. "Cenduit brings together best-in-class technology, exceptional customer service and global clinical trial expertise to give biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies a seamless, integrated 'one-stop' service for support of their clinical development programs," said Jogin Desai, Chief Executive Officer of Cenduit. "Our efficiency and experience in IRT services and clinical project management offers the drug development industry a conduit to the broadest, most accurate, real-time view of every detail in the process -- and a very competitive solution." The name "Cenduit" signifies the channel through which information can move directly and freely. The prefix evokes the idea of a central point or hub. Thermo Fisher contributes to the joint venture its Fisher Clinical Services IRT operations in three locations -- Horsham, U.K.; Allentown, Penn., USA; and Basel, Switzerland. Quintiles brings its IRT operations in Bangalore, India, and Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, which is the venture's headquarters. Desai said the opportunity for an IRT business is strong and growing: "Interactive Voice Response is used in an estimated 30% of all Phase II-III clinical trials, and this rate is expanding rapidly. With advances in technology leading to even broader application through Interactive Response Technology, we believe the market will grow at a rate of about 20% per year, and we plan to offer a service that can aggressively capitalize on this opportunity." Cenduit will be guided by a joint venture board of directors, composed of representatives from each of the founder companies. The board will provide guidance on operational and strategic matters. "Our companies have been looking for an opportunity to leverage the particular service strengths we bring to the drug development process," said Marijn E. Dekkers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "With Cenduit, we have combined two leaders -- the clinical supply chain expertise of our Fisher Clinical Services business with the clinical development expertise of Quintiles -- to offer a scalable, seamless technology platform." The two parent companies have worked together to create something new for customers to provide them with more control over the myriad details of their drug development processes. "These are two businesses that know the complexity of clinical trials and the optimal cohesiveness and integration of their many work and data streams," said Oppel Greeff, Quintiles' Vice Chairman, Operations. "The joint venture that we have created through Cenduit offers the drug development industry the broadest, most accurate view of every detail in the process." Desai, the CEO, previously served in Quintiles as Executive Director, Quintiles Cardiac Safety Services. A medical doctor, Desai has had extensive prior work experience in clinical research in the United States. He joined Quintiles India in 2002 and has been instrumental in building and expanding a highly successful global ECG business, which has staff in India (Mumbai, Bangalore), the UK (Bracknell), US (RTP) and Japan (Tokyo). About Quintiles Quintiles Transnational Corp. is powering the next generation of healthcare by providing a broad range of professional services in drug development, financial partnering and commercialization for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare industries. With 17,000 employees and offices in more than 50 countries, it is focused on providing customer-centric solutions that are the gold standard of the industry. For more information, visit www.quintiles.com. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With an annual revenue rate of more than $9 billion, we employ 30,000 people and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. Visit http://www.thermofisher.com . For more information, please contact: Dick Jones Media Relations Tel: +1-919-998-2091 Email: media.info@quintiles.com Greg Connors Investor Relations Tel: +1-919-998-2000 Email: invest@quintiles.com
SHANGHAI, China, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The9 Limited (Nasdaq: NCTY) ("The9"), a leading online game operator in China, announced today its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2007. First Quarter 2007 Financial Highlights: -- Net revenues for the first quarter of 2007 decreased by 4% quarter-over-quarter and increased 27% year-over-year to RMB270.0 million (US$35.0 million). -- Net revenues attributable to the operations of Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R) ("WoW")(1), which included revenues from game playing time, merchandise and installation package sales, decreased by 5% quarter-over-quarter and increased 27% year-over-year to RMB266.3 million (US$34.5 million) in the first quarter of 2007. -- Net income for the first quarter of 2007 was RMB66.1 million (US$8.6 million), a 37% decrease from RMB105.1 million (US$13.6 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006, and a 12% increase from RMB58.8 million (US$7.6 million) in the first quarter of 2006. Excluding a financial subsidy of RMB19.8 million (US$2.6 million) received from the local government, gain on investment disposal of RMB23.4 million (US$3.0 million) from the sale of certain equity investment, and impairment loss on one of our investments of RMB20.4 million (US$2.6 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006, net income for the first quarter of 2007 decreased by 20% from the previous quarter. -- EBITDA (non-GAAP) was RMB117.7 million (US$15.2 million) in the first quarter of 2007, a quarter-over-quarter decrease of 20% from RMB146.6 million (US$19.0 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006, and a year-over-year increase of 18% from RMB99.6 million (US$12.9 million) in the first quarter of 2006. -- Fully diluted earnings per share (one American Depositary Share "ADS" represents one ordinary share) were RMB2.65 (US$0.34) for the first quarter of 2007, compared with RMB4.25 (US$0.55) for the fourth quarter of 2006, and RMB2.42 (US$0.31) for the first quarter of 2006. Fully diluted EBITDA (non-GAAP) per share were RMB4.72 (US$0.61) for the first quarter of 2007, compared with RMB5.93 (US$0.77) for the fourth quarter of 2006 and RMB4.10 (US$0.53) for the first quarter of 2006. Management Comments: With respect to the first quarter 2007 results, Jun Zhu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The9 commented, "We are pleased to report that The9 has achieved solid financial results in the first quarter of 2007. Despite the seasonal holiday impact in the quarter, we were able to maintain relatively stable user levels for Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R) game in China. In the first quarter of 2007, we attained peak and average concurrent WoW users in mainland China of approximately 680,000 and 330,000, respectively. As of March 31, 2007, over 7.5 million paid accounts had been activated(2). While we continue to prepare for the launch of WoW's major expansion pack: The Burning Crusade(TM), we started open beta testing for the highly anticipated Soul of The Ultimate Nation(TM) game in China in April and achieved a peak concurrent user level of over 400,000 users. We believe the strong preliminary result of SUN's open beta testing is indicative of The9's transition from a one-game to a multi-game company with diversified sources of revenue. In addition, Electronic Arts Inc. recently became a strategic investor of The9, and concurrently with their investment, we obtained the exclusive license to operate EA SPORTS(TM) FIFA Online, a blockbuster online soccer game, in mainland China. We recently also obtained the exclusive license to operate Audition 2, an advanced casual dancing online game, in mainland China. These exciting new developments are solid proof of The9's ability to execute our focused strategy of introducing high-quality games to the China online game market and to further diversify our game portfolio to include casual style games to address a wider range of audiences." Hannah Lee, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, commented, "Despite the seasonality impact to the WoW game, we achieved solid financial and operational results for the first quarter of 2007. With the upcoming launch of The Burning Crusade(TM) expansion pack together with the accompanying opening of a new server site, we expect, based on responses from overseas players, that even more players will be attracted to the World of Warcraft(R)game. SUN's strong open beta testing results increased our confidence that the game will bring additional sources of revenue for the