Li Hualong is definitely Jardine's biggest competitor in Hong Kong, and although Li Hualong is now far stronger than Jardine Matheson, he is still very concerned about the changes of Jardine Matheson, because he thinks that one day he can buy Hong Kong Hongkong Land.

It is an open secret in Hong Kong business circles that Jardine Matheson executives have always suffered from "homophobia", and Li Hualong feels that this is their Achilles' heel.

The Chinese government has made it clear that it will take back Hong Kong in 1997, and the senior management of Jardine Matheson, who suffers from "Communophobia", is naturally pessimistic about Hong Kong's prospects.

In the past year, the share prices of Hongkong Jardine Matheson have been hovering at a low point, with the highest share price of Hongkong Land being only HK$5.5 in 1983 and the lowest falling to HK$2.2 per share.

At the beginning of 1984, Hongkong Land's share price fell below HK$2, and Li Hualong did not give up this good opportunity and bought a large number of Hongkong Land shares.

In fact, as early as more than half a year ago, when Hongkong Land's share price fell below HK$3, Li Hualong began to secretly acquire.

With a total share capital of 3 billion shares, Li Hualong feels that Hongkong Land's market value is less than HK$9 billion, so it is worth acquiring.

Li Hualong wanted to wait for his own stake in Hongkong Land to be more shared, and then he went to Ma Shimin, the chief executive of Whampoa, to discuss the acquisition of Hongkong Land, but he had not yet taken action, Ma Shimin talked to him first, and Ma Shimin suggested that he take HK Electric from Hongkong Land.

"Are you satisfied with taking HK Electric from Hongkong Land?" Li Hualong asked with a smile.

Ma Shimin was stunned when he heard this, and said in surprise: "Do you want to buy the entire Hongkong Land Company?" ”

Li Hualong smiled slightly, looked at Ma Shimin, and asked slowly, "Don't I have this strength?" ”

"Yes! Absolutely! Ma Shimin nodded with a smile, "Although I don't know how much money BOSS has, I know that it is very easy for BOSS to buy Hongkong Land." Even if you want to buy both Hongkong Land and Jardine Matheson, you can do it. ”

In recent years, many newspapers in Hong Kong have predicted how much assets Li Hualong, the richest man in Hong Kong, has, and that he can become the richest man in the world just by virtue of the shares he holds in listed companies, and the mainstream media in the United States and Britain also agree that Li Hualong is the richest man in the world today.

"I don't have enough shares in Hongkong Land. We'll have to wait a little longer. Li Hualong paused and continued, "I have some ideas, you can see if it works." ”

A few days after that. Li Hualong, Ma Shimin and others discussed how to acquire Hongkong Land.

More than ten years later, Ma Shimin talked about the acquisition of Hongkong Land and still praised Li Hualong.

"It took a total of 16 hours, and 8 hours of them were spent on research proposals. Li Hualong synthesized the advantages of Chinese style and European and American business, such as European and American businessmen, and analyzed the acquisition target comprehensively. And then. With a handshake, the deal is confirmed, which is an oriental way of doing business, crisp and neat. ”

Li Hualong's acquisition of Hongkong Land was not as easy as Ma Shimin said.

A few days later, on Sunday morning, January 8, Li Hualong announced that he held 12% of Hongkong Land and 14% of Jardine Matheson. Requested to join the boards of directors of Hongkong Land and Jardine Matheson, and recommended that the two companies convene a general meeting of shareholders to reorganize the board of directors of Hongkong Land.

After learning the news announced by Li Hualong, he just took over as the Ximen of Jardine Land's Taipan? Keswick has a feeling of powerlessness, although the outside world thinks that the Jardine family is owned by the Keswick family, but he knows very well that the family does not hold much equity in Jardine Land, not even as much as Li Hualong, and in the face of a strong person like Li Hualong, he can only lower his profile. Take the initiative to meet Li Hualong.

