The Economist Group Launches Its First Bilingual Chinese-English App The Economist Global Business Review

A new app that explores key global trends in business, finance and technology – always with a strong point of view

HONG KONG, April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The Economist Group today officially launched a new digital app The Economist Global Business Review, focused on delivering insightful analysis on global trends in business, finance and technology. As the first in a planned series of local-language offerings, the bilingual Chinese-English app allows The Economist Group to reach a new set of global business leaders in markets like mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. The Economist Global Business Review is the first bilingual product featuring Economist content to be offered in the 171-year history of the weekly publication.  Recognising that today’s most influential business leaders span the globe, The Economist Global Business Review removes barriers to bring its spirit of independent reporting and sharp perspective to a wider audience, initially in Chinese, and expanding to other languages in future.

The Economist Global Business Review

The Economist Global Business Review

Curated by the editors at The Economist Group, The Economist Global Business Review features a selection of the best business, finance and technology stories from the weekly newspaper, which have been translated to the highest degree to maintain the stylistic nuances of the original text. Ten (10) articles are published initially at the start of the month; thereafter, a daily article is published each weekday for a total of 30 articles each month.

The bilingual app works in either English-Simplified-Chinese or English-Traditional Chinese and is available for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. “Chinese was a natural first language for us to choose when launching this new bilingual product, given the increasing global reach of China’s companies and its diaspora,” said Tom Standage, Deputy Editor of The Economist.  “For many years we wrote off the idea of foreign-language editions as too expensive and impractical. However, the rise of digital technology changes the game. We can now deliver content quickly and without the cost constraints of print publishing.”

Tim Pinnegar, Publisher and Managing Director of The Economist Group Asia-Pacific said:  “Offering our unique content in local language opens up an entirely new market to us that was not possible to tap into before.  Our growth strategy over the next five years is exactly focused on attracting new audiences and capitalising on innovations in product and service offerings.”

Keeping in line with the minimalistic design aesthetics of The Economist, the app’s simple and intuitive interface allows for easy toggling between languages.  The app also features a powerful cache (the articles can be archived for up to 12 months) to facilitate offline reading.

The Economist Global Business Review is made available for free in April and May, courtesy of launch sponsor Hyundai.  Wonhong Cho, CMO of Hyundai Motor Company says, “We are glad to sponsor the launch of this new bilingual app from The Economist Group, and hope the app inspires new thinking and new possibilities within the Chinese business communities worldwide.” 

During this time, readers can download the app and experience the simple interface and compelling content completely free of charge. The app is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and a number of independent Android stores worldwide.  For more information, visit our website www.TEGBR.com

About The Economist Group

Headquartered in London, The Economist Group is the leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs.  Its publications and services include The Economist, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Intelligent Life and CQ Roll Call.  The Group delivers its information through a range of formats, from newspapers and magazines to conferences and electronic services.  Across all its products and services, the Group is known for its objectivity of opinion, originality of insight and rigorous analysis of key issues.

Photo – http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150407/0861502669

foodpanda Teams Up With Food Aid Foundation – Give A Little, Help A Lot

Food Aid Foundation and foodpanda Malaysia team up to raise funds for food for Persatuan Rumah K.I.D.S. Orphanage in Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — foodpanda hopes to help people learn about the importance of eating healthy and provide some basic knowledge about nutrition. With the “give a little, help a lot” initiative we would like to show that it takes very little effort to make significant changes. Together with Food Aid Foundation, our project is in the best hands: Food Aid Foundation will take care of the distribution and the transportation of the food.

“Our goal is to collect EUR1,000 (EUR1 = MYR3.94), to help cover two months of groceries for the orphanage. The collected money will go to Food Aid Foundation’s official fund raising account. They will buy the most necessary food stuffs for Rumah K.I.D.S Orphanage from the collected amount,” says Sidney, Country Manager of foodpanda Malaysia.

About Rumah K.I.D.S Orphanage

Persatuan Rumah Kanak-Kanak Ini Di Sayangi (Rumah K.I.D.S) began its operations in 1991. They are located at 7, Jalan Durian, Kawasan 6, 41100 Klang, Selangor. It is a registered non-profit charitable home for orphans and abandoned children. It is registered with the Registrar of Society and subsequently with Jabatan Kebajukan Masyarakat Malaysia and other related governmental departments.

The children are separated in two homes, based on gender. They between 4 to 18 years old. The orphanage needs support in order to provide food security for the children and assistance to cover the utility bills.

About foodpanda

foodpanda group is the leading global food delivery marketplace, active in 39 countries on five continents. The company enables restaurants to become visible in the online and mobile world and provides them with the latest online technology. For consumers, foodpanda/hellofood offer the convenience to order food online and with the widest gastronomic range, from which they can choose their favourite meal on the web or via the app.

Look us up at:
Website: www.foodpanda.my
Facebook:
facebook.com/FoodpandaMalaysia

For more information on this press release, or to arrange interviews with company management, please contact:

Sidney Ng
Country Manager, Malaysia
Unit D-3A-08, Level 3A, Block D,
Southgate Commercial Centre,
No.2 Jalan Dua off Jalan Chan Sow Lin, 55200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6016-3062330
Email: s.ng@foodpanda.my

Trisha Ang
Marketing Manager
Unit D-3A-08, Level 3A, Block D,
Southgate Commercial Centre,
No.2 Jalan Dua off Jalan Chan Sow Lin, 55200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6016-7252996
Email: t.ang@foodapanda.my

ClearTV Media Debuts TVChannels4u.com Offering Television Audiences Premium Programming On the Device of Their Choice from TVs to Phones to Tablets and Laptops

BURBANK, Calif., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — ClearTV Media (F: CLTV) officially launched TVChannels4U.com today, transforming the traditional television viewing experience with a powerful platform that brings audiences a new way to experience online videos. The entertainment network delivers a best-of-breed online content solution with professionally curated programming on channels targeted to your individual interests. TVChannels4U.com represents an unrivaled four point distribution system beyond the new site – On-Line Syndication to a vast array of premium publishers, Social Distribution through Twitter @TVChannels4U with a following of 550K, Over-the-top (OTT) via connected TVs, and Mobile.

