20.4.06

V for Vitaquest

等得你耐。

  長江生命科技(8222)收購Vitaquest,這單非常重大收購,2月3日公布,兩日前才出通函。昨天想寫,但發覺睇唔切,唯有攤凍再睇,先敢落手開筆。

  當日忍手,未有用公告的有限內容亂寫一通,證明相當正確。通函資料相對充足,可以用超越平貴的角度,觀察長科這單最重要的收購。  看完幾遍,我的感覺是,這單交易醞釀多時,而鬼佬的財技手法相當高明。長科這收購,似乎吃眼前虧。

  要睇,先睇Vitaquest是一間什麼公司。2005年頭,V重組。各位有幸慣見國企的香港人,一見重組,就知有大茶飯,否則無端端重組幹啥?

  重組由左手交右手,作價三億美金。用merger method,V手上多了三億資本儲備,用途稍後再說。

  之後,V將股份拆為四百萬張有投票權的普通權益,長科買八成;還有六百萬張可換股優先權益,留在鬼佬之手;另外加發二千萬美金高級優先權益,長科原銀購入。

  鬼佬賣八成普通股權益給長科,購得未夠高興,還要派息。V在2005年頭只有五千萬美金保留盈利,似乎派息未夠盡興。別怕,剛才提及merger method為V帶來三億美金資本儲備,鬼佬一於借一億四千幾萬派息。派一億一千萬現金,另外赦免三千萬股東欠款,過癮。

  但V 2004年都只不過有十零萬現金在手,何來本事派息?冇有怕,借。2005年V問銀行借一億幾,用來派息。借得太豪,破盡銀行契諾,令所有長債頓時在賬面上變為短債。

  上下其手一輪,V成為一間負資產一億五千萬美金的公司。一年經營溢利八百幾萬,但支付銀行利息及可換股權益利息之後,蝕五百幾萬美金。經營現金收入是八百萬,未夠畀息。

  這間讓鬼佬淘空的公司,長科估計企業價值是近三億五千萬美元,比重組時還要高。用一億六千萬買這間被淘空的軀殼,兼夾孭上一億五千萬的負債,從通函我看不見任何說服我值得收購的理由。

  當然,我睇到的,長科一定睇到,而且睇得必定比我多。做生意的數口要求極高,長科身邊的謀臣粒粒皆星。買V的真正理由,相信是放在長江中心頂樓。

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

EXCUSES of the acquisition :

page 21:

"...the VQ Group’s Normalized EBIT and EBITDA from continuing
operations were US$32.3 million (approximately HK$251.3 million) and US$34.7 million approximately HK$270.0 million) respectively for the year ended 31 December 2005. Given the track record, earnings ability, distribution network and customer base of the VQ Group and the synergies to be realized by the Group from the Vitaquest Acquisition, the Vitaquest Acquisition should be earnings-accretive to the enlarged Group in the future."

page 23:

"The Manufacturing Agreement [for NuLife's nutritional products in the US and Canada] entered into [by Vitaquest]will be beneficial to the business and/or the profitability of the Group after the VQ Completion."

to understand how V's restructured its operations and distributed its earnings prior to 8222's acquisition, pay particular attention to its cash flow statement at p.92, and notes at p.93-95; 123, 125

Anonymous said...

at least US30m loan to finance the notes receivable from a director's trust should be borne by him and not 8222.