Priceline, der nächste Verdoppler ?!? - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[Fahnenstange]

Nachdem die Zahlen gestern in Amerika nicht gerade besonders gut ausgefallen sind, kam jetzt eine Klasse Nachricht aus Hongkong.

Schaut euch mal die Umsätze in Deutschland an. Das war schon lange nicht mehr da! Schätze da sind heute noch einige Prozente zu holen.

Hier die Nachricht:
Hutchison und Cheung Kong kaufen für je 25 Mio USD Priceline.com Aktien

HONGKONG (dpa-AFX) - Hutchison Whampoa und Cheung Kong kaufen für je 25 Mio. USD Aktien der US Internetfirma Priceline.com, wie Unternehmenssprecher beider Firmen am Freitag bekannt gaben. Nach Abwicklung der Transaktion halten Hutchinson und Cheung Kong je 8.77% der Anteile an Priceline./FX/ho/mh/sk

Quelle: http://www.gatrixx.de/newswatch/artikel/index.jsp?125674

Eure Meinung ?

[NORISK_NOFUN]

Die Investitionen wurden schon getätigt.

NORWALK, Conn., Feb 15 (Reuters) - Asian conglomerate
Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. <0013.HK> and Cheung Kong Ltd. <0001.HK> said on Thursday they have invested a total of $50 million in Priceline.com Inc. <PCLN.O>, the online seller of airline tickets.
Hutchison and Cheung Kong said in a statement the
investment was in the form of a purchase of 24 million shares of the U.S.-based company`s shares at $2.10 a share. Priceline shares closed at $3, up 17 percent on the day, before the news.

[Taxxi]

Li Ka-shing firms invest $73mln in Priceline, eye Asia
By Tony Munroe

HONG KONG, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Can Li Ka-shing succeed where Captain Kirk struggled?

Hong Kong`s richest tycoon has boldly expanded his commitment to bring Priceline.com (NasdaqNM:PCLN - news) to Asia despite investor disfavour that has brought the once-astronomically valued online retailer back to earth.

Known in the United States for ads featuring Star Trek star William Shatner, shares in the Connecticut-based ``name your own price`` retailer have fallen to US$3, down about 97 percent from their 52-week high, as investors objected to its expansion from flogging airline tickets and hotel rooms into groceries and gasoline.

But late on Thursday two firms controlled by Li said they had bought US$73.52 million of Priceline shares from the company and its founder for a total stake of 17.54 percent and a seat on Priceline`s board.

Li`s Hutchison Whampoa conglomerate, which last year formed an alliance to bring Priceline to Asia also restated its intent to launch the Priceline model in Asia ``soon``. By buying US$9.5 million worth of convertible notes in the venture, Hutchison now holds a 65 percent stake of the Asia operation.

Li`s flagships Hutchison and property developer Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd bought equal stakes in Priceline.

Hutchison spokeswoman Nora Yong said the company has found that Asia was ``very receptive`` to the Priceline model.

She added, ``there is a certain degree of customisation that needs to be done in Asia,`` and said the venture would initially sell such items as airline and hotel tickets.

WATCHERS WARY

While Hutchison, whose holdings include ports, telecoms and supermarkets, is known for its canny, unpredictable -- and mostly successful -- investment style, industry watchers did not go so far as to say the Priceline initiative smacks of another case of Li magic.

``There`s been a lot of doubts about the Priceline model,`` said SG Securities analyst Robert Sassoon. ``Obviously, they think that it`s worth a go.``

Priceline on Thursday posted a bigger-than-expected fourth-quarter loss but also said it expects to be profitable in the second quarter of the year as it returns to its travel services roots. The firm also recently launched a European unit.

``In the context of the Cheung Kong/Hutchison consortium, it`s a very modest amount of money. It`s almost Li Ka-shing`s breakfast money,`` Sassoon said.

He said Hutchison might apply Priceline as ``another layer`` to its A.S. Watson Group retail operation, which includes supermarkets, electronics, and a drug and personal-care chain.

Hutchison declined to say how the venture will be branded.

Part of Hutchison and Cheung Kong`s expanded agreement with Priceline includes exclusive six-month rights to negotiate towards setting up shop with Priceline in Japan. The previous partnership covers several other Asian markets, including Greater China, the Philippines, India and Singapore.

TOUGH SELL

Gartner Group Internet analyst Joseph Sweeney said a few Priceline-imitators have sprung up in Asia, with little success, and was sceptical of Hutchison/Priceline`s longer-term prospects -- at least as far as Asian airlines were concerned.

``The majority of the airlines are exceedingly wary`` of Priceline-style discounting, he said.

Under the Priceline model, airlines and hotels sell seats or rooms that would otherwise go empty. The customer bids what he or she is willing to pay, and if the vendor accepts, a sale is made.

But in Asia, airline competition is far less intense than in Europe or the United States and fares and standards of service are often high. Carriers would be loathe to cannibalise that business with cut-rate prices, Sweeney said.

``There`s a bit of a catch-22 for the airlines,`` he said, predicting that some carriers might sign-on with Priceline to see whether it would be viable to set up a similar system in-house.

Neither Singapore Airlines nor Hong Kong`s Cathay Pacific Airways , two of Asia`s biggest carriers, had immediate comment as to whether they would sell tickets through Priceline.

On the other hand, Sweeney said, the Priceline model could prove effective in Asia as a market for more mundane items, such as spare parts, Sweeney said. ``I think there`s a big opportunity for them in industrial applications.``

Hutchison shares ended at HK$95.75, up 0.26 percent, on Friday while Cheung Kong stock slipped 0.5 percent to HK$97.50.