“Our commitment to talent and premium programming prompted the launch one of the most remarkably developed video sharing websites in the space. The site was designed with the user as our single focus – whether that is a professional producer, a premium publisher or one the millions of online who view and share the eclectic variety of content TVChannels4U has to offer. TVChannels4U is a refreshing new approach to the aggregation and consumption of top-tier online content,” said David Tetreault, COO, ClearTV Media.

The navigation tools that brings TVChannels4U.com alive allows viewers to sit back and engage with programming from a variety of genres that include – Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports, Music, Travel and Style. TVChannels4U.com steps into its lifecycle in the midst of the myriad of digital milestones that ran through 2014 and now into 2015 – traditional TV ratings continue to experience pronounced declines as the consumption of premium programming continues to migrate toward emerging platforms.

According to the recent report – U.S. Digital Future In Focus 2015 published by comScore – across every age demographic, there is a substantially higher percentage of multi-platform and mobile-only Internet users than in the previous year. Digital video viewing still occurs most frequently via desktop computer, but mobile video viewing is on the rise. Nearly 7 in 8 Americans watch online video with more than half doing so daily. Slightly below half of smartphone and tablet users watch video on all their devices, with about 1 in 10 doing so daily, suggesting there is room for significant growth. TVChannels4U has assembled a premium publisher network that distributes to many of the most highly trafficked websites online providing these sites with top-tier programming for a collective audience in the multi-millions monthly. TVChannels4U.com provides high-value content producers a distribution outlet that guides their content through the clutter and noise of traditional distribution platforms, and directly into the arms of viewers who know what they want and when they want to see it. Over-the-top (OTT) devices such as Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Microsoft Xbox are also gaining adoption and driving extended engagement of digital viewing. The validity that comScore brings to the table showcases the rapid nature of the transformation taking place in programming and distribution, TVChannels4U.com syncs up with this sea change and provides premium programming viewed through premium distribution channels across all devices.

About ClearTV Media
Clear TV Media delivers customized TV stations to dynamic Away-From-Home environments bringing airports, healthcare facilities, retailers, and hotel and resorts a new marketing tool that will target, reach and engage a world on-the-go. Clear TV Media has the power to connect with upscale demographics in ways never before imagined by infusing premium content with social media technology. Clear TV Media recently launched TVChannels4U.com. TVChannels4U drives talent and customized programming in the new age of the always-on-demand, mobile and social world. We create, produce and curate the best in Social TV – providing established and new producers with the tools to make and distribute TV series’ like never before. TVChannels4U entertains and engages viewers with original TV programming from a wide variety of genres – Comedy, Drama, News, Sports, Education and Information. To learn more please visit www.cleartvmedia.com, www.tvchannels4u.com or Twitter @TVChannels4U.

Press Contact:

ClearTV Media
Ronnie Seidel, 818-351-7858
press@cleartvmedia.com

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7cTz4DYnNk
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150331/195509LOGO

NetDragon Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2014 Financial Results

Strong Revenue and Operational Metrics Growth

HONG KONG, March 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — NetDragon Websoft Inc. (“NetDragon” or “the Company”) (Hong Kong Stock Code: 0777), a leading developer and operator of online games and mobile internet platforms in China, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. A conference call and webcast is scheduled at 8 p.m. Hong Kong Time on March 26, 2015 to discuss the results and recent business developments.

Fiscal Year 2014 Financial Highlights

  • Revenue was RMB962.8 million, an increase of 8.9% from RMB 884.5 million last year.
  • Operating profit was RMB252.0 million, an increase of 24.3% from RMB202.8 million last year.
  • Profit from continuing operations attributable to owners of the Company was RMB176.7 million, an increase of 7.5% from RMB164.4 million last year.
  • Basic and diluted earnings per share were RMB34.77 cents and RMB34.22 cents, respectively.

Fourth quarter 2014 Financial Highlights

  • Revenue was RMB282.9 million, an increase of 21.6% quarter-over-quarter and 23.5% year-over-year.
  • Gross profit was RMB246.5 million, an increase of 17.9% quarter-over-quarter and 19.7% year-over-year.
  • Operating profit was RMB4.0 million, a decrease of 93.2% quarter-over-quarter and an increase from an operating loss of RMB1.7 million during the same period of 2013.
  • Non-GAAP operating profit[1] was RMB13.5 million, a decrease of 79.7% quarter-over-quarter and an increase of 19.4% year-over-year.
  • Loss attributable to owners of the Company was RMB19.4 million, compared to profit attributable to owners of the Company of RMB52.6 million during the previous quarter. Non-GAAP profit attributable to owners of the Company, which excludes several non-core operational items, was RMB6.8 million.
  • Basic and diluted losses per share were RMB3.78 cents and RMB3.82 cents, respectively.
  • The Board of Directors has proposed a final dividend of HK$0.20 per share subject to the approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting.

