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Guardhat Lauded by Frost & Sullivan for Setting the Industry Benchmark in Worforce Connected Safety

Guardhat combines intelligent proprietary software with modern wearable technology to provide frontline industrial workers with connected safety and comprehensive situational awareness

SANTA CLARA, California, May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the global connected safety market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Detroit-based Guardhat, Inc. with the 2020 Global Company of the Year Award. Guardhat developed the underlying technology, an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, and visualization capabilities to bridge last-mile connectivity between wearable personal protective equipment and enterprise systems. Instant insight into situational context offers Guardhat operators and on-site personnel a deeper understanding of the way people and assets interact. It enhances decision-making by presenting users with a comprehensive view of their facilities.

2020 Global Connected Safety Company of the Year Award
2020 Global Connected Safety Company of the Year Award

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration.

“Guardhat’s home-grown control center platform, KYRA, ties together multi-model data from disparate elements and formats into a single analytics engine, delivering new levels of visibility into a users mobility, position, floor level, proximity, and relationship to other workers and assets,” said Sanjiv Bhaskar Industry Analyst and VP at Frost & Sullivan. “Its platform and analytics engine have a unique capability to process massive amounts of real-time data, geo-stamped and time-tagged with specific event information. This presents a unified, human-centric view and status assessment that empowers enterprises to improve safety management and reduce workplace injuries by up to 20 percent.”

Guardhat’s agile IoT component links with a  form factor – such as a mobile application, hardhat, or tags – to monitor a users location, condition, and immediate environment in real-time. Its intelligent system handles a range of data inputs and consolidates information about a spectrum of devices and wearable data sources. Guardhat’s value proposition lies in its ability to communicate this information so enterprises can address issues proactively. In an industrial setup with typically limited communication capabilities, it improves response times and productivity, opening up the potential of Big Data.

The Guardhat system integrates with any connectable sensor and a variety of third-party platforms. Through partnerships and an expanding customer base, it continues to increase its footprint across industries—co-branding products and developing robust and scalable enterprise solutions. These alliances give the company access to a diverse industrial workforce in North America, Europe, Russia, Brazil, and India.

“Guardhat’s solutions have found enthusiastic adoption in a range of industries such as utilities, telecom, mining, construction, chemicals, oil & gas, and heavy manufacturing,” noted Bhaskar. “Its visionary leadership, intelligent proprietary software, and stellar growth through strategic partnerships further strengthen its position at the forefront of the industrial connected safety market.”

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan

For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Harley Gadomski
P: 12104778469
E: harley.gadomski@frost.com

About Guardhat, Inc.

Detroit-based Guardhat is a leading industrial IoT technology company specialized in developing wearables, infrastructure, and software platforms to provide a safer and more productive work environment for frontline industrial workers in heavy manufacturing industries. Founded in October 2014 by industry veterans and former steel & mining CEO Saikat Dey, Guardhat’s mission is to modernize safety and enhance last mile connectivity in the industrial workplace. By combining a cutting-edge, wearable technology with advanced proprietary software, Guardhat is able to proactively monitor a user’s location, health, and work environment. The software platform collects and analyzes on-the-job data, which is used to enhance industrial worker safety and productivity programs. Based out of its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, Guardhat operates globally with offices in Boulder, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Bangalore, India; and Paris, France. Guardhat holds 8 patents across areas of Connected Worker, Real Time Location Systems, and Wearable Solutions. For more information, visit www.guardhat.com.

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iTutorGroup expands its education platform globally to fill a growing demand for virtual connectivity amid COVID-19

SHANGHAI, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — With the development of online education, the trend towards integrating online and offline models has been strengthened. The current lockdown and school closures have pushed schools and training institutions to seek solutions in transforming its classes online. Considering the uncertainty of the pandemic, a surge in demand for better technology will continue to rise.

For most schools and education institutions in need, developing their own online system is impractical due to time and resource constraints. A optimal solution is to seek high-quality third-party platforms, that is, “to leave it to the professionals.” Utilizing a proven b2b education platform provides schools and institutions with instant access to virtual classroom technology designed specifically for education scenarios.

