The reason why Abel let Pacific Commercial Bank choose Amex Company.

There's a reason for that.

Amex is not the best in the banking industry.

At best, it's in the middle of the stream.

Business banking of the company.

Among banks at this level, because of their platform, they have a very high global coverage.

This is obviously due to its very successful premium customer travel service.

In terms of global coverage, Yuntong, a medium-sized commercial bank, is estimated to rank among the top five in the U.S. banking industry.

If the Pacific Commercial Bank can merge with the Amex Company or annex the Amex Company.

At present, the overseas business of the Pacific Commercial Bank, which is almost equal to none, can open up the situation at once.

At the same time, the scale of the bank is just at the level that Pacific Bank is expected to annex.

No matter how big it is, it can't be swallowed with the current strength of Pacific Commercial Bank and Abel.

More critically, since September last year.

The company's performance has been poor.

the bank's share price,

From its peak in 1996, the share was as high as about $160.

It fell to September last year, and the highest was only $27.35 a share.

By the end of January 2001, only $13.65 a share remained.

Its total share capital is around 1.36 billion shares.

Calculated using the current stock price.

The market value of Yuntong Company is only 1.359 billion X13.65.

That is, the current market value of Yuntong is only about 18.55 billion US dollars.

It is currently the cheapest company in the Dow Jones constituents.

Such a company has total assets of more than $20 billion, assets under custody of more than $160 billion, and a market value of $18.55 billion.

This kind of company is definitely a very high-quality company in the eyes of the "stock market sniper" like Da Liu on Hong Kong Island.

However, Renjia Express Company's stock price once exceeded $160 per share at its peak, and the total market value even exceeded $200 billion.

It had reached its peak, and now it has fallen, and it looks like it will continue to fall.

But it's always been very solid internally, and the reason for this is that it's almost an institutional stock.

What are institutional stocks?

It is the holders of stocks, most of which are institutions, that is, investment companies, banks and finance companies, and finance companies.

As a company with a history of more than 150 years, the brand value is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in Europe and the United States.

You can even be selected as a Dow Jones service industry company.

More than 80% of its shares are held by various large and small institutions, and more than 900 institutions hold its shares.

At present, its largest shareholder, named Berkshire, is Warren Buffett's company.

Warren Buffett's company holds 151.61 million shares, accounting for 11.4% of the total share capital of Amex.

Warren Buffett's love for Amex was very famous in later generations.

The second largest shareholder is Vanguard Group, which holds more than 9% of the shares.

The top 20 shareholders hold more than 50% of the shares of Yuntong.

In fact, the attribute of Dow Jones constituent stocks makes it never short of investors.

Abel and the American Pacific Commercial Bank want to swallow the words of American Express.

It can be said that the difficulty is very high.

But the good thing is that in the last USD/JPY war.

In addition to the profit from cash, Smith Capital also gave Abel a lot of benefits.

Among these benefits, there are many shares of Amex Company.

During that time, Abel successively acquired about 6.9% of Amex shares.

Coupled with the Pacific Commercial Bank of the United States, it has been absorbing bargains in the market for a period of time.

Now Smith Capital, plus Pacific Commercial Bank.

The two companies already hold about 8% of the shares of Yuntong.

This ratio can already be ranked as the third largest shareholder.

The problem now is that Amex shares in the secondary market are only about 18%.

It has been swept by Abel by about 3%, and now there are about 15% left at most.

Everything else is in the hands of the agency.

This makes Pacific Commercial Bank want to buy shares of Amex Company.

Even if all the 15% of the shares are swept away, the shareholding ratio does not exceed 25%.

The rest of the shares can only be in the primary market.

That is, to buy from those institutions.

But once Abel made a sweep, or wanted to buy and annex the gesture.

Amex's stock is bound to skyrocket.

It is estimated that just sweeping 15% of the scattered shares may cost tens of billions of dollars.

The point is that it may not be swept yet.

Because in that process.

The smell of blood on capital is bound to attract the attention of global U.S. stock investors.

The company itself is a high-quality company.

At that time, the entire acquisition cost may exceed $50 billion.

This was unacceptable to Abel.

Fortunately, "talent" told Abel that the company will continue to fall this year.

13.65 is not the end of it.

In September of this year, there will be a very good opportunity to buy the bottom in the whole of the United States.

Not as good as in 2008.

But in '08, this will be the best chance.

Abel's goal was:

Before that day comes, raise at least more than $60 billion and start dipping.

As for the affairs of the Express Company, it can be put aside a little.

5 February, 2001.

Morning.

Los Angeles.

MGM Corporation, the chairman's office on the top floor.

Abel was bored lying on the sofa in the office lounge area, playing with the snake on his phone.

He's waiting for a call from Allen, who is now at the foot of Beverly Hills, negotiating with Sony Columbia.

If they can come back before noon, they can have lunch together.

Abel will also be able to keep up to date with the latest developments.