Fourth quarter 2014 Operational Highlights[2]

  • Peak concurrent users (“PCU”) for online games were 642,000.
  • Average concurrent users (“ACU”) for online games were 301,000.

“We experienced a healthy 8.9% increase in revenue to RMB962.8 million during the year as we further consolidated our market position in the gaming space and pushed forward with the development of our online education platform,” commented Mr. Dejian Liu, Chairman and Executive Director of NetDragon. “Our online games business continues to gain strong growth momentum during the quarter with peak concurrent users reaching 642,000 as revenues increased 6.7% year-over-year to RMB221.5 million. One of our newest games, Calibur of Spirit, continues to gain strong user traction following its selection for the World Cyber Arena last fall. We signed an exclusive China licensing agreement with Tencent and officially launched the game in January 2015 where it achieved record-high MAU of 7 million that month and monthly gross revenue over RMB21.0 million in February 2015. With such a strong performance at the beginning of its lifespan, we are confident that this game will develop into a substantial long-term new revenue stream as large scale marketing campaigns get underway and new updates are launched throughout the year. We launched new expansion packs for our flagship games during the period including an English version for Conquer Online which generated an 11-year high monthly revenue in December 2014. We are also excited to beta-launch Tiger Knight later this year.”

“We continued to incubate our mobile games business during the quarter and have seen encouraging progress from Eudemons Online Pocket Version which was officially launched in January 2015 and is expected to register over RMB10 million in monthly gross revenue in March 2015. The iOS and Android versions of Blade & Sword continue to make steady progress through the various stages of development while the Arabic version of The Pirate remains extremely popular across the Middle East and North Africa where it is expected to continue to grow as new updates are launched.” 

“NetDragon’s new strategic business focus continues to be its online education business which completed a round of series A preference shares funding of US$52.5 million in February 2015. The participation of globally renowned investors demonstrates the confidence they have in our unique position to leverage our proven world-class mobile internet and gaming expertise, large-scale technology resources and team infrastructure to build an online and mobile education ecosystem. We are making very solid progress in the design and development of our educational products, and remain on track to gradually roll them out as each development milestone is achieved. We expect to make exciting announcements in the coming months regarding our overall product strategy and the unique value proposition we can create for students, educators and parents.” 

Mr. Ben Yam, Chief Financial Officer, added, Non-GAAP profit for the quarter was RMB4.1 million which is a blended figure combining our highly profitable gaming business and our online education business which is currently in product development stage. During the quarter, our online games business achieved revenue growth of 6.7% year-over-year and 9.8% sequentially with a stable operating cost structure. We also continue to invest heavily in the development of educational products which requires significant investments in staff costs and has reduced the blended profitability in the short-term. These investments however, are the best use of our cash and demonstrate our commitment to building an online education business that will become another cornerstone for our long-term success.”

[1] See the ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ section at the bottom of this release for more details

[2] PCU and ACU include the Company’s new micro-client game Calibur of Spirit

Fourth quarter 2014 Unaudited Financial Results

Revenue

Revenue was RMB282.9 million, an increase of 21.6% from RMB232.7 million in the previous quarter and 23.5% from RMB229.0 million during the same quarter last year.

Revenue from online games and other business generated from China was RMB229.0 million, an increase of 16.9% from RMB195.9 million in the previous quarter and 11.6% from RMB205.2 million in the same quarter last year. The increase in revenue was mainly due to the strong performance of Eudemons Online and Calibur of Spirit.

Revenue from online games and other business generated from overseas markets was RMB53.9 million, an increase of 46.2% from RMB36.8 million in the previous quarter and 126.0% from RMB23.8 million in the same quarter last year due to the growth in the Company’s mobile solutions and marketing business operated by its Hong Kong-based subsidiary Cherrypicks.

Gross profit and gross margin

Gross profit was RMB246.5 million, an increase of 17.9% from RMB209.2 million in the previous quarter and 19.7% from RMB205.9 million in the same quarter last year. Gross margin was 87.2%, compared with 89.9% in the previous quarter and 89.9% in the same quarter last year. The decreases in gross margin were partly due to the inclusion of Cherrypicks which generates lower gross margins when compared with NetDragon’s online games business.

Operating expenses

Selling and marketing expenses were RMB51.2 million, representing an increase of 32.8% from RMB38.6 million in the previous quarter, and 61.6% from RMB31.7 million during the same period last year. The increase in selling and marketing expenses was mainly due to the increase in advertising and promotional expenses of Eudemons Online and Calibur of Spirit.

Administrative expenses were RMB120.9 million, representing an increase of 55.9% from RMB77.5 million during the third quarter of 2014 and a decrease of 14.2% from RMB140.9 million during the same period last year. The quarter-over-quarter increase in administrative expenses was mainly due to the increase in (i) staff costs; and (ii) depreciation and amortization. The year-over-year decrease in administrative expenses was mainly due to the (i) decrease in exchange loss on foreign currencies; and (ii) expenditure of domain name during the same period last year.

Development costs were RMB89.3 million, representing an increase of 32.6% from RMB67.3 million during the third quarter of 2014 and an increase of 100.8% from RMB44.5 million during the same period last year. The sequential and year-over-year increases in development costs was mainly due to increases in (i) staff costs; and (ii) outsourcing fees.

Other expenses were RMB12.0 million, representing an increase of 226.7% from RMB3.7 million during the third quarter of 2014 and 126.4% from RMB5.3 million during the same period last year. The sequential and year-over-year increases in other expenses was mainly due to the increase in allowances on trade receivables.