Company and will enhance and diversify the number of our revenue-generating games. In addition to our strong MMORPG portfolio, FIFA Online and Audition 2 will be The9's initial steps into the growing casual game arena. We believe The9 is well positioned for further sustainable growth in the rapidly evolving Chinese online game market." Discussion of The9's First Quarter 2007 Results (Preliminary Unaudited) Revenues For the first quarter of 2007, The9 reported total gross revenues of RMB284.7 million (US$36.9 million), a 4% decrease from RMB297.8 million (US$38.6 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and a 27% increase from RMB223.5 million (US$28.9 million) in the first quarter of 2006. Total net revenues were RMB270.0 million (US$35.0 million), a 4% decrease from RMB282.7 million (US$36.6 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and a 27% increase from RMB212.1 million (US$27.5 million) in the first quarter of 2006. The quarter-over-quarter revenue decrease was mainly due to the seasonal impact on Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R)'s usage during the Chinese New Year and winter holiday. Net revenues attributable to the operations of Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R), including game playing time, merchandise and installation package sales, were RMB266.3 million (US$34.5 million) in the first quarter of 2007, a 5% decrease from the previous quarter due primarily to the holiday impact, and a 27% increase from the same period of last year. For the first quarter of 2007, online game services gross revenues were RMB281.3 million (US$36.4 million), a 5% decrease from RMB296.7 million (US$38.4 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and a 27% increase from RMB220.8 million (US$28.6 million) in the first quarter of 2006. For the first quarter of 2007, gross revenues from game operating support, website solutions and advertisement, were RMB2.6 million (US$0.3 million), an increase of 430% from the previous quarter and 247% from the same period of last year. The increase in these revenues was mainly due to certain technical support services provided in the quarter, where no such services were provided in the previous quarter or in the same period last year. Other gross revenues mainly included sales of WoW related merchandise and installation packages. For the first quarter of 2007, other gross revenues were RMB0.8 million (US$0.1 million) compared to RMB0.6 million (US$0.08 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and RMB1.9 million (US$0.2 million) in the first quarter of 2006. The quarter-over-quarter increase was primarily due to sales of installation packages of the Guild Wars game during the first quarter of 2007 when it commenced open beta testing while there were no such revenues in the previous quarter. Gross Profit Gross profit for the first quarter of 2007 decreased by 3% quarter-over-quarter but increased 37% year-over-year to RMB130.3 million (US$16.9 million). The sequential decrease of gross profit was mainly due to decreased revenues as mentioned above. Gross profit margin for the first quarter 2007 remained relatively stable at 48% compared to the previous quarter, but improved from 45% in the same period of last year. Operating Expenses For the first quarter of 2007, operating expenses were RMB58.1 million (US$7.5 million), a 6% increase from RMB54.7 million (US$7.1 million) in the previous quarter and a 52% increase from RMB38.3 million (US$5.0 million) in the same period of last year. The sequential increase in operating expenses was primarily due to increased product development expenses relating to certain costs for Soul of The Ultimate Nation(TM) and Guild Wars during their respective closed and open beta testing phases, partially offset by decreased sales and marketing expenses incurred for WoW as relatively less updates were introduced in the first quarter. Income from Operations For the first quarter of 2007, profit from operations decreased by 10% quarter-over-quarter but increased 27% year-over-year to RMB72.1 million (US$9.3 million). Operating margin for the first quarter of 2007 was 27%, remained stable compared to 28% in the previous quarter and 27% in the same period of last year. The slight sequential decline of operating margin was a combined result of decreased revenues and increased operating expenses as mentioned above. Other Income (Expenses) Other expenses for the first quarter of 2007 was RMB0.9 million (US$0.1 million) compared to other income of RMB19.1 million (US$2.5 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and other expenses of RMB0.5 million (US$0.06 million) in the first quarter of 2006. The sequential difference was primarily due to the receipt of a financial subsidy of RMB19.8 million (US$2.6 million) from the local government in the fourth quarter of 2006, compared to no such financial subsidy being received in the first quarter of 2007. Income Tax Benefit (Expense) Income tax expense for the first quarter of 2007 was RMB8.1 million (US$1.0 million) compared to income tax benefit of RMB1.0 million (US$0.1 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and income tax benefit of RMB0.2 million (US$0.02 million) in the first quarter of 2006. This was primarily due to the increase of effective tax rate following the expiration of income tax holiday of a significant PRC subsidiary, partially offset by adjustments of RMB7.2 million (US$0.9 million) to deferred tax valuation allowances due to the anticipated utilization of tax loss carry forward. Gain (Loss) on Equity Investments For the first quarter of 2007, loss on equity investments, net of taxes, amounted to RMB1.5 million (US$0.2 million), compared to a loss of RMB1.1 million (US$0.1 million) for the fourth quarter of 2006, and a gain of RMB1.1 million (US$0.1 million) for the first quarter of 2006. The sequential increase in loss on equity investments was primarily because most of the existing affiliated companies were still in the game development or early game commercialization stages, thus contributed losses in the first quarter of 2007; whereas in the fourth quarter of 2006, the joint venture that operates Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R) in other greater China regions, which we disposed of in late 2006, recorded a gain during the fourth quarter of 2006, which offset, to a large extent, the losses incurred by the other affiliated companies. Net Income For the first quarter of 2007, net income was RMB66.1 million (US$8.6 million), which decreased by 37% quarter-over-quarter from RMB105.1 million (US$13.6 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 but increased by 12% year-over-year compared to RMB58.8 million (US$7.6 million) in the first quarter of 2006. The sequential decrease of net income was a result of the cumulative effect of the foregoing factors. Excluding a financial subsidy of RMB19.8 million (US$2.6 million) received from the local government, gain on investment disposal of RMB23.4 million (US$3.0 million) from the sale of certain equity investment, and impairment loss on one of our investments of RMB20.4 million (US$2.6 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006, net income for the first quarter of 2007 decreased by 20% from the previous quarter. Fully diluted earnings per share and per ADS for the first quarter of 2007 was RMB2.65 (US$0.34), compared to RMB4.25 (US$0.55) in the fourth quarter of 2006 and RMB2.42 (US$0.31) in the first quarter of 2006. EBITDA (non-GAAP) is defined as earnings before depreciation of fixed assets, amortization of intangibles and income tax expenses/benefits, as applicable. For the first quarter of 2007, EBITDA (non-GAAP) was RMB117.7 million (US$15.2 million) compared to EBITDA (non-GAAP) of RMB146.6 million (US$19.0 million) for the previous quarter and RMB99.6 million (US$12.9 million) for the same period of last year. For the first quarter of 2007, fully diluted EBITDA (non-GAAP) per share was RMB4.72 (US$0.61) compared with RMB5.93 (US$0.77) for the fourth quarter of 2006 and RMB4.10 (US$0.53) in the first quarter of 2006. As at March 31, 2007, the Company's total cash and cash equivalents balance was RMB859.6 million (US$111.3 million). The decrease in cash and cash equivalents from RMB937.8 million (US$121.4 million) as at December 31, 2006 was mainly due to the combined result of capital expenditures on a new server site and upgrades of existing server sites in preparation for the launch of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade(TM), payments relating to the purchase of our headquarter office