"The Zhang family also has a large number of B-share stocks, right? In terms of data, your Madden family is not superior. Xu Zhi did not directly discuss the price, but asked rhetorically.

AB share system, is a special means of the birth of the capital market, simply put, is the same share of different rights, this is the management of some listed companies to use a small number of shares to control the whole company a means, in later generations, Internet companies because of the need to go through multiple financing, the share of shares in the hands of the founder will gradually decrease, so most of them will use the means of AB shares, the value of the stock is the same, but A shares hold ten times the voting rights.

Wheelock's AB shares are another model, the two have the same voting rights, but the market value of the B share is only 1/10 of the A shares, that is, you can control the entire company by controlling enough B shares with a small amount of funds.

Wheelock was the first listed company in the history of Xiangjiang to carry out AB share split, and at that time it was a surprise to the regulatory authorities, and then the China Securities Regulatory Commission vetoed the AB share issuance applied by all subsequent companies, and Wheelock was already in the boat, and its influence was not low, so the matter was over.

At that time, in Xiangjiang, using this method to protect itself, Wheelock was ridiculed by all British-funded foreign firms, but in terms of defending control, AB shares played a great role, and no Chinese would have the idea of fighting Wheelock.

However, the strong fortress is also destroyed from the inside, and the Zhang family has already invested in Wheelock as early as the 60s, so the AB share policy, the Zhang family is also involved, and there are enough B shares in their hands.

"Indeed, all the Wheelock shares in my hands are indeed not comparable to the Zhang family. John Madden admitted openly: "Mr. Xu, if I have enough voting rights, will I still be forced to sell my shares?"

"Makes sense. Xu Zhi nodded and said, "How many votes does the Zhang family hold?"

John Madden said: "According to the data reported to the board of directors, the Zhang family holds 22% of the voting rights, including 13.855 million A shares and 110 million B shares. ”

"That's a big difference. Xu Zhi shook his head, for a century-old listed company like Wheelock, 20% of the voting rights can basically control the company, coupled with John Madden's operation, Wheelock has suffered serious losses, once the Zhang family is in trouble, John Madden will immediately be driven back to the UK like the Keswick family.

"Mr. Xu has even acquired Hongkong Land Group, which has a perfect mutual control structure, and he still cares about this gap. John Madden said: "As long as Mr. Xu makes a request for acquisition, I don't think the Zhang family will dare not agree."

What's more, even if the Zhang family doesn't know what to do, but at present, in addition to the two of us, there are still more than 60% of the voting shares scattered in the stock market, as long as Mr. Xu really wants to buy, it is actually not easy to defeat the Zhang family. ”

"Buying on the stock market comes at an additional cost. Xu Zhi picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea.

John Madden said: "The price is naturally there, but Mr. Xu should be able to see the future value of Wheelock, although the shipping industry is now sluggish, but there are already a large number of ships have been dismantled, the number of global cargo ships has dropped a lot, and the United States, Japan's economy has begun to become more and more prosperous, I believe that within two to three years, the shipping industry will inevitably recover." ”

"It's just your guess, you were wrong a few years ago. Although he was forcibly refuted, Xu Zhi also had to admit that none of these business tycoons who could mix with the top level were not vicious.

In fact, 86 years later, the rapid recovery of the shipping industry was also led to the rapid recovery of the shipping industry due to the reduction of international interest rates, the collapse of oil prices, the sharp rise of the U.S. economy, the beginning of Southeast Asia's emergence as the new world's factory, and the rapid development of the interior.

From 1986 to 1997, except for the outbreak of the third oil crisis in the middle of the way affected the shipping industry, the rest of the time the shipping industry has been in a steady upward stage, and then, the Asian financial crisis broke out in 97 years, resulting in the shipping market slumped for a few years, to 2001, the global economy recovered, the shipping industry broke out rapidly, such as the peak of the 60s, the sea freight in 2003 was 3-4 times that of the early 90s, and the price of a 100,000-ton cargo ship rose from 30 million US dollars to 150 million US dollars in a few years.

This left people in other industries dumbfounded, and the shipping industry has become one of the most profitable industries, at the beginning of the 20th century, three years of operation could pay for the cost of the vessel, and the rest was only profit. It wasn't until 2008 that the subprime mortgage crisis swept the world, causing another large-scale shipping crisis.

Therefore, if you can enter the shipping industry now, in the next 20 years, as long as it is controlled during the years of the Asian financial crisis, then the rest of the time you will be picking up gold with sacks on your back.

John Madden wasn't sure what Xu Zhi meant, and asked tentatively: "If Mr. Xu is not satisfied with the price, we can discuss it slowly." ”

"In that case. Xu Zhi reported a math: "500 million Hong Kong dollars! What does Mr. Madden think?"

"Mr. Xu, this figure is too insincere, the market value of all the stocks in my hands is worth 500 million. "John Madden had a very unsightly look.

Xu Zhidao: "Mr. Madden, this business is like this, if I want to ask you to buy Wheelock shares, you naturally need to buy them at a premium, but now you want to make a move, this naturally needs to be discounted!"

John Madden said: "Mr. Xu, Wheelock's performance in recent years has not been very good, but you don't really think that my stock can't be sold, right?"

"Mr. Madden is talking about Qiu Depu, right?" Xu Zhi said casually.

"How do you know!" John Madden's face changed drastically, his negotiations with Khoo Teck Puat had been going on in secret, and the only people who knew about it were the two of them, and even the negotiations were conducted face-to-face, not over the phone. And some of their cronies just know that the two have been in contact with each other for a while.

Xu Zhidao: "Mr. Madden, even the Watergate incident can be exposed, there is no impermeable wall in this world. ”

"Well, I admit that Khoo Teck Puat is indeed interested in acquiring Wheelock, and he has always wanted to move his business from Southeast Asia to Hong Kong, and Wheelock is indeed a good opportunity. John Madden admitted it, and asked unwillingly: "I don't think any third person knows about this matter, how did Mr. Xu know about it?"

Xu Zhi smiled and said, "Are you sure that your side is fine, but what about the other side?"

"If this matter is leaked, it will not do him any good. John Madden said.

Xu Zhi shrugged his shoulders and said: "How I know about this matter, it doesn't really matter, the important thing is that since I know, the Zhang family may also know in advance, once they know, Mr. Madden's plan may only fall short." ”

John Madden was silent, his mind turned quickly, it doesn't matter how this matter was leaked, what matters is whether the Zhang family will get the news, once they know that they are ready to sell the shares in their hands, then the Zhang family is very likely to quickly increase the equity in their hands in a short period of time.

Once the Zhang family was prepared, the shares in their hands lost their value, after all, no matter who bought their own shares in order to gain control of Wheelock.

Seeing that Xu Zhi didn't care, John Madden understood, obviously, today was his only chance.

Otherwise, if it was really the news from Qiu Depu's side, whether it was intentional or unintentional, once the Zhang family learned about it, I am afraid that they would immediately launch an attack and snatch their position as the head class.

When the time comes, Wheelock will change hands, and the shares in his hands may no longer be able to sell at a high price.

Taking a deep breath, John Madden said, "Mr. Xu, let's take a step back, 550 million Hong Kong dollars, how about it?"

"Then I wish us a happy cooperation!" Xu Zhi smiled and stretched out his right hand.

"Happy cooperation!" John Madden also stretched out his hand and smiled awkwardly, although the price was not as good as he expected, it was also a little higher than Qiu Depu's offer.

……