Operating profit

Operating profit from continuing operations was RMB4.0 million, a decrease of 93.2% from RMB57.7 million in the third quarter of 2014, and an increase from an operating loss of RMB1.7 million in the same quarter last year.

Taxation

Taxation was RMB9.4 million, an increase of 126.6% from RMB4.2 million during the third quarter of 2014 and a decrease of 43.7% from RMB16.8 million during the same quarter last year. The sequential increase in taxation was mainly due to an under provision for tax in 2014 while the year-over-year decrease was mainly due to the decrease in taxable profit.

(Loss) profit for the period from continuing operations

Loss from continuing operations was RMB22.2 million, compared with profit of RMB52.4 million in the previous quarter and loss of RMB2.7 million in the same quarter last year.

Non-GAAP profit from continuing operations, which excludes a net loss on held-for-trading investments (which tend to fluctuate quarter-to-quarter), an exchange loss and amortization of intangible assets resulting from the acquisition of Cherrypicks last year, was RMB4.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2014. 

Liquidity

As of December 31, 2014, NetDragon had bank deposits, bank balances, cash, pledged bank deposits and held-for trading liquid investments of approximately RMB3,484.8 million, compared with RMB4,483.7 million as of December 31, 2013. 

Business Review and Outlook

Games

On October 26th, 2014, NetDragon began beta testing “Goddess Era,” a new expansion pack for Eudemons Online that introduces the “Goddess Gifts” system and allows players to enhance their character’s attributes free of charge. The new expansion pack, which enhances gameplay and increases user stickiness, is expected to begin closed beta testing during the first half of 2015. Eudemons Online celebrated its anniversary in March 2015 with in-game activities. Conquer Online, the Company’s other flagship title, also launched a new expansion pack “King of Kungfu” in October 2014. By adding new classes to the game, the expansion pack provides more excitement for players. The English, French, Spanish and Arabic versions of Conquer Online’s expansion pack were also launched overseas. A class-updated version of Conquer Online — The Rhapsody of Ice and Fire: Taoist Ascending will be launched during the first half of 2015 and is expected to maintain the game’s market share overseas. Revenue generated by the English version of Conquer Online in December 2014 reached an 11-year high as a result of the enhanced competitiveness of the game in various countries and regions worldwide.

Calibur of Spirit, NetDragon’s first MOBA web micro-client game, officially began open-beta testing on January 16, 2015, achieving MAU of 7 million that month and over RMB21.0 million in monthly gross revenue in February 2015 demonstrating the Company’s world-class game-design and development capabilities. The game was previously selected for the 2014 World Cyber Arena held in Yinchuan, China in October 2014. Marketing and promotional events have rapidly increased the game’s operational metrics. The Company also signed an exclusive China licensing agreement for Calibur of Spirit with Tencent at the end of 2014. NetDragon is confident that revenue from this game will grow substantially as large scale publicity campaigns get underway. The Portuguese and Spanish versions of Calibur of Spirit have already been completed and are scheduled to begin testing in Latin America and Europe in the first half of 2015. The Company’s in-house developed 3D action war game Tiger Knight began its first round of internal beta testing during the fourth quarter of 2014 and will begin its second round during the second quarter of 2015. A new expansion pack for Way of the Five was launched during the quarter along with annual celebration activities which began on March 7, 2015.

NetDragon continued to release content updates for its mobile game including one for the Arabic version of The Pirate in the fourth quarter of 2014 in an effort to solidify its existing player base as well as to seek out new players. This resulted in new record high monthly gross revenue in October 2014. The Company is committed to its strategy of developing high-quality products and continues to develop mobile products to ensure their success in an increasingly competitive market. The iOS version of Blade & Sword, NetDragon’s self-developed mobile 2.5D martial arts role-play game, finished closed beta testing in November 2014 and is currently undergoing closed beta testing of its iOS version with the Android version expected to begin closed beta testing in the first quarter of 2015. Martial Overlord, a mobile 3D martial arts action game, began channel testing in November 2014 and its second round of beta-testing in March 2015. The iOS version of Eudemons Online Pocket Version was officially launched on Apple’s AppStore in January 2015 with open beta testing for the Android version beginning at the same time. Waku & Maou, is a real-time strategy-based collectible mobile card game which began being operated by China’s leading mobile game publisher in January 2015. The Android version began its first round of closed beta testing in January 2015 with open beta testing for the Android and iOS version expected to begin during the first half of 2015.

Online and Mobile Education 

The Company made very strong progress in research and development, pedagogy integration, content partnership and acquisition, sales channel build-out and M&A discussions for its online and mobile education business during the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014.

Research & Development — The Company’s educational product design and R&D team currently comprises of over 350 staff. With world-class leadership, the team focuses on the design and development of both software and hardware, and over the course of 2014, has achieved many milestones in the development of high-quality and differentiated software. The Company’s 101 student tablet, which has also gone through multiple design iterations, will be commercially launched during the third quarter of 2015. The Company’s product development roadmap to create a holistic, integrated total-solution for online and mobile education remains unchanged. The initial version of the commercialized product will be focused on enabling best-in-class interconnectivity in the classroom, and will create true value through a transformational yet easy-to-learn educational solution for teachers and students. The Company will update the market when more information on product launches is available. In addition, the Company expects to officially open a research lab in Beijing in the coming months to extend its talent acquisition reach. The current plan is to scale the office to hundreds of R&D staff within one to two years to accelerate educational research and development.