Before meeting Li Hualong, Simon? Keswick spoke with Jardine Land executives and talked for several hours, but no consensus was reached.

This evening. Li Hualong took Ma Shimin and other three staff officers and Ximen? Keswick and the other five met at the Argyle at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

After talking for more than an hour and reaching a number of consensuses, it was time for dinner.

At dinner, Li Hualong and Simon? Keswick didn't negotiate, just a few light conversations.

After dinner, the two sides continued negotiations. It wasn't until around 9 p.m. that the negotiations ended, and the two sides reached some verbal agreements.

Li Hualong's announcement of his large stake in Landmark Jardine and the two companies is particularly good to pick the land, Ximen? Keswick plans to have Hongkong Land sell its shares and Jardine Matheson to sell its shares and cash out the proceeds to pay off debts and reduce the debt ratios of the two companies.

Simon? Keswick firmly believes that as long as he gets through this downturn, he will usher in a glorious period for Jardine Land.

Li Hualong did not intend to swallow the two companies of Jardine Land in one gulp, not because he did not have the ability, but because he did not look down on some of the assets of Jardine Dickson.

The next day, January 9, Hongkong Land and Jardine Matheson were suspended at the same time.

On the morning of that day, Hongkong Land held a board meeting, and Li Hualong not only joined the board of directors, but was also elected chairman of the board of directors.

In the afternoon, Li Hualong attended a meeting of the board of directors of Jardine Matheson, and he became a non-executive director of the board of directors of the company.

In the following days, both companies did not resume trading, and the two companies announced major news from time to time.

Li Hualong fully acquired Hongkong Land's shares at HK$2.2 per share, which was 10% higher than the closing price of the previous trading day, and for the vast majority of minority shareholders, the price of HK$2.2 per share was not attractive, but Jardine Matheson sold all 30% of Hongkong Land's shares to Li Hualong at this price.

The funds obtained by the sale of shares of Jardine Matheson Company have not yet been warmed up, and several subsidiaries and some properties of Hongkong Land have been purchased.

Li Hualong held shares in Jardine Matheson and sold them to the Keswick family, as well as Simon? In addition, Hongkong Land also sold its shares in Jardine Matheson.

The Hong Kong media paid close attention to Li Hualong's acquisition of Hongkong Land, and the Hong Kong Economic Journal described Li Hualong's methods as "turning his hands into clouds and covering his hands into rain".

After a series of operations, Hongkong Land and Jardine Matheson completely drew a line, the two sides no longer held each other's shares, and the British absolutely controlled Jardine Matheson, while Li Hualong held 42% of Hongkong Land's shares, and Hongkong Land still had a high debt ratio.

In order not to make others think that he was biased in favor of him holding more shares of Hutchison Whampoa, he suggested that Hongkong Land issue 200 million new shares to him at a price of HK$2.8 per share, and at the same time guarantee. Within a year, he will not reduce his holdings of shares, and promised to fully acquire Hongkong Land's shares at a price of HK$4 per share after one year.

Li Hualong's proposal for additional shares is very attractive to the vast majority of minority shareholders. Hongkong Land's general meeting of shareholders voted to issue 200 million shares to Li Hualong at a price of HK$2.8 per share.

After the issuance of new shares, Hongkong Land's total share capital was 3.2 billion shares, and Li Hualong had 1.46 billion shares, with a shareholding ratio of 45.625%.

Li Hualong promised a year later. He will buy Hongkong Land's shares at a price of HK$4, and he assures Hongkong Land shareholders that Hongkong Land's share price will definitely reach HK$4 in the next year, and if it can't, the shares can be sold to him at HK$4 per share.

Following Hongkong Land's issuance of additional shares, Hongkong Land sold a 20% stake in Hongkong Electric to Hutchison Whampoa at the market price, completing the transaction, and Hongkong Land also held a 14.9% stake in Hongkong Electric.