Some time ago on the island of Hawaii, Howard Stringer personally visited him.

Abel gave the conditions.

Howard Stringer went back and gave feedback to Sony's head office.

By now, the negotiations on this matter have been carried out.

Allen is the core of the think tank.

Take a part of the think tank and go to the other side for final negotiations.

Spider-Man Parker's next fate depends on the outcome of this negotiation.

Snake played game after game, and in the end, Abel felt a little bored.

I don't know why, after experiencing the "delicacies of the mountains and seas", and experiencing those joys that I couldn't experience in my previous life.

Now, he actually misses the games he used to play with pesticides and eating chicken.

It's a pity that his talent is limited to financial sense.

It has no effect on the development of science and technology.

And there are a lot of things, which can't be made by throwing money at research and development.

This means that even if he is very rich.

In 2022, the smart games that ordinary people can play, he can't play now.

Thinking of this, Abel was a little bored with the greedy snake in his hand.

He dropped his phone on the couch, got up and walked a few steps, and walked to the edge of his desk.

He saw a corner of the American Sun on his desk.

Able pulled it out and opened the newspaper.

The American Sun, originally just a small newspaper in the New York area.

At that time it was called the New York Sun.

After being purchased by Abel, it happened to catch Abel's "Smith Storm" at that time.

Plus a lot of exclusive revelations, and a very special newspaper bonus.

At the most exaggerated time last year, it once achieved a single-day sales of more than one million.

Single-day sales ranked among the top five in the United States.

Later, as the Smith storm gradually subsided, its sales gradually decreased.

After this year, it has finally stabilized at a scale of about 500,000 copies per day.

Note that the American Sun, which sells 500,000 a day.

It is even fifteenth in the current U.S. daily newspaper category.

The highest daily sales were the Wall Street Journal, which averaged around 240 copies a day last year.

However, this data is after 2022.

Even the Wall Street Journal, the number one selling newspaper in a day, has less than 700,000 copies left.

The New York Times, which ranked second, has only 300,000 copies left.

The 22nd "Mainichi Shimbun" has just over 50,000 copies left.

One can imagine how far the sales of these American newspapers have languished in the past two decades.

Of course, this has to do with the rise of the mobile Internet.

Before the rise of the mobile Internet, there was even an Internet impact.

Before 2012, these newspapers were still able to hold good sales.

And when the era of mobile Internet comes, as long as you can get on the ship of mobile Internet in time.

Again, the influence of these newspapers will not be much reduced.

They just take the daily paper news and move it to the mobile phone.

Now in 2001.

The American Sun was able to sell 500,000 copies a day, which was already a big newspaper at this time.

It is positioned as mass entertainment, similar to Murdoch's New York Post.

Of course, most of the above content is popular with the public.

At the same time, the newspaper has the authorization of Abel.

It likes to report all kinds of news from its boss Abel Smith the most.

Many other newspapers did not have Abel's material, which had a royal charter, and could be reported.

This is one of the reasons why it has been able to maintain sales of half a million.

The "Smith Storm" has already been blown.

There are still a lot of gossip about the various news of the young and handsome super-rich who like to watch.

It's like the news of Onion, even in 2022.

Many people see it on their mobile phones and will still look at it a few more times.

Abel unfolded today's edition of The New York Sun.

The headline on the front page is a thing that everyone in the United States has been concerned about recently.

That's the Texans who just moved into the White House.

After he moved in, the first policy he implemented.

Tax cut.

The Texan, who announced that he would cut taxes by $1.3 trillion for all Americans during his tenure.

This policy looks wonderful.

Because in the United States, there are only two things that cannot be avoided.

One is death and the other is paying taxes.

But it's just about looking good.

Know that in the United States, the poor and the rich pay different taxes.

If it is a targeted tax cut, such as a tax cut for the poor, then this tax cut is better.

But if it's not a targeted tax cut, it's a reduction for everyone.

In fact, it is the poor who suffer more.

Because the tax payment of the poor is generally low, there is no way to reduce the overall tax payment by much.

Originally, I had to pay a tax of 105 yuan, but now I only have to pay 100 yuan.

The five dollars minus is better than nothing.

If the tax payment of the rich is high, if the overall tax payment is reduced, the tax savings will be a large amount.

The tax payment of 1.05 million yuan has become only 1 million yuan, which is a saving of 50,000 US dollars.

The total amount is only 1.3 trillion yuan, and it is estimated that it will eventually be reduced to 1 or 200 billion yuan at most.

More than 1 trillion yuan has been reduced to the rich and enterprises.

And the one in the white house is an elephant party.

His basic plate cannot be on the side of the poor.

This means that his tax cut policy cannot be a targeted tax cut.

That is, everyone has a share, and the poor and the rich are reduced together.

This is actually monetizing to make the poor suffer, but the poor can't see it.

Or you can't stop it if you see it.