Pedagogy Integration — NetDragon continues to deepen its partnership with Beijing Normal University, China’s top education university, to ensure the most effective pedagogy is being developed and integrated based on collaboration with proven hands-on educators. In November 2014 NetDragon, signed an agreement with Beijing Normal University to jointly research e-classroom design in an effort to develop insight into how software and hardware can best be integrated with various teaching models in a classroom learning environment. One March 18, 2015, NetDragon’s education subsidiary and Beijing Normal University also announced the establishment of Smart Learning Institute which will provide a unique platform to integrate the most advanced e-pedagogy with NetDragon’s mobile internet expertise and technological know-how. The Company believes the accumulation and understanding of pedagogy through its partnerships with top-tier universities and institutions including Beijing Normal University will form a significant barrier to entry.

Content Partnerships — NetDragon signed a MOU in November 2014 with a subsidiary of Pearson, the globally renowned leading education company, and Beijing Normal University, to develop a smart education solution. This collaboration will leverage Pearson’s rich K12 educational content resources to build China’s leading integrated smart education solution. In addition, the Company is also in discussions with numerous major publishers and content partners to enrich the content on its platform.

Channel Build-Out — The Company is in the process of building a nationwide school distribution network for its educational products. Currently, the Company is in discussion with over 20 regional and local distributors and has secured distribution agreements with a number of them. The Company is also in active discussions with several channel partners in addition to conventional distributors.  

M&A — NetDragon is in advanced discussions with multiple major acquisition targets in the online education space. If such acquisitions materialize, the Company’s competitive position in the market will further be enhanced.

Fundraising — In February 2015, NetDragon’s education subsidiary closed a Series A equity fundraising round of US$52.5 million led by IDG, Vertex (a Temasek subsidiary) and Alpha Animation, at a valuation of US$477.5 million

Other developments Netdragon was officially admitted to the Education Informatization Standard Committee under the Ministry of Education in November 2014. Membership will allow NetDragon to participate in the forming of technology standards, which will be conducive in developing the right products that meet or exceed regulatory standards. NetDragon is one of a very select few tier-one mobile internet companies who are members of the committee.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the consolidated results of the Company prepared in accordance with Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (“HKFRSs”), the use of certain non-GAAP measures is provided solely to enhance the overall understanding of the Group’s current financial performance. These non-GAAP measures are not expressly permitted measures under HKFRSs and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures for other companies. The non-GAAP financial measures of the Group exclude share-based payments expense, amortisation of intangible assets arising from acquisition of subsidiaries, interest income on pledged bank deposits, exchange gain (loss) on pledged bank deposits, secured bank borrowings and redeemable convertible preferred shares, net gain (loss) on derivative financial instruments, finance costs and gain on disposal of subsidiaries (net of related income tax).

Management Conference Call

NetDragon will host a management conference call and webcast to review its the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014 results on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at 8pm Hong Kong time.

Details of the live conference call are as follows:

International Toll                              

65-6723-9381

US Toll Free                                       

1-866-519-4004

Hong Kong Toll Free                          

800-906-601

China Toll Free (for fixed line users)      

800-819-0121

China Toll Free (for mobile users)         

400-620-8038

Passcode                                           

NetDragon

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of NetDragon’s website at http://ir.netdragon.com/investor/ir_events.shtml. Participants in the live webcast should visit the aforementioned website 10 minutes prior to the call, then click on the icon for “4Q and Fiscal Year 2014 Results Conference Call” and follow the registration instructions.

About NetDragon

NetDragon Websoft Inc. (HKSE: 0777) is a leading innovator and creative force in China’s online games and mobile internet industries. Established in 1999, NetDragon is leading developer in the mobile internet segment with a highly successful track record which includes the development of flagship MMORPGs such as Eudemons Online and Conquer Online, China’s number one online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China’s most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless, which was sold to Baidu in what was at the time the largest internet M&A transaction in China in 2013. Being a China’s pioneer in overseas expansion, NetDragon directly operates a number of game titles in over 10 languages internationally since 2003. NetDragon continues to strive for developing mobile games and software applications for users. In recent years, NetDragon has also become a major player in China’s online and mobile education industry as it works to leverage its mobile internet technologies expertise and know-how to develop a game-changing education ecosystem product.

For investor enquiries, please contact:

NetDragon Websoft Inc.

Ms. Maggie Zhou
Senior Director of Investor Relations
Tel.: +852 2850 7266; +86 591 8754 3120
Email: maggie@nd.com.cn; ndir@nd.com.cn
Website: www.nd.com.cn/ir

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2014)

 

4Q 2014

3Q 2014

2014

2013

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

(Audited)

RMB ‘000

RMB ‘000

RMB ‘000

RMB ‘000

Continuing operations

Revenue

282,880

232,702

962,817

884,518

Cost of revenue

(36,342)

(23,530)

(102,844)

(81,426)

Gross profit

246,538

209,172

859,973

803,092

Other income and gains

32,464

36,034

157,101

44,980

Selling and marketing expenses

(51,206)

(38,569)

(152,495)

(106,200)

Administrative expenses

(120,876)

(77,538)

(326,934)

(366,143)

Development costs

(89,278)

(67,341)

(249,260)

(162,857)

Other expenses

(11,977)

(3,666)

(34,027)

(10,046)

Share of losses of associates

(1,715)

(406)

(2,354)

(16)

Operating profit 

3,950

57,686

252,004

202,810

Interest income on pledged bank deposits

475

638

2,794

4,883

Exchange gain (loss) on pledged bank deposits and secured bank borrowings

1,188

(5,081)