building in Shanghai, as well as prepaid royalty payments to the licensor relating to World of Warcraft(R)'s China operations, offset in part by receipts from prepaid game points, and final receipts of proceeds from the disposal of our investment in the joint venture that operates World of Warcraft(R) in the other regions of greater China. The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into U.S. dollars (US$) in this press release is based on the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers in Renminbi per U.S. dollar as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of March 30, 2007 (the last business day of first quarter of 2007), which was RMB7.7232 to US$1.00. The percentages stated in this press release are calculated based on the RMB amounts. Non-GAAP Measure To supplement the consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"), The9 uses the non-GAAP measure of EBITDA, which is adjusted from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP to exclude certain expenses. The non-GAAP financial measure is provided to enhance investors' overall understanding of the Company's operating performance. EBITDA (non-GAAP) is defined as earnings before depreciation of fixed assets, amortization of intangibles and income tax expenses/benefits, as applicable. The Company believes its EBITDA provides useful information to both management and investors as it excludes certain expenses that are not expected to result in future cash payments. The use of EBITDA has certain limitations. Depreciation and amortization expense for various assets and income tax expenses/benefits have been and will be incurred and are not reflected in the presentation of EBITDA. Each of these items should also be considered in the overall evaluation of our results. EBITDA should not be considered as a measure of our liquidity. We compensate for these limitations by providing the relevant disclosure of our depreciation and amortization, and income tax expenses/benefits in our reconciliations to the GAAP financial measure, which should be considered when evaluating our performance. EBITDA is not defined under GAAP, and our EBITDA is not a measure of net income, operating income, operating performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. When assessing our operating performance, you should not consider this data in isolation or as a substitute for our net income, operating income or any other operating performance measure that is calculated in accordance with GAAP. In addition, our EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures utilized by other companies since such other companies may not calculate EBITDA in the same manner as we do. For more information on this non-GAAP financial measure, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP results" set forth at the end of this release. Other Developments The9 today also announced that Mr. Alan Chen, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, will be leaving the Company on June 30, 2007 due to personal reasons. Mr. Huanxin Jiang, currently our Senior Technical Director, will be promoted Vice President, effective June 30, 2007. Mr. Jiang joined The9 in February 2004 and after this promotion he will be in charge of our technical operations. In addition, in recognition to their contribution to the Company, Ms. Hannah Lee, currently our Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, and Mr. Jun Yao, currently our Vice President, will be promoted to Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, and Senior Vice President, respectively, effective June 30, 2007. Conference Call / Webcast Information The9's management team will host a conference call on Monday, May 21, 2007 at 9:00 PM, US Eastern Time, corresponding with Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 9:00 AM, Beijing Time, to present an overview of The9's financial performance and business operations. Investors, analysts and other interested parties will be able to access the live conference by calling +1-617-597-5329, password "41286252". In the U.S., members of the financial community may also participate in the call by dialing toll-free +1-866-383-7998, password "41286252". A replay of the call will be available through May 29, 2007. The dial-in details for the replay: U.S. toll free number +1-888-286-8010, International dial-in number +1-617-801-6888; Password "22906365". The9 Limited will also provide a live webcast of the earnings call. Participants in the webcast should log onto the Company's web site www.corp.the9.com 15 minutes prior to the call, then click on the icon for "The9 Limited Q1 2007 Earnings Conference Call" and follow the instructions. About The9 Limited The9 Limited is a leading online game operator in China. The9's business is primarily focused on operating and developing high-quality games for the Chinese online game players market. The9 directly or through affiliates operates licensed MMORPGs, consisting of MU(R), Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R), Soul of The Ultimate Nation(TM), and its first proprietary MMORPG, Joyful Journey West(TM), in mainland China. It has also obtained exclusive licenses to operate additional MMORPGs and advanced casual games in China, including Granado Espada, Guild Wars, Hellgate: London, Ragnarok Online 2, Emil Chronicle Online, Huxley, FIFA Online, and Audition 2. In addition, The9 is also working on the development of a 3D fantasy MMORPG game, Fantastic Melody Online(TM). Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this press release contain forward-looking statements. The9 may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms 20-F and 6-K, etc., in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about The9's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, The9's limited operating history as an online game operator, political and economic policies of the Chinese government, the laws and regulations governing the online game industry, information disseminated over the Internet and Internet content providers in China, intensified government regulation of Internet cafes, The9's ability to retain existing players and attract new players, license, develop or acquire additional online games that are appealing to users, anticipate and adapt to changing consumer preferences and respond to competitive market conditions, and other risks and uncertainties outlined in The9's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 20-F. The9 does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. (1) World of Warcraft(R) and Blizzard Entertainment(R) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment(R), Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. (2) Activated paid accounts represent the number of CD Keys that we sold to customers and have been activated by customers to log-on to Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R) game in China. THE9 LIMITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Expressed in Renminbi - RMB and US Dollars - US$, except share data) Quarter Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2006 2006 2007 2007 RMB RMB RMB US$ (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) Revenues: Online game services 220,780,344 296,721,036 281,304,681 36,423,332 Game operating support, website solutions and advertisement 755,100 495,169 2,623,071 339,635 Other revenues 1,929,118 598,872 769,488 99,633 223,464,562 297,815,077 284,697,240 36,862,600 Sales Taxes (11,317,419) (15,138,187) (14,695,927) (1,902,829) Net Revenues 212,147,143 282,676,890 270,001,313 34,959,771 Cost of Services (117,045,133) (147,970,185) (139,741,064) (18,093,674) Gross Profit 95,102,010 134,706,705 130,260,249 16,866,097 Operating Expenses: Product development (8,906,763) (5,176,455) (9,594,597) (1,242,308) Sales and marketing (11,026,504) (17,982,287) (16,092,437) (2,083,649) General and administrative (18,337,604) (31,501,431) (32,445,657) (4,201,064) Total operating expenses: (38,270,871) (54,660,173) (58,132,691) (7,527,021) Profit from operations 56,831,139 80,046,532 72,127,558 9,339,076 Interest income, net 1,208,529 3,023,648 4,408,329 570,790 Other income (expenses), net (498,355) 19,123,592 (873,104) (113,050) Income before income tax benefit (expense), gain on investment disposal and gain (loss) on equity investments 57,541,313 102,193,772 75,662,783 9,796,816 Income tax benefit (expense) 188,891 1,015,569 (8,073,294) (1,045,330) Income before gain on investment disposal, impairment loss on investment and gain (loss) on equity investments 57,730,204 103,209,341 67,589,489 8,751,486 Gain on investment disposal - 