Since 1998, iTutorGroup has been at the forefront of the online education space, operating online education brands including vipJr and TutorABC. Now, iTutorGroup is launching TutorMeet+, a proprietary video conferencing suite for education, to officially cater to the needs of schools and supplementary education service providers. This system was previously only available to learners at iTutorGroup.

Bringing the world a best-in-class solution

In recent years, the Business-to-business market in education has been highly valued by major firms, with both traditional offline education institutions and Internet companies vying for a seat at the table.

From Mofaxiao under Tomorrow Advancing Life (NYSE: TAL) and WeLearning launched by Tencent, to companies specializing in providing SaaS services such as Zoom, Agora and ClassIn. These companies target thousands of small and medium-sized educational institutions, aiming to participate in their transformation processes and gain a greater market share by providing them with the necessary tools.

iTutorGroup, which previously focused on providing education materials and services to end users, have now launched TutorMeet+ to enter into the education platform market to provide audio and video solutions for institutions to meet their online teaching needs.

With more than 10 core patents, TutorMeet+ is a virtual classroom platform that provides high-quality integrated interactive live broadcasting solutions for the industry, functions including real-time audio and video interaction, interactive whiteboard, instant messenger, intelligent voice detection and other features, making TutorMeet+ the ideal solution for K-12 online learning, online school-wide parent/teacher meetings, online vocational training and more. According to iTutorGroup, TutorMeet+ has been in service internally and for its customers for over 10 years, with more than 50 million classes held totally 1.8 billion minutes’ of airtime.

Compared with other vertical SaaS service providers, TutorMeet+ is the most professional platform in the online education industry, giving it competitive advantages that few could match.

By providing more than 10 million online classes every year, the TutorMeet+ system has accumulated a large amount of valuable data. Analyzing and mining these data brings tremendous value to the improvement of learning efficiency and efficacy. TutorMeet+ is not only a technology platform, but also a deep integration of educational services. Since January of 2020, the TutorMeet+ online learning platform was officially released to assist offline training institutions and schools resume classes online, so that their students can enjoy uninterrupted learning from home.

Many public schools in China adopted TutorMeet+ to start online classes

At 8 am on Jan. 31, iTutorGroup began providing online classrooms for more than 300 senior high school students and teachers at a high school in Zhao County, Hebei province, helping it to resume classes ahead of schedule.

In February, third graders in Dingtao No.1 Middle School in Heze, Shandong province successfully launched two free courses in mathematics and English on TutorMeet+, with more than 1,000 attendees. In that same month, TutorMeet+ helped Shanghai Oriental Art Training School provide online lecture-style classes, the first time that TutorMeet+ has provided the platform for an specialized art education institution.

Live session pages on TutorMeet+
Live session pages on TutorMeet+

Responding to global demand, the technology platform is now available worldwide

During the pandemic, the Internet, electronic devices, and real-time audio and video applications have enabled consumers to enjoy a more active online lives, and a richer virtual world has emerged, including education, health care, IoT and more. Nearly 363 million students worldwide are affected by the pandemic, with 20% of pre-school and primary and secondary school students unable to attend school and 25% of higher education students suspended, UNESCO said in the data released on March 10.

Under these circumstances, iTutorGroup has decided to make the TutorMeet+ platform available for more institutions and schools around the world.

Recently, the performing arts organization DramaKids held a drama master class and invited the founder of the Children’s Theatre of World, Gorman, to give an online lecture via TutorMeet+. The master class teachers conducted classes remotely, and found teaching on TutorMeet+ stable and convenient, streamlining the troupe’s operations. They hope to continue using TutorMeet+ in the future.

Since the launch of the platform, TutorMeet+ has been adopted by the Asia Europe Business School of East China Normal University, Zhao Country No.6 Middle School in Hebei Province, Dingtao No.1 Middle School in Shandong Province, Shanghai Oriental Art Training School, MBA office of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Qisi Tutoring Club, Malaysia School for Taiwan Business People , Learning East Chinese Education Center in Thailand, and many other offline training institutions and other large primary and secondary schools.

It is reported that nearly 200 institutions, including more than 30 schools, have proposed to build online classrooms on the TutorMeet+ platform in the last two months. Currently, the TutorMeet+ team is offering classes for institutions from elementary to high school, reaching more than 40,000 students.