4,593

Net (loss) gain on derivative financial instrument

(646)

6,817

(5,481)

Gain on disposal of available-for-sale investment

5,761

Net (loss) gain on held-for-trading investments

(16,905)

(1,553)

(17,304)

8,756

Finance costs

(235)

(728)

(3,212)

(4,651)

(Loss) profit before taxation

(12,715)

56,585

236,018

216,671

Taxation

(9,442)

(4,166)

(64,197)

(50,264)

(Loss) profit for the period/year from continuing operations

(22,157)

52,419

171,821

166,407

Discontinued operations

Profit for the period/year from discontinued operations

6,056,041

(Loss) profit for the period/year

(22,157)

52,419

171,821

6,222,448

Other comprehensive expense for the period/year, net of income tax:

Exchange differences arising on translation of foreign operations that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

(461)

(161)

(40)

(1,130)

Total comprehensive (expense) income for the period/year

(22,618)

52,258

171,781

6,221,318

(Loss) profit for the period/year attributable to:

 -Owners of the Company

(19,406)

52,595

176,681

6,140,776

 -Non-controlling interests

(2,751)

(176)

(4,860)

81,672

(22,157)

52,419

171,821

6,222,448

(Loss) profit for the period/year attributable to owner of the Company:

 -from continuing operations

(19,406)

52,595

176,681

164,352

 -from discontinued operations

5,976,424

(Loss) profit for the period/year attributable to owner of the Company

(19,406)

 

52,595

176,681

 

6,140,776

(Loss) profit for the period/year attributable to non-controlling interests:

 -from continuing operations

(2,751)

(176)

(4,860)

2,055

 -from discontinued operations

79,617

(Loss) profit for the period/year attributable to non-controlling interests

(2,751)

(176)

(4,860)

81,672

Total comprehensive (expense) income attributable to:

-Owners of the Company

(19,867)

52,434

176,641

6,139,646

-Non-controlling interests

(2,751)

(176)

(4,860)

81,672

(22,618)

52,258

171,781

6,221,318

RMB cents

RMB cents

RMB cents

RMB cents

(Loss) earnings per share

From continuing and discontinued operations

– Basic

(3.78)

10.31

34.77

1,213.44

– Diluted

(3.82)

10.27

34.22

1,181.10

From continuing operations

– Basic

(3.78)

10.31

34.77

32.48

– Diluted

(3.82)

10.27

34.22

31.75

 

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2014)

2014

2013

(Audited)

(Audited)

RMB’000

RMB’000

Non-current assets

Property, plant and equipment

822,704

532,684

Prepaid lease payments

 

378,673

185,819

Investment property

15,725

Intangible assets

141,254

Interests in associates

28,795

1,299

Available-for-sale investments

5,000

5,000

Loan receivables

18,327

16,041

Deposits made for acquisition of property, plant and equipment

35,967

16,769

Other receivable

60,969

Goodwill

40,013

12,534

Deferred tax assets

54

54

1,470,787

846,894

Current assets

Prepaid lease payments

2,708

2,583

Loan receivables

1,578

713

Trade receivables

51,072

41,718

Amounts due from customers for contract work

7,252

Other receivables, prepayments and deposits

210,098

69,770

Amounts due from related companies

1,704

4,564

Amounts due from associates

367

Held-for-trading investments

211,584

20,735

Pledged bank deposit

236,805

107,368

Bank deposits

1,999,644

3,051,289

Bank balances and cash

1,036,788

1,304,355

3,759,600

4,603,095

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

209,214

152,837

Amounts due to customers for contract work

424

Deferred income

25,595

26,553

Amount due to a related company

1,891

Amount due to an associate

8

Secured bank borrowing

236,805

104,672

Other financial liability

3,122

Income tax payable

137,648

539,927

611,585

827,111

Net current assets

3,148,015

3,775,984

Total assets less current liabilities

4,618,802

4,622,878

Non-current liabilities

Other payables

1,283

Deferred tax liabilities

116

1,399

Net assets

4,617,403

4,622,878

Capital and reserves

Share capital

36,943

37,664

Share premium and reserves

4,529,971

4,577,478

Equity attributable to owners of the Company

4,566,914

4,615,142

Non-controlling interests

50,489

7,736

4,617,403

4,622,878

 

So Klose Successfully Achieves ISO 9001:2008 Recertification

Asia’s first matchmaking and dating service to achieve ISO9001:2008 certification

HONG KONG, March 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — So Klose is proud to announce that its service team successfully passed the second ISO9001:2008 QMS recertification audit with zero non-conformities in end-2014 which was certified by SGS, first within the industry in Asia.

So Klose has been an ISO9001:2008 certified matchmaking and dating services company since 2011 and was recertified in December 2014 with zero non-conformities

So Klose has been an ISO9001:2008 certified matchmaking and dating services company since 2011 and was recertified in December 2014 with zero non-conformities

 

Created in 2009, today the multi-award-winning So Klose upscale dating and matchmaking agency offers services for single executives, professionals and entrepreneurs in the Chinese community.

The recent audit examined So Klose’s business practices and internal management procedures to ensure they meet international quality standards and customer requirements. The audit also examined processes for continuous improvement in customer satisfaction, procedural control, training and internal communications with an overall customer satisfaction rate of over 96%. This is So Klose’s second ISO certification.

ISO 9001:2008 is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement, establishment of clear policies, planning and implementation, resource management and efficient process control.