23,409,702 - - Impairment loss on investment - (20,401,915) - - Gain (loss) on equity investments, net of taxes 1,077,589 (1,148,792) (1,504,470) (194,799) Net income 58,807,793 105,068,336 66,085,019 8,556,687 Other comprehensive income: Translation adjustments 37 - - - Comprehensive Income 58,807,830 105,068,336 66,085,019 8,556,687 Earnings per share - Basic 2.42 4.28 2.67 0.35 - Diluted 2.42 4.25 2.65 0.34 Weighted average shares outstanding - Basic 24,252,920 24,564,824 24,730,143 24,730,143 - Diluted 24,301,835 24,713,922 24,969,420 24,969,420 THE9 LIMITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Expressed in Renminbi - RMB and US Dollars - US$) As at December 31, 2006 March 31, 2007 March 31, 2007 RMB RMB US$ (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) Assets Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents 937,845,817 859,597,646 111,300,710 Accounts receivable 10,174,484 10,417,201 1,348,819 Advances to suppliers 9,036,620 5,949,176 770,299 Prepayments and other current assets 69,153,131 39,486,507 5,112,713 Prepaid royalties 27,558,207 17,248,311 2,233,311 Deferred costs 33,324,942 34,940,184 4,524,055 Deferred tax assets, current - 7,559,570 978,813 Total current assets 1,087,093,201 975,198,595 126,268,720 Investments in equity investees 30,117,605 28,613,136 3,704,829 Property, equipment and software 227,512,006 225,860,116 29,244,370 Goodwill 30,199,751 30,199,751 3,910,264 Intangible assets 244,271,279 243,141,511 31,481,965 Prepayment for office building and equipments - 244,628,873 31,674,549 Long-term deposit - 454,212 58,811 Deferred tax assets, non-current 5,391,123 7,788,458 1,008,450 Total Assets 1,624,584,965 1,755,884,652 227,351,958 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities Accounts payable 12,692,978 29,478,199 3,816,837 Due to related parties 332,797 385,186 49,874 Income tax payable - 18,030,198 2,334,550 Other taxes payable 23,589,754 16,526,947 2,139,909 Advances from customers 88,040,975 110,928,121 14,362,974 Deferred revenue 111,302,531 119,310,200 15,448,286 Other payables and accruals 52,467,643 42,598,296 5,515,627 Total current liabilities 288,426,678 337,257,147 43,668,057 Minority interests - - - Commitments and contingencies - - - Shareholders' Equity Common shares (US$0.01 par value; 24,688,038 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2006, 24,773,412 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007) 2,041,673 2,048,292 265,213 Additional paid-in capital 941,786,807 958,164,387 124,063,133 Statutory reserves 20,745,422 20,745,422 2,686,117 Retained earnings 371,584,385 437,669,404 56,669,438 Total shareholders' equity 1,336,158,287 1,418,627,505 183,683,901 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 1,624,584,965 1,755,884,652 227,351,958 THE9 LIMITED RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP TO GAAP RESULTS (Expressed in Renminbi - RMB and US Dollars - US$, except share data) Quarter Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2006 2006 2007 2007 RMB RMB RMB US$ (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) GAAP net income 58,807,793 105,068,336 66,085,019 8,556,687 Depreciation of property, equipment and software 18,030,884 21,666,970 23,124,444 2,994,153 Amortization of intangible assets 22,942,091 20,885,566 20,465,268 2,649,843 Income tax expense (benefit) (188,891) (1,015,569) 8,073,294 1,045,330 EBITDA (Non-GAAP) 99,591,877 146,605,303 117,748,025 15,246,013 GAAP earnings per share - Basic 2.42 4.28 2.67 0.35 - Diluted 2.42 4.25 2.65 0.34 Non-GAAP EBITDA per share - Basic 4.11 5.97 4.76 0.62 - Diluted 4.10 5.93 4.72 0.61 Weighted average shares outstanding - Basic 24,252,920 24,564,824 24,730,143 24,730,143 - Diluted 24,301,835 24,713,922 24,969,420 24,969,420 For further information, please contact: Ms. Dahlia Wei Senior Manager, Investor Relations The9 Limited Tel: +86-21-5172-9990 Email: IR@corp.the9.com Website: http://www.corp.the9.com
AIS Expands Nationwide Mobile Content Search, also leverages MCN's Mobilesearch.net Platform for Music Click services MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Mobile Content Networks (MCN) a leading global provider of mobile search solutions, today announced its selection by AIS, Thailand's largest mobile operator with 21 million subscribers, to provide mobile content search services for AIS's mobileLIFE WAP portal. In addition, MCN will provide customized search for AIS's popular Music Click services. With MCN's Mobilesearch.net search platform in place AIS now gives its subscribers real-time access to the content they want with fewer clicks and more relevant search results across numerous channels of mobile content, including music, games, ringtones, and images. "AIS's passion to continually improve the subscriber experience drove aggressive timelines for launching improved search services," said Marc Bookman, CEO of MCN. "We drew upon our global experience, as well as our recently announced platform upgrades, to rapidly deliver a customized solution that will increase revenues and customer satisfaction." About ADVANCED INFO SERVICE PLC. In 1990, Advanced Info Service Plc. was awarded the Concession from the Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) to invest and operate a mobile phone network in the frequency of 900 MHz for 20 years. AIS has continuously enhanced and expanded its network in order to respond to the market and technological advances, while keeping abreast of consumers' growing demands and needs. It continues to integrate the latest in advanced technology and deliver more than just voice communication, with GPRS and EDGE technology. AIS strongly believes that wireless communications bring changes to the way Thai people live their life, regardless of who they are and what they do. http://www.ais.co.th About Mobile Content Networks (MCN) Founded in Palo Alto in 2004 after years of research into the unique characteristics of mobile search, MCN is the leading provider of real-time mobile search services that support wireless operators and content providers worldwide. MCN operates MobileSearch.net, an agile, scalable, global search platform that allows partners to drive traffic to content and create sustainable, profitable search businesses. MCN's patent-pending mobile search technology supports virtually all content sources, all languages, and any type of mobile client software. MCN has offices in Silicon Valley, Japan, Thailand and Finland. Please visit http://www.mcn-inc.com . For more information, please contact: Stephen Burke MCN Inc. Tel: +1-415-509-8600 Email: media@mcn-inc.com
Four Points by Sheraton and Sheraton Halong Bay will open in northeastern region of Vietnam in 2008 and 2010 SINGAPORE, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced that it has reached an agreement with Royal International Corporation to develop two hotels in the World Heritage site of Halong Bay, Vietnam : Sheraton Halong Bay Resort and Four Points by Sheraton Halong Bay. The 160-room Four Points by Sheraton hotel is expected to open in early 2008 and the 300-room Sheraton Halong Bay Resort will open in 2010. The Four Points by Sheraton Halong Bay will also be the first Four Points by Sheraton hotel to open in Vietnam. Starwood currently operates Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel in Vietnam. The two-hotel project further strengthens the position of Starwood as one of the largest international upscale hotel chains in the Thailand and Indochina region (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos). Starwood currently operates 13 hotels in the region, with 11 more under development in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Angkor and now Halong Bay. "Starwood is excited to bring two of its renowned brands to the fast-growing Indochina region. The Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton brands each bring to life their own distinct brand positionings, delivering a differentiated travel experience for travelers," commented Miguel Ko, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific. "Vietnam is amongst the fastest growing nations in Southeast Asia and in the world, with GDP growth anticipated at 7.1% and tourism growth at 20%. Since early this year, about 1.462 million foreign tourists have visited Vietnam, up about 12.5% from the previous year. We also expect Vietnam's entry into World Trade Organization (WTO) to drive leisure and business travel into the country as it gains international prominence. The growing demand presents to us tremendous opportunities as the first international upscale hotel group to debut in Halong Bay, a