It's a bit like Britain's tax cut plan before Britain's Ari stepped down in 2022.

Ah Li just announced the plan, and he didn't start yet, but just announced it slightly, and it directly caused the United Kingdom of Great Britain's national debt, foreign exchange, and shares to collapse during the sunset

Of course, the United States will not be so miserable, and the United States in 2001 has a strong foundation.

At this time, tax reduction still has a certain effect on promoting society.

It can also enhance the goodwill of businesses and wealthy people towards small shrubs.

Draw a piece of cake first, if you want to eat it, remember to choose me next time.

No wonder as soon as he came to power, he spoke out about it.

After a slight glance at the headline, Able shook his head.

Under the rendering of the White House and the relevant departments.

This topic is now the top concern of all Americans.

This makes even the "American Sun", which usually doesn't publish much current affairs news.

Also in the entire first page, there are similar reports, as well as expert interpretations.

These Abel were not interested, and he turned directly to the second page.

It was much better later, and Hollywood and other entertainment news began to appear.

Abel flipped to the third page, which had become sports news.

Commercial sports in the United States are very developed, and the four major leagues attract countless money.

Abel was in the newspaper and saw the news that the Wizards vs Warriors lost 99-102.

It reminded him of last year, when he wanted to buy a basketball team on a whim.

Later, because it was too difficult to buy the Lakers and Knicks, it was not bought in the end.

At this time, he was bored playing mobile games.

I thought I might be able to play the NBA game.

He took the newspaper and pressed the number one button on the landline of the telephone next to him.

Soon, David Jones and Edward walked in together.

"I'm looking for David, none of your business, Edward."

Edward nodded and withdrew, and David walked over to the boss.

"I'm going to buy a basketball team. This time it's serious. Abel said directly to David.

David's answer was also very succinct: "Which team do you want to buy?" ”

"Team Rocket." Abel sighed, he actually liked the Knicks.

Not because he liked it, but because he liked New York.

But the Knicks really weren't that good to buy.

Then buy Team Rocket.

The Texas team, Abel is a Texan.

He felt that he deserved to buy the Rockets.

"Okay. Then I'll immediately ask the advisory group to contact Leslie Alexander of the Houston Rockets. ”

Abel nodded.

Two hours later, before Alan Baker and the others returned.

York West, another core of the advisory group.

The former deputy general manager of Gephardt, a registered senior lobbyist in Washington, came to Abel with David Jones.

At that time, Abel was bored and began to play with his snake.

“BOSS。” David Jones said.

"Huh?" Abel put down his phone and looked up.

"Let York West tell you, they've done what you told you to do."

"Okay." Abel looked at York Sea.

York West is an American desert American, and a desert can be a luxury. Don lobbyist, this is very amazing.

Either York West is strong enough, or York West has a special family background.

“BOSS。” York West took a step forward and handed over a document:

"This is the result of our conference call with Leslie Alexander."

"Oh?" Abel asked David to take it, and while opening the file, he said:

"Did Leslie Alexander say yes?"

"The other side is willing to sell the Houston Rockets." York West said calmly:

"The offer is $255 million. After our bargaining, the price was finally set at $240 million. ”

"In 1993, when Leslie Alexander bought 80 percent of the team from the previous owner of the Houston Rockets."

"He only spent $85 million."

"For eight years, Leslie Alexander has had almost zero commitment to this team."

"And also on the team, more than two million dollars in profits."

"With the price firmly set at $240 million, Leslie Alexander agreed to the offer."

Leslie Alexander, however, only owns 80 percent of the Houston Rockets. The remaining shares are scattered among some minority shareholders. ”

"If you want to acquire it wholly, you need at least $60 million, that is, the total acquisition amount is about $300 million."

York West handed over this answer, Abel is still quite satisfied.

That's right, back in 2001.

Team Rocket is only worth so much money.

At this time, the Rockets were one of the least valuable teams in the NBA.

It's really worth a lot of money, and it's the champion show that draws next year.

After getting Da Yao, with the support of the fans of the Celestial Empire, the value has increased several times.

In parallel time and space.

Even Leslie Alexander himself said it.

"Da Yao brought me a fortune of 1.2 billion."

He said this in 2012, when Da Yao had already retired.

At that time, the market value of the rocket was about $1.5 billion.

Da Yao has just been to the rocket for two years.

In those two years, the Rockets' net profit was more than the previous twenty years combined.

Otherwise, do you think for yourself, before 2002, did you know that there were 50 million rabbits in the NBA?

Ever heard of Team Rocket's rabbits, there are a million people?

Probably neither.

But after 2002, these two figures are at least hundreds of millions.

"Three hundred million dollars? Not 300 million. My grandfather Alex and my father Alexander, the two of them probably have about 8% of the rocket shares. ”

Abel said, "But I think the price is reasonable. Go sign a contract, Yorksey and change the name of the owner of this NBA team to Abel Smith. ”

(End of chapter)