“Obtaining the renewed ISO:9001 certificate strengthens our reputation as a trustworthy service provider and assures our present and prospective clients that our quality is beyond standard in the marketplace,” says Carolyn Chan, Director of So Klose. “External certification of our quality management system is an independent validation of So Klose’s commitment to quality. It provides an invaluable edge in the matchmaking and dating services sector and offers an accredited approach to deliver quality services, improves our business processes and expands our business opportunities.

ABOUT SO KLOSE

So Klose® is providing matchmaking, dating, and personal introduction services to single elites. Most of the members are well-educated, high-income earners, executives working overseas, professionals, and entrepreneurs.

The majority of its members (97%) hold university degrees; about half of the male members and female members have studied abroad. So Klose® has received first-time industry awards, such as: “The Most Reliable Dating and Matchmaking Services Company” at Hong Kong’s Most Valuable Companies Awards 2014; the “China’s Top Ten Model Brands in Matchmaking, Dating and Personal Introduction Services”; “16th Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur Award”; “2011 Hong Kong Emerging Service Brand”; the ISO9001:2008 QMS certification, first within the industry in Asia, and the “Intellectual Capital Management Excellence Award”, as well as the “national matchmaking consultant” qualification awarded by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China, and the “Executive Member” and “Certified Matchmaker” qualifications awarded by the Matchmaking Institute of New York, USA.

More information about SO KLOSE.COM is available at http://www.so-klose.com.

Photo – http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150324/8521501859
Logo – http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2011/12/05/20111205150300103459-l.jpg

Data Storytelling Heats up with Tableau Public’s New Web Platform; Now Serving 90,000-plus authors

–36,000 people joined Tableau Public in 2014, including award-winning journalists, students, scientists, and data geeks

SEATTLE, March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — 2014 was a marquee year for Tableau Public, as more than 36,000 new authors joined and published more data stories than ever before. Tableau’s free platform for creating, sharing and discovering data stories on the web now boasts more than 90,000 authors publishing 4,500 visualizations a week. A visualization of the national exchange and interest rates in the Dominican newspaper El Nacional became the first Tableau Public “viz” to pass five million views.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130718/SF48964LOGO

Since its launch in 2010, authors have published more than 500,000 visualizations on Tableau Public  nearly half of which were published in 2014 alone. Tableau Public has become the go-to community for people everywhere to create and share their data visualizations with the world. Since its launch, people have published stories on topics ranging from contest election, to The World Cup and controversial policing policies to marine conservation.

Dr. Ramon Martinez, a specialist in health metrics at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), tracked the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa using Tableau Public. Dr. Martinez’s work has been featured in The Huffington Post and Mashable.

“For many years I dreamed of using data to advocate about population health issues, keep an open dialogue with public health professionals and communicate health key messages to the public,” said Ramon Martinez, “Tableau Public has served as the tool and a platform to create and share data visualizations, presenting facts in an engaging way and turning my dreams into a reality today.”

New Web Platform to Improve Sharing and Discovery

Additionally, Tableau Public has launched a fully redesigned web platform to help people share and discover data stories. The site is currently available on open Beta at public.tableau.com.

The new web platform features:

  • New profile pages: Dedicated pages for authors that enable them to edit and manage their portfolio of visualizations and showcase their work with others.
  • New Viz Toolbar: Every visualization is automatically outfitted with a new toolbar that helps people interact and explore their own view of the story. People can edit, download, embed, navigate, or restore views.
  • New Resources and Gallery: An expanded set of sample data sets to help people get started now includes quality scores of British universities, popularity of cats and dogs in the U.S., Tuberculosis burden in the world and many others. Additionally, the updated site features a revamped gallery, a curated set of the best visualizations of all time.

In addition, the site’s improved responsive design, rebuilt search, improved publishing experience and searchable maps make Tableau Public a state-of-the-art platform for data stories on the web.

“We launched Tableau Public with the vision of giving people a place to express a new form of storytelling. We believe data is a great conversation starter that can be both emotive and rationale,” said Ben Jones, Director for Tableau Public. “We now have 90,000 of these world citizens who are helping us see and understand what’s happening around our world.”

Tableau Public consists of a free downloadable authoring tool to explore and visualize data, a cloud platform to host, share and embed interactive visualizations and a learning program that provides support and training to hundreds of thousands of data enthusiasts around the world.

Visit www.tableau.com/public to explore more data stories and download Tableau Public.

About Tableau
Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA) helps people see and understand data. Tableau helps anyone quickly analyze, visualize and share information. More than 26,000 customer accounts get rapid results with Tableau in the office and on-the-go. And tens of thousands of people use Tableau Public to share data in their blogs and websites. See how Tableau can help you by downloading the trial at www.tableau.com/trial.

Tableau and Tableau Software are trademarks of Tableau Software, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

NetDragon Websoft Inc. to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2014 Financial Results on March 26, 2015

HONG KONG, March 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — NetDragon Websoft Inc. (“NetDragon”; Stock Code: 777), a leading developer and operator of online games and mobile internet platforms in China, today announced that it will report its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014 on Thursday, March 26, 2015, after the close of Hong Kong stock market. Following release of the results announcement, NetDragon’s management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results at 8:00 PM on March 26, 2015 Hong Kong Time.                                                                                        

Details of the live conference call are as follows:

Time: 8:00 PM Beijing / Hong Kong Time / 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, March 26, 2015 

International Toll 

65-6723-9381

US Toll Free

1-866-519-4004

Hong Kong Toll Free

800-906-601

China Toll Free (for fixed line users)

800-819-0121

China Toll Free (for mobile users)

400-620-8038

Passcode

NetDragon

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of NetDragon’s website at http://ir.netdragon.com/investor/ir_events.shtml. Participants in the live webcast should visit the aforementioned website 10 minutes prior to the call, then click on the icon for “4Q and Fiscal Year 2014 Results Conference Call” and follow the registration instructions.