popular tourist destination in Vietnam," added Ko. Halong Bay is located in northeastern part of Vietnam and consists of a cluster of 1969 limestone monolithic islands which rise from the ocean along a 120 kilometer coastline, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. In 1994, UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage site for its geographical and geomorphologic values, confirming the global premier value of H-long Bay. Halong Bay is also attached to the glorious pages of Vietnamese history and home to the great biodiversity with typical eco-systems like mangrove forest, coral and tropical forests. Halong Bay is also popularly known as the film site for the James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies" and was also featured on Amazing Race 10 in 2006. Halong Bay is approximately 170 km east of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam (approximately 2.5 hours by car). Four Points by Sheraton Halong Bay's facilities will include 160 rooms, 4 restaurants and lounge, 2 meeting rooms, a gym, spa and indoor swimming pool. Sheraton Halong Bay Resort will feature 300 rooms, with 4 restaurants and lounge, a gym, outdoor pool and spa, as well as over 1,500 square meters of meeting space. Both hotels will be developed on a 12 hectare site, which is slightly undulating and gently sloping upwards, offering guests breathtaking views of Halong Bay. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, W(R), Le M¨¦ridien(R) and the recently announced aloftSM and ELEMENTSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit http://www.starwoodhotels.com . (Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.) For more information, please cotact: June Seah Marketing Manager, Greater China & Taiwan Starwood Hotels & Resorts Tel: +86-21-6141-7792 Fax: +86-21-6391-8220 Email: june.seah@starwoodhotels.com
Data From Multicentre Registry Show Significant Benefit With Closed-Cell Stents in the Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis PARIS, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) welcomed results from a large independent registry confirming the benefit of closed-cell stents in patients with carotid artery stenosis. The results, published in the February 2007 issue of the European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, show that symptomatic patients treated with closed-cell stents had significantly fewer complications after the stent was implanted than patients who received open-cell stents. In particular, the Carotid WALLSTENT(TM) was used in 66% of patients in the registry and had the lowest 30-day post-procedural event rate of 1.2% in symptomatic patients.(1) The 3,179 patients with carotid artery stenosis (narrowing of the arteries in the neck supplying blood to the brain) included in the registry experienced significantly fewer strokes, deaths or transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) within 30 days of the procedure if they received a closed-cell stent (P = 0.002). These stents cover more of the artery wall than open-cell stents because they have overlapping or fully connecting struts, and have less space between struts (a smaller free cell area). A free cell area of less than 2.5 mm(2) was associated with a post-procedural complication rate of 1.2%, compared with 3.4% for a free cell area of more than 7.5 mm(2) (P = 0.006).(1) The differences were even greater in patients with symptomatic disease who had already suffered a TIA or stroke and were at higher risk of having another event. In these patients, the post-procedural event rate was 1.3% for closed-cell stents (< 5 mm(2) free cell area), compared with 6.3% for open-cell stents (> 5 mm(2) free cell area) (P < 0.0001).(1) The post-procedural rates for free cell areas of < 2.5 mm(2) and > 7.5 mm(2) were 1.2% and 7.0%, respectively (P < 0.0001).(1) Lead investigator Dr. Marc Bosiers, from the Department of Vascular Surgery, St Blasius Academic Hospital, Dendermonde, Belgium, explains the importance of these results: "After carotid angioplasty and stenting, patients are at risk for post-procedural complications within 30 days of the procedure. Closed-cell stents, with their smaller free cell area, provide better scaffolding and lesion coverage and were shown to reduce post-procedural adverse events in our study. In the symptomatic population, late complication rates were highest for the open-cell stents and increased with larger free cell area. For the time being, consideration should be given to the use of stents with a small free cell area, especially in symptomatic patients." About 4-8% of the population has advanced carotid artery disease,(2) Which puts them at high risk of a TIA or stroke. TIAs involve stroke symptoms lasting only a few minutes or hours and provide an important clinical indicator for potential future stroke, with 10-20% of sufferers having a full-blown stroke within a month.(3) Approximately one-third of people who have had a stroke die within a month and one-third are left with disabilities.(4) Carotid artery stenting is a minimally invasive procedure in which a stent is delivered to the site of the blockage and expanded to open the carotid artery and restore blood flow. Stents are tiny wire mesh tubes that are inserted into arteries to help keep the vessel open and therefore maintain blood flow. Closed-cell stents, such as the Carotid Wallstent(TM) and the NexStent(TM) Carotid Stent, have overlapping or fully connecting struts, so they have less free cell area and cover 5-10 times more of the artery wall than open-cell stents. The registry recorded outcomes from carotid stenting using a range of closed- and open-cell stent devices at four centres in Belgium and Italy. The closed-cell stents included the Carotid WALLSTENT(TM) (1.08 mm(2) free cell area), Xact(R) (2.74 mm(2)) and NexStent(TM) (4.07 mm(2)). The open-cell stents included Precise(R) (5.89 mm(2)), Exponent(R) (6.51 mm(2)), Protege(R) (10.71 mm(2)) and Acculink(R) (11.48 mm(2)).(x) The Carotid WALLSTENT(TM) was the most frequently used stent and was placed in 2,107 of the 3,179 patients.(1) "As a leader in the field of cardiovascular device technology, Boston Scientific is delighted that this independent registry confirms the value of closed-cell stents, such as the Carotid WALLSTENT(TM) or the NexStent(TM), which provide excellent scaffolding and lesion coverage," said Jeff Goodman, President of Boston Scientific International. "Our Carotid stents offer a triple combination of benefits for the patient: optimal scaffolding, cell design and radial force." Boston Scientific Corporation is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit http://www.bostonscientific.com . This press release contains forward-looking statements. Boston Scientific wishes to caution the reader of this press release that actual results may differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated with new product development and commercialization, clinical trials, intellectual property, regulatory approvals, competitive offerings, Boston Scientific's overall business strategy, and other factors described in Boston Scientific's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. References (1) Bosiers M, de Donato G, Deloose K, et al. Does free cell area influence the outcome in carotid artery stenosis. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2007;33:135-141. (2) Dodick DW, Meissner I, Meyer FB, Cloft HJ. Evaluation and management of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Mayo Clin Proc 2004;79:937-944. (3) The Stroke Association. Stroke statistics sheet R11 http://www.stroke.org.uk/information/our_publications/factsheets/r11_ stroke.html (last accessed 21 May 2007). (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.) (4) Global burden of stroke. WHO Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke 2004. http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/en/cvd_atlas_15_burden_stroke.pdf (last accessed 21 May 2007). (x)Carotid WALLSTENT and NexStent are trademarks of Boston Scientific Corporation. Xact and Acculink are trademarks of Abbot Laboratories. Precise is a trademark of Cordis Corp. Exponent is a trademark of Medtronic Vascular, Inc. Protege is a trademark of ev3, Inc. For more information, please contact: Geraldine Varoqui Boston Scientific PR Manager International Tel: +49-2102-489-461 Email: varoquig@bsci.com Tracy Paul BSC press office, Tel: +44-20-7413-3101 Email: tpaul@medicalknowledgegroup.com
