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First Natural Foods Holdings Limited
(Stock Code: 1076)
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Listing Date: |
11 February 2002 |
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Offer Price: |
HK$0.73 per share |
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Par Value: |
HK$0.05 each |
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No. of Shares under the offer : |
200,000,000 Shares |
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No. of Shares under Placing: |
180,000,000 Placing Shares |
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No. of Shares under Public Offer: |
20,000,000 Shares |
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Market Capitalization: |
HK$584 million |
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Sponsor: |
JS Cresvale International Limited |
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Chairman: |
Mr. Yeung Chung Lung |
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Fund Raising |
HK$146 million |
Major Shareholder:
- Yeung Chung Lung ¡V 48.75% interest
- Lin Wan Qaing ¡V 15.75% interest
- Tung Fai ¡V 10.5% interest
Company Subsidiaries:
- Longyu (100%): Manufacture of frozen marine foods, functional foods and processed meat products
COMPANY OVERVIEW
The Group is a processor of frozen natural foods that focuses on addressing the nutrition, health and wellness needs of consumers in the PRC and international markets including the U.S. and Japan. As a participant of the nutritional food industry, the Group concentrates on the functional food and the natural food segments whilst emphasising that all of its products are natural and healthy. The Group processes a broad array of agricultural and marine food products. It principally operates in three product divisions: frozen marine food division, frozen functional food division and refrigerated meat division.
The Group's products are mainly sold , through four state-owned import/export companies (independent third parties to the Group who handle related export procedures) to international food importers in the U.S. and Japan. Most of the Group's exported marine food products and functional food products are packaged under its customers' brand names. The Group also distributes a number of its products in the PRC, the U.S. and Japan under its LONGYU brand.
The Group owns and operates its food processing activities at its food processing plant in Fuqing with an annual production capacity of approximately 4,000 tons of frozen marine food products, 3,000 tons of frozen functional food products and 1,000 tons of refrigerated meat products.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
The Directors believe that the Group has competitive advantages over its competitors in the PRC and overseas for the following principal reasons:
- The Group's production bases are situated in Fuqing with favourable climatic conditions throughout the year and enjoy fertile and non-polluted soil and water supply. The Group also enjoys an abundant supply of raw materials for marine food products, processed meat products, and functional food products from the region near its production base.
- Fujian province was ranked by Statistic Bureau of the PRC as the second largest fishery port in the PRC in 1999. Being one of the largest marine food processors in Fujian province, the Group has access to a reliable supply of low cost and high quality aquaculture and agriculture materials.
- The Group emphasised on and has earned a reputation for customer-driven research and development in designing new products and implementing advanced processing technology.
- Experienced leadership. Mr. Yeung, the chairman of the Group, has more than 18 years of experience in the agriculture and aquaculture industry of the PRC and Japan.
RISK FACTORS
Safety of food products
Fluctuation in raw material prices and selling prices of products
Dependence on key management personnel
Dependence on supply of raw materials
Dependence on packaging suppliers
Dependence on eel products
Value-added tax refund in the PRC
Reliance on the demands from Japan and the U.S.
Competition
Import suspension on Chinese poultry
Effects of WTO accession
FINANCIAL RECORD
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Year ended 31 Dec 1998 (RMB'000) |
Year ended 31 Dec 1999 (RMB'000) |
Year ended 31 Dec 2000 (RMB'000) |
6 months ended 30 June 2001 (RMB'000) |
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Turnover |
54,510 |
91,391 |
120,445 |
86,639 |
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Profit before tax |
12,116 |
37,292 |
48,422 |
34,662 |
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Net profit |
12,116 |
37,292 |
42,133 |
30,171 |
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Total Assets |
106,369 |
134,057 |
182,372 |
219,024 |
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Total Liabilities |
63,392 |
53,788 |
59,970 |
66,443 |
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Total Equity |
42,977 |
80,269 |
122,402 |
152,581 |
FUTURE PLANS
With the rise in income and consumption of the PRC families in major cities, eating habits have changed to focus on foods that address health and wellness needs. The Group intends to invest significant resources in its sales and distribution network and research and development to improve its penetration of the domestic market.
The Group plans to:
- Increase the distribution of its products to large national retail food stores and restaurants in the PRC.
- Build and emphasise brand awareness and capitalise on consumers' preferences in the PRC for brandname products and the Group's insistence on product freshness and quality.
- Emphasise on high profit margin products such as the pre-cooked, frozen shellfish products in the Group's marine food products division.
- Commence production of frozen organic vegetable and fruit products by late 2002.
SALES BY REGION BREAKDOWN FOR 6 MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE, 2001
 >
PROFIT FORECAST FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 JULY 2002
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Forecast consolidated profit after tax but before extraordinary items |
Not less than HK$73 million |
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Forecast earnings per share:
Pro forma diluted
Weighted average |
HK$0.0913
HK$0.1217 |
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds from the Placing, after deducting the related expenses, are estimated to amount to approximately HK$130 million. The Group at present intends to apply the net proceeds as follows:
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Expanding the production capacity for frozen marine food products |
17.7% |
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Upgrading the production facilities |
12.3% |
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Research and development and acquiring food processing equipment |
3.8% |
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Marketing and promotional activities in the PRC |
6.9% |
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Setting up processing and packaging facilities for the production of frozen vegetables and fruits |
20.0% |
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Implementing new and high value-added packaging technologies |
10.0% |
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Marketing and promotional activities in connection with export sales |
3.9% |
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Upgrading existing production facilities |
1.5% |
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General working capital |
23.9% |
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