These achievements reflect the technical strength of the enterprise

TutorMeet+ is built and maintained by a large team of experts specializing in audio and video technology. The entire platform and its underlying architecture was independently developed and constantly upgraded.

With the latest WebRTC technology, TutorMeet+ provides a stable connection which helps to restore the sense of face-to-face communication. Also, servers are strategically located globally and constantly expanded as needs soar, allowing for the large bandwidth requirements by students and teachers at home and abroad.

TutorMeet+ has made substantial strides in the international market with its localization strategy. Continued development and improvement of the TutorMeet+ system would bring this leading online learning platform from China to the world, offering users greater conveniences and a preferred tool to tackle future education needs in the post pandemic world.

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TCL: Smarter Connectivity Helps Improve Stay-at-Home Work and Life

HONG KONG, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Increased global demand for home working and education has led to a surge in consumer expectations towards the quality of their home networks, and in areas where fixed networks are not available, mobile networks are alleviating user’s needs for fast and convenient coverage. Many mainstream global operators have lifted certain data restrictions on 4G traffic for users, and are providing employees and users with more reliable choices for smart connected products. Whether it’s online workspaces, meeting facilities, classrooms, entertainment, or communications with friends and family, uninterrupted network coverage without dead zones has become a basic need for millions, if not billions of people around the world.

According to data from TSR Research, global shipments of smart connected products will continue to grow in the next four years. Operator orders almost dominate the shipments of this category. As a world-leading mobile terminal manufacturer, TCL Communication has long-standing partnerships with 140 global operators and channel partners, including the likes of EE, BT, T-mobile, Orange, Optus, TIM and others. These partnerships have helped drive significant growth in its smart connectivity business, including MiFi devices. Taking Alcatel Linkzone as an example, the pocket-sized, high-speed mobile wireless hotspot device converts mobile service into high-speed broadband, enabling households without fixed broadband services to maintain high-speed connections at home. Overall, TCL expects shipments of smart connected devices in the second quarter of this year to be double that of previous forecasts.

TCL Communication has provided mobile connectivity around the world through the operation of its two main global brands – Alcatel and TCL. Its smart connection business first began in 2008, and in September 2018, it officially promoted its Smart Connectivity Division to a higher strategic level, adopting AI x IoT as a central strategy to deliver on its ambition to provide safe and healthy products for its global users, which it achieves through a focus on home and mobile usage occasions. At present, TCL’s smart connection products cover a wide range of categories, including Wi-Fi routers, mesh routers, MiFi devices, car module devices, children’s smart watches, headphones, luggage/personal belongings trackers and pet trackers. When working in tandem, together with TCL’s mobile phones, tablets, TVs and home appliances, these devices can combine to create an ecosystem of smart connectivity.

“As a global manufacturer offering a fully integrated ecosystem of smart products that cover virtually every aspect of our life, TCL has long been focusing on the health and safety of our end-users when developing our Smart Connectivity Devices,” said Sharon Xiao, General Manager of Smart Connectivity Division at TCL Communication. “With the sudden and rapid onset of the current pandemic, these two needs have never been more important as people continue to spend most of their work and leisure time at home. In such difficult circumstances, smart connectivity technology has been helping to make our lives that bit easier and more efficient.”

TCL has added many health and safety features to its products, especially products designed for children and families. All TCL Wi-Fi routers for example allow parents to control the time during which their children can access the internet and the websites they have access to. TCL’s smart watch for kids, the MOVETIME Family Watch MT43K, enables parents to monitor their children’s location, receive instant notifications when their children exit a preset safe zone or when they push the SOS button, and establish immediate contact through the watch’s hands-free, 4G two-way calling and voice messaging functions. In addition to a daily activity tracker that counts steps, calories burned and distance walked, TCL is planning to add a thermometer to its next model of smart watches for kids. The thermometer will constantly monitor the child’s temperature and send an alert to parents if the temperature strays outside a normal range. Children will also benefit from TCL’s soon-to-be-released headphones, which protect hearing by limiting the output volume to a maximum of 85dB – the highest permissible sound level recommended by the WHO for sustained sound exposure of up to 8 hours per day.