About NetDragon

NetDragon Websoft Inc. (HKSE: 0777) is a leading innovator and creative force in China’s online games and mobile internet industries. Established in 1999, NetDragon is leading developer in the mobile internet segment with a highly successful track record which includes the development of flagship MMORPGs such as Eudemons Online and Conquer Online, China’s number one online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China’s most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless, which was sold to Baidu in what was at the time the largest internet M&A transaction in China in 2013. Being a China’s pioneer in overseas expansion, NetDragon directly operates a number of game titles in over 10 languages internationally since 2003. NetDragon continues to strive for developing mobile games and software applications for users. In recent years, NetDragon has also become a major player in China’s online and mobile education industry as it works to leverage its mobile internet technologies expertise and know-how to develop a game-changing education ecosystem product.

For investor enquiries, please contact:

NetDragon Websoft Inc.
Ms. Maggie Zhou
Senior Director of Investor Relations
Tel.:     +852 2850 7266 / +86 591 8754 3120
Email:   maggie@nd.com.cn; ndir@nd.com.cn
Website: www.nd.com.cn/ir

Global E-Commerce Marketplace Farfetch Announces a US$86 Million Series E Round of Investment Led by DST Global

LONDON and NEW YORK, March 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Farfetch announced today a US$86 million Series E round of investment led by DST Global. Farfetch’s existing investors Conde Nast International and Vitruvian Partners also participated in the round.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150305/732387-a )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150305/732387-b )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150305/732387-c )

Yuri Milner, founder of DST Global, said: “Farfetch has a strong team, impressive growth and great potential to capitalize on the fast growing luxury fashion e-commerce market.”

This new investment, which values the company at US$1billion, puts Farfetch in a strong position to continue its rapid growth, focusing on international expansion and omni-channel propositions.

The funding will be used specifically to focus on international expansion with new local language sites, including German, Korean and Spanish; opening new offices in key global markets; and opening up new markets Japan and Australia to the supply side of the marketplace. It will also fuel the company’s omni-channel growth and customer propositions including launching same-day delivery in multiple global markets, and the continued development of VIP and loyalty programs for Farfetch customers in 180 countries.

Jose Neves, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Farfetch, remarked: “We have had an amazing journey so far, and it’s great to add DST to our already fantastic group of backers for the next stage of growth of Farfetch. The challenge now is to keep innovating and focus on establishing a long-lasting global brand.”

“Farfetch’s development has been remarkably dynamic over the last few years. We are happy to support the talented management team who drive the company forward on its successful course. “, said Moritz von Laffert, Vice President and Director of Acquisitions and Investments at Conde Nast International.

Farfetch’s current investors also include: – Advent Ventures Partners, Index Ventures, Novel TMT and e.Ventures. This latest investment puts the total amount raised by the company at over US$195 million.

For press enquiries please contact:

Sameera Hassan, Global Director of PR and Communications
sameera.hassan@farfetch.com
www.farfetch.com @farfetch

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Farfetch

Farfetch is a revolutionary way to buy fashion. The pioneering website brings together more than 300 of the world’s best independent designer boutiques, from Paris, New York and Milan to Bucharest, Kuwait and Tokyo. The Farfetch partner boutiques occupy a total of 1,000,000 square feet of retail space across 30 countries, allowing Farfetch customers, across 180 countries to shop an unparalleled range of brands and unique pieces.

Our partner stores have been carefully selected for their unique approach, forward-thinking attitude and diversity, and include such renowned boutiques as Browns in London, L’Eclaireur in Paris, H. Lorenzo in LA, Fivestory in New York and Smets in Luxembourg.

Founded in 2008 by the Portuguese entrepreneur Jose Neves, Farfetch offers these bricks-and-mortar boutiques the opportunity to compete with the major players in online retail. And, for lovers of beautiful fashion, it offers the chance to indulge a passion and shop the world.

About DST Global

Founded in 2009 by Yuri Milner, DST Global is one of the leading investment groups globally to focus exclusively on internet related companies. DST Global’s portfolio includes some of the world’s leading and most valuable internet assets.

About Vitruvian Partners

Vitruvian is an independent private equity firm which specializes in middlemarket buyouts, growth buyouts and growth capital investments in Europe. Vitruvian focuses on investing in ‘dynamic situations’ in industries characterized by rapid growth and change, such as information technology, media, telecoms, financial services, business services, healthcare and leisure. Vitruvian is currently investing VIP II, its recently raised second fund of £1 billion. Its previous investments in the technology and internet sectors include Just Eat, Flexpay, Snow Software, Callcredit Information Group, Inspired Gaming, Openbet, IMD and ASP4All Bitbrains. Vitruvian has offices in London, Munich and Stockholm.

About Conde Nast International (CNI)

Conde Nast is a global media company producing the highest quality magazines, websites and digital content. Reaching more than 263 million consumers in 29 markets, the company’s portfolio includes many of the world’s most respected and influential media properties including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Brides, Self, GQ, Conde Nast Traveller/Traveler, Allure, Architectural Digest, Wired, W and Style amongst others.

In addition to publishing 140 magazines and over 100 websites, the company operates a restaurant division and several ventures in education. Conde Nast Entertainment develops film, television and premium video programming.

Please visit condenast.com and condenastinternational.com