Hongkong Land's main retail subsidiary, Hongkong Land International, is in competition with Li Hualong's Carrefour Group, and Li Hualong is keen to sell Hongkong Land International to Carrefour Group. However, Hongkong Land International is not a listed company, and the price is difficult to set.

In order to make Hongkong Land's shareholders feel fair, at the suggestion of Li Hualong, Hongkong Land's board of directors voted to spin off Hongkong Land International and put it up for auction.

A number of companies participated in the auction, but in the end, Carrefour Group bought Hongkong Land.

Li Hualong had long anticipated that he would be able to buy Hongkong Land, and before that, he had booked a few tables at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to entertain the executives of Carrefour and Hongkong International.

The auction was held in the conference hall of the Mandarin Oriental, after the conclusion of the auction. Li Hualong exchanged a few words of greeting with some businessmen who participated in the bidding, and he left the auction site like a star and moon in the company of Bao Yunshan and others.

Soon after the banquet began, Li Hualong looked at Bao Yunshan, CEO of Carrefour Group, who was sitting next to him, with a smile. asked: "Yunshan, how do you say the business of the two companies is integrated?" ”

"BOSS, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN IN MIND?" Bao Yunshan asked with a smile.

"yes. I'd like to hear your thoughts first. ”

"Uh......" Bao Yunshan pondered for a moment and replied, "Mannings Pharmacy (Mannings) and Watsons (Watsons) two brands, one must be removed." If there are two brands of stores close to each other, close one directly...... If Brother Huawen is interested in the brand 'Wanning', you can sell the brand to him, and sell some stores to him together. ”

"Touch one!" Li Hualong raised his wine glass, touched it with Bao Yunshan, took a sip of red wine, and said with a smile, "Yunshan, our thoughts coincide, Wanning brand abandoned, leaving Watsons." ”

The Hong Kong Property Company sold a 20% stake in Hongkong Electric and spun off Hongkong Land International, and all the proceeds were used to repay bank debts, which greatly reduced the debt ratio, but still owed a lot of money to the bank.

Now that the inflation rate in Hong Kong is very high, and the interest rates on bank deposits and loans are also very good, Li Hualong feels that at this time, if there is no particularly good investment project and there are funds in hand, early repayment is a good thing.

That night, Li Hualong returned home and made a phone call to Li Huawen.

After chatting a few words, Li Hualong smiled and said, "Big brother, are you interested in Wanning Pharmacy?" ”

"I'm interested, as long as the price is right, I'm willing to buy this company."

"I'm not going to sell the entire Wanning Pharmacy to you, the brand can be sold to you, and there are some stores, there are some stores in Wanning Pharmacy, I'm going to stay, change the signboard, and I can provide it to Watsons for use."

Li Huawen was silent for a moment, and said with a smile: "Have you noticed, now some people have said that our brothers have a monopoly on the retail industry in Hong Kong." ”

"Even if you take the money out to do good deeds, there will be people who say right and wrong, say that you have done something wrong, and want to do something good to make amends, what ...... Forget it, don't talk about it, it's not interesting to say it. ”

"Just have peace of mind." Li Huawen said with a smile, "Which stores do you want to transfer to me, make the relevant information more detailed, let my company analyze it, and if your offer is reasonable, I will buy it." ”

"Big brother, you don't believe me so much?" Li Hualong joked, "When did I calculate you and make you suffer?" ”

"I'm not afraid of your calculations, I'm afraid that your bid is too low, let me take advantage, I thought the price was too low, I will increase the price, since you said so, I won't talk nonsense, you make a price, I will buy it."

"Cool!" Li Hualong smiled and continued to joke, "Then I will ask for a sky-high price, and I will make you vomit it all at once." ”

"If you're embarrassed to do this, I'll be embarrassed to break the contract. I won't tell you, I'll go to your house for dinner tomorrow, and we'll talk about it in detail then. ”

"Okay, see you tomorrow!" (To be continued.) )