Sharon Xiao said, “TCL Communication’s existing footprint in Smart Connectivity Devices has allowed us to step up to the plate and do our part to help millions of families cope during these difficult times. We have a clear vision on how smart connection devices create better living spaces, and we will continue to further explore how our design-led strategy can help to improve the health and safety of our consumers, both now and in the future.”

ABOUT TCL 

TCL is one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer electronics companies, and a global leading television and mobile device brand. Incorporated in Hong Kong, China. TCL operates its own manufacturing and R&D centers worldwide with products sold in more than 160 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. TCL specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics ranging from TVs (TCL Electronics: 1070.HK), mobile phones, audio devices and smart home products. 

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Technology Group Corporation (000100.SZ). All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit http://www.tcl.com/global/en.html

PRESS CONTACT

Yijing Zhao
+86-131-3382-6572
yijing.zhao@yyoungpr.com 

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Source: TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd.

maaiiconnect’s brand refresh represents a new era in customer engagement and internal team collaboration

HONG KONG, May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Pioneering digital convergence solutions provider M800 has today announced a new brand identity for its flagship product, maaiiconnect, to represent the next generation in global communications. The all-in-one solution for customer engagement and internal team collaboration guarantees exceptionally stable, carrier-grade connections across both telecom and digital channels, helping businesses tackle their toughest communications challenges.

Inspired by the cohesive, agile, and efficient structure of an ant colony, maaiiconnect brings together the best of telecom, web, and social media channels on a scalable platform. Similar to the dynamic network of ant tunnels connecting multiple nests, maaiiconnect’s distributed infrastructure and intelligent features empower businesses to continuously evolve their communications and deliver ambitious business goals. The platform puts the customer at the centre of every business it serves by mobilising best-in-class voice and video calls, and smart messaging solutions. maaiiconnect is the first service that truly bridges the gap between telecom and datacom services. 

The new logo is brought to life in Cobalt Blue and Aqua-marine. The former colour denotes maaiiconnect’s traditional roots — a proven, reliable infrastructure at the heart of its cutting-edge technology. Infusing the design with vivid energy, the Aqua-marine colour represents maaiiconnect’s promise to deliver scalable solutions that epitomise the future of communications. The synergy between the dots mirrors the relationship between maaiiconnect’s enterprise clients and their customers — a single interface connecting multiple touchpoints, including web communications, telecommunications, and social media channels.

“The current pandemic has fast-tracked digital transformation for companies globally,says Peter Chan, Founder and CEO of M800 Limited. “We are committed to ensuring maaiiconnect continues to help businesses with a freemium solution that maintains operations and drives business success during difficult times.”

The platform gives companies the capabilities required to boost productivity and engage with customers anytime, anywhere, on any device, including:

  • External engagement tools. Voice and video call, QR code/weblink call and chat, virtual numbers, smart messaging, and third-party system integration.
  • The maaiiconnect dashboard. The software creates a 360 degree view of each customer in a single interface to enable personalised marketing solutions.
  • Internal collaboration tools. Group chat, video call, screen sharing, file sharing, and video conference. The latter launches in Q2.

The cornerstones of maaiiconnect‘s first-of-its-kind offering and guaranteed quality are M800’s proprietary infrastructure and hybrid cloud splatform. This is built on a globally distributed network consisting of 28+ global PoPs, direct interconnections with over 160 tier-1 telecom carriers and mobile operators, and a contractual commitment to a 99.95% annual service uptime..

Experience maaiiconnect for free

maaiiconnect‘s Essentials Plan supports both your customers and employees with a suite of web-based communications solutions that keep your customers engaged and staff connected and motivated when working remotely.

Visit our brand new website at www.maaiiconnect.com for more information or go straight to https://signup.maaiiconnect.com to get a head start on your company’s digital transformation.

About maaiiconnect

maaiiconnect provides businesses with an all-in-one solution for customer engagement and internal collaboration. Leveraging an innovative multi-dimensional convergence model, maaiiconnect seamlessly unifies telecom and digital communication channels, such as PSTN, VoIP, websites, apps, and social networks. It is device agnostic, empowering employees to be more productive, as well as providing companies a platform to deliver a suite of multimedia experience to their customers anytime, anywhere, on any device. Learn more at www.maaiiconnect.com.