-- NATO Confirms That Blancco Sanitizes Hard Drives up to SECRET Levels JOENSUU, Finland, May 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Blancco Ltd., the world's leading data erasure software company has recently been included in the NATO Information Assurance Catalog (NIAPC). Now NATO Members may use Blancco - Data Cleaner+ v4.5 HMG to erase hard drives without fear of data leakage or loss. Blancco-Data Cleaner+ v4.5 HMG has been proven to be leading the end-of-life and reuse management markets throughout the world. Blancco's product has passed extensive forensic tests and has received high-level certifications from organizations such as the Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG) in the UK. Blancco's full certification record and global standards are available on the web at http://www.blancco.com . "The approval is kind of an award of sorts for Blancco as we continue down the long road of erasure product development. It shows our company and our customers that we have done things right, and that we are able to achieve the high goals we have been aiming towards for a long time. I suppose that everybody who is working in the data security business understands the value of the approval, as NATO is considered as one of the strictest, most thorough organizations in the world. From a business perspective, the approval surely will bring more customers to Blancco, as corporations normally choose certified or approved products for their use. Furthermore, this makes our prospective customers lives much easier, because there is no need to spend time and money evaluating the product, as it has already been done by an extremely highly respected organization such as NATO," says Markku Jokiranta, Sales Director -- Blancco Ltd. The long and stringent process of the NATO catalog listing will now provide their Military Partners and Peace Programme Members the opportunity to receive the ultimate data security measures that Blancco's software can guarantee. Blancco-Data Cleaner+ v4.5 HMG guarantees its users 100% data erasure. NATO Members will also have the ability to utilize Blancco's ERA Concept (Erase, Report, Audit), which will provide them with an automatically generated detailed erasure report with Hardware Asset Management information that exceeds governmental regulatory requirements. "The whole erasure process is digitally protected with a complete verification module for confirming that the data has been securely and fully erased from the hard drive," as written in the NIAPC Submission Summary. Users of Blancco's software will find that it is tailored for desktop, laptop, and server environments with RAID systems. The software's flexibility continues with its ability to erase hidden and locked areas such as DCO, HPA and remapped sectors. The software can also be delivered via many different media including: network, floppy, CD and preinstall (.msi package). As noted by the NIAPC, data erased by Blancco-Data Cleaner+ v4.5 HMG cannot be recovered with any existing technology, which makes it a perfect solution for its Members looking to protect their information by destroying it -- permanently. About Blancco With over 7 million end users, an impressive clientele and a broad network of trusted partners, Blancco has proved to be the global specialist in the field of professional data destruction and reuse management. With 9 international offices and partners in over 20 countries on every continent, Blancco has the world covered. For more information about Blancco Ltd. and our products and services, please visit us on the web at http://www.blancco.com . For more information, please contact: David J. Williams Jr., PR Coordinator, Blancco Ltd., work, Tel: +358-207-433-878 Cell: +358-400-580-986 Email: david.williams@blancco.com
SINGAPORE, May 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- DBS Bank Ltd (DBS) announced today that it has received final approval for local incorporation from the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC). The new entity will be named DBS Bank (China) Limited. As a local subsidiary, DBS Bank (China) Limited will be able to offer a comprehensive suite of RMB products and services to local residents in China, subject to regulatory approval. DBS expects its local subsidiary to commence business in the coming weeks. More details will be announced in due course. About DBS Headquartered in Singapore, DBS is one of the largest financial services groups in Asia with operations in 15 markets. The largest bank in Singapore as measured by assets, and a leading bank in Hong Kong, DBS' "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the Asia-Pacific region. DBS has leading positions in consumer banking, treasury and markets, asset management, securities brokerage, equity and debt fund raising. Beyond the anchor markets of Singapore and Hong Kong, DBS serves corporate, institutional and retail customers through its operations in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and The Philippines. About DBS China DBS first established its presence in China with a representative office in Beijing in 1994. In 1995, DBS Shanghai Branch was one of the first 10 foregin banks to obtain a Renminbi licence when the licences were issued in 1998. Today, DBS has branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and representative offices in Dongguan, Hangzhou, Fuzhou and Tianjin. Prior to the local incorporation in China, DBS branches have all the permitted licences available to foreign banks in China, and service corporate and institutional clients with a full range of corporate and investment banking services. In 2005, DBS officially launched its consumer banking business in Shenzhen, followed by the opening of a sub-branch in Shanghai in May 2006. More information about DBS Group Holdings and DBS Bank can be obtained from our website http://www.dbs.com . For more information, please contact: Eunice Woo Vice President Group Strategic Marketing & Communications DBS Bank Tel: +65-6878-6091 Mobile: +65-9011-2251 Email: eunice_woo@dbs.com Vicki Soh Assistant Vice President Group Strategic Marketing & Communications DBS Bank Tel: +65-6878-2272 Mobile: +65-9066-3663 Email: vickisoh@dbs.com
SHANGHAI, China, May 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The9 Limited (Nasdaq: NCTY)("The9"), a leading online game operator in China, announced today that it has, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into an agreement with G10 Entertainment Korea Corp ("G10"), an online game developer in Korea, for an exclusive license to operate Audition 2, an advanced casual dancing online game, in mainland China. The term of the license is for three years from the commercial launch date of the game in mainland China. The9 also has the exclusive right of first refusal to the license for Audition 3 and two other latest-developed developed online games owned or distributed by G10. Audition 2 is the sequel to Audition, a 3D leisure dancing online competition game with rich music elements. The Audition series are session-based casual games enabling players to compete against each other for their game characters' dancing skills during the length of a certain song as well as showing-off their virtual appearance and accessories. Apart from the enjoyment aspect of game-play itself, socialization and identity comprise a major part of the games. Audition, which has been in operation for more than two years in mainland China, currently enjoys a high popularity with over 780,000 peak concurrent users, according to a news release by the game's China operator. Audition 2, with a lot of enhanced features and more community-oriented functions, is also expected to be popular in the mainland China market. Mr. Jun Zhu, The9's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are very excited that The9 obtained the exclusive license to operate Audition 2 in mainland China. We believe this exclusive operation license once again demonstrates The9's position as the "Partner of Choice" in China for renowned overseas game developers, and together with EA SPORTS FIFA Online, greatly enhances our casual game portfolio and further diversifies our overall game pipeline. Going forward, we intend to continuously introduce additional high-quality games to China and we are confident that we are well-positioned to take advantage of the rapidly growing Chinese online game market." Mr. Kee Young Kim, G10's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are very pleased to have The9 as our exclusive partner for Audition 2 in mainland China. With a proven track record and impressive operational capabilities, we are highly confident that The9 will lead this game to be a success in China. We intend to launch the game for beta testing in Korea in the second half of 2007 and anticipate China's launch will follow soon afterwards. We will work closely with The9 and provide our seamless support to bring a fantastic gaming experience of Audition 2 to millions of fashionable Chinese online gamers." About The9 Limited The9 Limited is a leading online game operator in China. The9's business is primarily focused on operating and developing high-quality games for the Chinese online game players market. The9 directly or through affiliates operates licensed MMORPGs, consisting of MU(R), Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s World of Warcraft(R), Soul of The Ultimate NationTM, and its first proprietary MMORPG, Joyful Journey West(TM), in mainland China. It has also obtained exclusive licenses to operate additional MMORPGs and advanced casual games in mainland China, including Granado Espada, Guild Wars, Hellgate: London, Ragnarok Online 2, Emil Chronicle Online, Huxley, FIFA Online and Audition 2. In addition, The9 is also working on the development of a 3D fantasy MMORPG game, Fantastic Melody Online(TM). Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this press release contain forward-looking statements. The9 may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms 20-F and 6-K, etc., in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about The9's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, The9's limited operating history as an online game operator, political and economic policies of the Chinese government, the laws and regulations governing the online game industry, information disseminated over the Internet and Internet content providers in China, intensified government regulation of Internet cafes, The9's ability to retain existing players and attract new players, license, develop or acquire additional online games that are appealing to users, anticipate and adapt to changing consumer preferences and respond to competitive market conditions, and other risks and uncertainties outlined in The9's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 20-F. The9 does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For further information, please contact: Ms. Dahlia Wei Senior Manager, Investor Relations The9 Limited Tel: +86-21-5172-9990 Email: IR@corp.the9.com Web: http://www.corp.the9.com
Integrated 1 GHz Product Features Low Noise, Wide Dynamic Range Gain Control and Balanced Output WARREN, N.J., May 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- ANADIGICS, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANAD) has announced the availability of the ABA3130, a single-chip, low-noise, high linearity RF amplifier with integrated gain control. This device is the latest addition to ANADIGICS' portfolio of RF products for cable TV front end applications. Designed to replace existing discrete solutions, the fully integrated ABA3130 improves receiver performance in a growing number of cable TV digital set-top boxes and analog and digital TVs. To ensure compatibility with tuners being developed for the 1 GHz cable systems soon to be rolled out around the world, the ANADIGICS ABA3130 features wideband operation of 50 MHz to 1.1 GHz. ANADIGICS is already shipping the ABA3130 RF amp to a leading cable box manufacturer. The ABA3130 exhibits a typical noise figure of 4.5 dB at 5 dB gain, which enables clearer analog pictures and better reception on digital channels. The ABA3130 also offers a wide dynamic gain control range of 37 dB, to prevent overloading tuner front ends. The device delivers exceptional linearity over the full dynamic gain range, minimizing distortion and ensuring a high quality signal and crystal-clear video. "ANADIGICS' leadership products for Broadband are addressing the ever increasing demand on bandwidth in CATV networks. The ABA3130 addresses the 1GHz upgrade in the industry and is based on our GaAs proprietary process technology for high reliability and wideband operation," said Ron Michels, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadband Products at ANADIGICS. "According to In-Stat market research, sales of cable set-top boxes increased nearly 80% between 2005 and 2006, to 27.5 million units worldwide. As integrated tuners continue to penetrate this market, we anticipate an increase in the need for companion products like the ABA3130. The ANADIGICS ABA3130 accepts a single-ended (unbalanced) input and converts it to a differential (balanced) output, which some integrated tuners require for optimal performance. This feature eliminates the need for a separate balun transformer on the circuit board. The high level of integration and 3 x 3 x 1 mm form factor of the ABA3130 further reduce the amount of board space required for RF front-end solutions. ANADIGICS' ABA3130 operates from a single 5 volt supply. It is offered in a 12-pin surface-mount QFN package that is manufactured using a material set consistent with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). For additional information, pricing, or samples contact your local ANADIGICS representative or ANADIGICS by phone (908) 668-5000 or FAX (908) 668-5132, or visit the Company's Web site at http://www.anadigics.com . About ANADIGICS, Inc. ANADIGICS, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANAD) is a leading provider of semiconductor solutions in the rapidly growing broadband wireless and wireline communications markets. The Company's products include power amplifiers, tuner integrated circuits, active splitters, line amplifiers, and other components, which can be sold individually or packaged as integrated radio frequency and front end modules. Safe Harbor Statement Except for historical information contained herein, this press release contains projections and other forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These projections and forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance and can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives, estimates or goals are forward-looking statements. No assurances can be given, however, that these events will occur or that these projections will be achieved and actual results and developments could differ materially from those projected as a result of certain factors. Important factors that could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such projections and forward-looking statements include those factors detailed from time to time in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. For more information, please contact: Press: Chuck Manners Godfrey Tel: +1-717-393-3831 Fax: +1-717-393-1403 Email: chuck@godfrey.com Corporate: Jennifer Palella ANADIGICS, Inc. Tel: +1-908-668-5000 Fax: +1-908-412-5978 Email: jpalella@anadigics.com Investor Relations: Thomas Shields ANADIGICS, Inc. Tel: +1-908-412-5995 Email: tshields@anadigics.com
プロの書き手が検索できるサイトがオープン!
関西で活躍するライターを集めた冊子「関西ライター名鑑」を発行するWRITE STAFF(ライトスタッフ 大阪市北区 代表 北村盛康)は、ネット上で分野別にライターの検索ができる『関西ライター名鑑Web版』を5月22日(火)より、本格的に始動させました。
「関西ライター名鑑」は、影の存在であるライターの顔写真とともに媒体実績・得意分野・本人コメントを紹介した冊子です。出版社はもとよりライターとの接点のない一般の企業にも配布し、ライターの需要を獲得するための媒体として2005年11月に創刊しました。
パンフレット・チラシ・ホームページ・プレスリリースなどの宣伝・広報ツールが手軽に出せるようになった反面、「どのように伝えればいいのか?」「どう表現していいのか?」と文章で悩む企業が多くなってきています。当媒体は、そういった企業とプロの書き手を繋ぐことを目的としています。このたび冊子からネットへ移行したことで、利用者(出版社、一般企業)へ最新の情報をより身近に、より手軽に提供してゆきます。
『関西ライター名鑑Web版』概要
ライター :22人(のべ36人)※5月22日現在。随時追加
ジャンル:11分野(一般ライティング、ビジネス・マネー、グルメ、医療・教育、ホビー、旅もの、住宅、
タウン、小説・シナリオ、コンピュータ、その他)
※5月22日現在。随時追加
情報内容:(顔写真、媒体・書籍、得意分野、本人コメント、連絡先)
補 足 :ライター情報を閲覧するには、ID登録が必要です。ID発行の際、「出版ユーザ」と「一般
ユーザ」とに分別します。
出版ユーザ・・・法人登録された出版社、編集プロダクションは、連絡先などすべてのライ
ター情報が閲覧でき、直接ライターとコンタクトがとれます。
一般ユーザ・・・ライター情報のメールアドレス・電話番号が制限されています。お問合せ
は、WRITE STAFFにお願いします。
URL :http://www.writer.gr.jp/
◆ WRITE STAFF 担当:吉永安智
TEL:06-6364-5657 FAX:06-6364-5586
MAIL:info@writer.co.jp
URL::http://www.writer.co.jp
プレゼントを抽選で合計106名様に
株式会社エジェ(本社:大阪市中央区、代表取締役:村岡ゆかり、以下「エジェ」)が自社で運営する情報サイト『anemo(アネモ)』(以下「アネモ」)は、2007年6月18日をもって、公開3周年を迎えます。
また、このたび漫画家の中村ユキ氏によるアネモ連載WEB漫画『夫婦三昧(めおとざんまい)』が、2007年5月22日に(株)角川SSコミュニケーションズより、コミックエッセイ単行本として出版されました。
アネモでは、3周年と単行本発売を祝し、3周年感謝特別キャンペーンとして、単行本「夫婦三昧」をはじめ、テーマパーク券、スイーツ等のプレゼントが抽選で、合計106名様に当たる感謝キャンペーンを開催致します。
■キャンペーン概要
アネモ3周年感謝特別キャンペーン(2007年5月21日~2007年6月30日迄)
URL: http://www.anemo.co.jp/special/special/3rd/index.html
・「単行本 夫婦三昧(書籍)」・・・10名様
・「テーマパーク券 ペア」・・・6組12名様
・「フレッシュゼリー詰め合わせ(菓子)」・・・1名様
・「京きなな アイス特選セット(菓子)」・・・3名様
・「野菜一日これ一本 24本セット(飲料)」・・・10名様
・「ビールに合うピッツァ 10枚セット(冷凍ピザ)」・・・8名様
・「佃煮 3袋セット(惣菜)」・・・10名様
・「ビューティプロテクトUV(化粧品)」 ・・・3名様
ほか多数
■単行本 『夫婦三昧(めおとざんまい)』概要
WEB漫画 『夫婦三昧』出版化スペシャルサイト
URL: http://www.anemo.co.jp/meoto/
タイトル:『夫婦三昧 ~元気のタネは、おバカな毎日♪~』
著 者 :中村ユキ
出版社:(株)角川SSコミュニケーションズ
価 格 :本体950円+税
発売日:2007年5月22日
なかよし夫婦のおかしくって愛情あふれる日々のことが詰まったコミックエッセイ!
