Social Media/Entertainment

Dating App Momo Looks for Excitement With Tantan Overhaul

CEO says the laggard app it purchased in 2018 has potential for strong growth following the recent departure of its founder Key Points: Momo believes its underperforming Tantan app could grow strongly following a major overhaul now in the works Such a Tantan revival could help put Momo back on a growth track By Doug Young Many may know dating app Momo Inc. (Nasdaq: MOMO) for its moniker as the “Tinder of China,” due to its primary function as a place for people to hook up online. But a better…

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‘Fun’ Drops Out of No. 2 News Aggregator Qutoutiao

Company, whose name means ‘fun headlines,’ discloses it may be unable to repay a $171 million loan coming due early next year Key Takeaways: Controlling cashflow will be crucial for Qutoutiao in coming months as it worries over its ability to repay a $171 million loan coming due early next year Company’s big user base in smaller Chinese cities could make it an attractive takeover target By Alice Leung Its name means “fun headlines,” but investors in Qutoutiao Inc. (Nasdaq: QTT) haven’t found much fun in this news and video…

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China-based Middle East ‘Clubhouse’ Yalla: Unicorn or Just Empty Talk?

Company’s shares have gyrated wildly since its 2020 IPO, soaring on comparisons to popular U.S. voice chat app before plunging last week after short-seller attack •      Yalla lost nearly all gains for 2021 following short seller attack, even after it refuted the allegations and announced a stock repurchase program •      Analysts general upbeat on Dubai-based company as it posted triple-digit revenue and profit growth in its latest quarter       By Alice Leung Chinese-founded Yalla Group Ltd. (NYSE:YALA), often likened to a Middle East version of U.S. voice-centric social networking sensation…

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IPO-Bound Soulgate Sells Itself as Service for the Lonely, Not Lusty

Operator of the app called Soul says it’s seeking internet natives who ‘experience the loneliness technologies bring’ Key takeaways: Soul’s no real-names and no-pictures policy may help it stand out as a new kind of non-dating app for people looking to socialize Massive promotional spending raises questions about sustainability of the company’s growth By Georgina Proudhon Soulgate Inc., the Tencent-backed operator of a social networking app planning a $100 million Nasdaq listing, isn’t your average dating app. In fact, the operator of the app that goes simply by the name…

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Even after Bilibili Tie-Up, Investors Find Little Fun in Game Developer CMGE

Despite strong pipeline for 2021, company that also counts Tencent as major backer is significantly undervalued Key Points:  CMGE shares post strong gains in run-up to Bilibili tie-up, only to give back all those gains in the next two weeks Company currently trades at price-to-earnings ratio of just 8, half the industry average, despite status as a top Chinese game IP owner   By Alice Leung Investors are having some fun these days playing with shares of game developer and operator CMGE Technology Group Ltd (0302.HK), one of China’s leading intellectual…

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Baozun Aims to Ease Its Alibaba Addiction With New Growth Plan

Company aims to triple revenue and boost operating profit sixfold in next three to five years Key Takeaways Baozun’s new three- to five-year “profitable growth” strategy is designed to respond to rapid shifts in e-commerce buying habits Company’s diversification bid risks unsettling close ties with Alibaba and Tmall, which account for 75% of its business By Eric Auchard Alibaba may be a good business partner, but it’s nice to work with others as well – especially as Beijing cracks down on the e-commerce giant for its monopolistic practices. That’s the…

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Club Med Owner Fosun Tourism Sees Sunnier Skies, But Investors Unimpressed

Company’s shares sag 5% after it reports business at its tropical Hainan island mega-resort soared 161% in first quarter of 2020 Key takeaways: The latest data from Club Med owner Fosun Tourism provides further evidence of a strong tourism rebound when the pandemic subsides. A selloff of the company’s shares after the announcement reflects investor caution following a recent run-up in the stock By Doug Young Investors are starting to tire of the nonstop stream of optimistic forecasts coming from a global tourism sector that has been one of the…

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Government Environmental Priorities Put the Heat on Datacenter Operators

Recently-listed Chinadata looks most advanced among China’s top three independent operators in heeding calls to reduce carbon emissions Key Takeaways GDS Holdings remains the market leader among China’s major independent datacenter operators Chinadata could be best positioned to respond government carbon-reduction demands that could radically alter land-use and operating-efficiency strategies By Eric Auchard A major shift is shaping up in the real-world land grab by China’s major datacenter operators. While they may seem techy, datacenter operators have much in common with property developers: Their strategy boils down to buying up…

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Meitu’s Latest Earnings Report: Debutante, or Fading Beauty?

Beauty app operator edges closer to profitability as user numbers fall in shift to quality-over-quantity approach Key takeaways: Meitu is focusing its resources on people who spend money on its app rather than simply boosting its user base The shift could finally help it achieve profitability this year for its core operations. By Doug Young The latest earnings report from beauty app Meitu Inc. (HKEx: 1357) contains a lot of moving parts, reflecting a company still in search of elusive profits more than four years after its IPO. Investors clearly…

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Clubhouse-Like Yalla Finds Profits in Audio Chatrooms

Company with China origins avoids controversy by focusing on Middle East, gamers By Eric Auchard Two figures leap out from the latest quarterly results of Yalla Group Ltd. (NYSE:YALA), the Middle East’s answer to the Clubhouse audio chatroom craze that has swept the world since its founding in Silicon Valley just a year ago. Monthly active users (MAUs) for the Chinese-led, Dubai-based company nearly quadrupled during the fourth quarter to 16.4 million, and the number of paying users jumped more than seven-fold to 5.2 million, according to the company’s latest…

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