働く女性の仕事&ライフスタイルポータルサイト「anemo」で月1回更新、月間50000ビューの人気連載WEB漫画に、新規書下ろしを大幅に加えて、ファンも待望の新刊となりました。楽しいパラパラ漫画もお見逃しなく!
――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――
『anemo(アネモ)』について
2004年6月に運営を開始した20代~30代の働く女性のための情報サイト。
キャリア、アート情報を中心にした息抜きになる楽しいコンテンツが豊富。
特に、事務職や受付など身近な職業に前向きに取り組むインタビュー
「お仕事インタビュー」が好評。また、本格的WEB漫画として人気を集める
中村ユキ氏の「夫婦三昧」は、男女問わず幅広いファン層を獲得。
【会社概要】
・会社名 : 株式会社エジェ http://www.eje-web.com/
・代表者 : 代表取締役 村岡ゆかり
・本社所在地: 大阪市中央区南船場3-6-25 IBC心斎橋east 5F
・営業開始 : 2001(平成13)年7月17日
・資本金 : 1,000万円
・事業内容 : デジタルコンテンツビジネスを中心にした制作開発会社。
デジタルカタログ『リブック』の開発をはじめ、
女性向け情報サイト『anemo(アネモ)』を運営。
株式会社エジェ アネモ編集部
キャンペーン担当
Tel:06-6251-2677(平日 10:00 ~ 17:00 )
E-Mail: info@anemo.co.jp
URL: http://www.anemo.co.jp/
2007年05月21日 プロエンジニア教育研究所(代表:粕谷茂)は、TRIZの40の発明原理のNetworkツールを試験的に無料提供します。URLにリンクを貼ることで、ネットワークツールとして活用が可能となり、R&D業務の改革に貢献できます。 ■ 40の発明原理 Networkツールの概要 <NetworkツールURL> ※TRIZ(トゥリーズ)とは、発明問題解決の理論を意味するロシア語の頭文字でAltshulerが約250万件の特許を基に体系化した手法。QFD(品質機能展開)、タグチメソッドと共に問題解決ツールの3種の神器と呼ばれる。ビジネス、日常生活分野などへも適用可能。 【プロエンジニア教育研究所とは】 【本件の連絡先】 以 上 |
2007年05月21日 平成19年5月21日 伊豆熱川温泉の海辺にある温泉料理旅館が、神奈川県内3
|
2007年05月21日 報道機関各位 2007年5月21日 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ルミナス・クラブ・ショップ(運営会社:株式会社ドウシシャ 所在地:東京都品川 今回販売を始めたWEBショップ限定カラーは、落ち着きのある雰囲気の演出には最適な 今回販売を始めたWEBショップ限定カラーの内容は、次のとおりである。
■木製棚板のサイズラインナップ
【ルミナスプラスとは】
ルミナス・クラブ・ショップ 以 上 |
2007年05月21日 ------------------------------------------------------------ 一枚一枚の写真に「魅せる、感じさせるイメージ」を反映させ、 仕事もプライベートも充実した、魅力的な女性の日常イメージなど、 収録の写真素材は、すべてロイヤリティフリーなので、
【発売日】2007年5月28日 【収録点数】70点 ■関連URL
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 【本商品に関する問い合わせ先】 |
2007年05月21日 マネジメント教育事業を運営する株式会社サイコム・インターナショナル(東京都千代田区、代表取締役CEO:西田 忠康 以下サイコム)は、平成19年5月21日より、企業管理職向け技術経営(MOT)教育サービスの名称を変更いたします。 1.新たな名称等 <旧名称>
2005年、MITはより広いリーダー層にグローバルにイノベーションを学んでほしいという狙いのもと、MOTプログラムともうひとつのエグゼクティブプログラムを統合しました。この背景には、米国でMOTというプラクティスが定着したことが挙げられます。 日本においては近年、高い技術力やその成果がなかなか事業化につながらないという反省から、科学技術創造立国の復権と起業家の創出を目指した様々な取り組みが行われており、MOTプログラムの開発・普及が進む一方で、イノベーションとリーダーシップ、グローバル戦略は経営の中心課題としてその重要性がますます高まってきています。 EMOTではマネジメント基礎科目とあわせ、イノベーションやリーダーシップにフォーカスをしてきましたが、MOTという言葉が様々に解釈されている状況を踏まえ、弊社のプログラムの特徴をより正確に表すために名称を変更することとしました。業種・職種を問わず広くイノベーション戦略の実行を求められているより多くのビジネスリーダーの方々に参加いただけるよう、今後もよりよいプログラムを提供してまいります。 3.その他
本件に関するお問合せ:
MIT の MOTプログラム(現在はSloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadershipに統合)では、1年間でアカウンティング、ファイナンス、マーケティング、経済学などMBAと同様基礎的なマネジメント科目を学ぶほか、工学部のコースを含めた広範なコースからの選択科目、更には修士論文、フィールドトリップなども組み込まれており卒業者には修士号が授与されます。企業からの派遣も多く、技術系のバックグラウンドを持った人を企業のトップ経営者や起業家に育て上げるためのプログラムとなっています。米国ではもともと産学の距離が近いこともあり、MOT 教育は80年~90年代の米国における製造業の競争力回復のバックボーンとなったとも言われています。 ただ今日においては MOT (技術経営) という言葉は教育という側面を超えて、製造業を中心にイノベーションを加速し技術を事業に結びつけることにより産業・国家の競争力を向上させようという活動全般をさす概念としても多く用いられるようになっています。 日本でも高い技術力やその成果がなかなか事業化につながっていないという反省から、経済産業省が「知的財産戦略大綱」を作成し、科学技術創造立国の復権と起業家の創出を目指した様々な取り組みがなされました。 具体的には、平成14年度の「起業家育成プログラム導入促進事業」や、技術経営分野の更なる普及展開を目的とした平成14年度補正予算のMOTプログラムの開発事業公募などがあげられます。同事業ではサイコムをはじめ多くの大学や教育機関がMOTプログラムを開発し、今日の普及につなげています。
1. 次世代経営人材育成事業 |
2007年05月21日 *アパダ事業主会&大熊猫劇場* 弊社『アパダ星雲』は、 ①個人様への『アパダ星雲』 「大熊猫百貨店(アパダ・デパート)」を、ぜひご覧下さい。 *個人事業+貨物軽運送業=両届出事業者* |