ABOUT M800

With over 35 years of experience, M800 is a pioneer in the global telecommunications, mobile, and IT convergence industries. The company was created by a group of telecommunications experts to revolutionise global communications. Supported by a proprietary infrastructure and network, M800 is committed to helping companies around the world tackle their toughest communication challenges. Learn more at www.M800.com.

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51job, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2020 Financial Results

SHANGHAI, May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — 51job, Inc. (Nasdaq: JOBS) (“51job” or the “Company”), a leading provider of integrated human resource services in China, announced today its unaudited financial results for the first quarter of 2020 ended March 31, 2020.

First Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights:

  • Net revenues decreased 13.2% over Q1 2019 to RMB791.1 million (US$111.7 million)
  • Online recruitment services revenues decreased 10.8%
  • Other human resource related revenues decreased 18.2%
  • Income from operations was RMB170.0 million (US$24.0 million)
  • Fully diluted earnings per share was RMB3.02 (US$0.43)
  • Excluding share-based compensation expense, gain from foreign currency translation and change in fair value of equity securities investment, as well as the related tax effect of these items, non-GAAP adjusted fully diluted earnings per share was RMB3.27 (US$0.46), which exceeded the Company’s expectations
  • Cash and short-term investments balance increased to RMB11,231.1 million (US$1,586.1 million) as of March 31, 2020

Commenting on the results, Rick Yan, President and Chief Executive Officer of 51job, said, “Despite a decline in revenues and profitability in the first quarter that reflected the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic activity and recruitment market demand in China, I’m very proud of how quickly our 51job team has rallied together to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances.  Tapping into our large HR services ecosystem of innovative solutions and strategic partners, we are assisting and supporting employers, workers and job seekers in every possible way, including contactless services such as online job fairs, AI assessment and video interviewing.  Although companies have resumed operations and employees have returned to work, the current market sentiment is still cautious and uncertain due to the ongoing pandemic and its unpredictable consequences on China and globally.  But we have confidence in our proven business model, and with our ample financial resources, we remain committed to leading with high quality services, improving the user experience and driving operational excellence, all of which will position and strengthen 51job to capture more opportunities in the future.”

First Quarter 2020 Unaudited Financial Results

Net revenues for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020 were RMB791.1 million (US$111.7 million), a decrease of 13.2% from RMB911.9 million for the same quarter in 2019.

Online recruitment services revenues for the first quarter of 2020 were RMB547.0 million (US$77.3 million), representing a 10.8% decrease from RMB613.4 million for the same quarter of the prior year.  The decline was due to the disruptive social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on companies in China, including temporary office and facility closures, travel restrictions and quarantines, which hindered business operations, reduced recruitment demand and curtailed employer spending on the Company’s online recruitment platforms in the first quarter of 2020.

Other human resource related revenues for the first quarter of 2020 decreased 18.2% to RMB244.1 million (US$34.5 million) from RMB298.5 million for the same quarter in 2019.  The decrease was primarily due to fewer in-person training seminars and recruitment events conducted in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions instituted on public gatherings.

Gross profit for the first quarter of 2020 was RMB536.8 million (US$75.8 million) compared with RMB662.5 million for the same quarter of the prior year.  Gross margin, which is gross profit as a percentage of net revenues, was 67.9% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with 72.7% for the same quarter in 2019.  The decrease in gross margin was primarily due to a lower level of revenues in the first quarter of 2020 while cost of services increased 2.0% from the year-ago quarter, mainly as a result of greater employee compensation expenses which were largely offset by less direct costs related to training and recruitment events.

Operating expenses for the first quarter of 2020 decreased 3.2% to RMB366.8 million (US$51.8 million) from RMB379.0 million for the same quarter in 2019.  Sales and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2020 decreased 4.3% to RMB276.2 million (US$39.0 million) from RMB288.7 million for the same quarter of the prior year primarily due to a decrease in performance-based bonuses and selling expenses, which was partially offset by greater spending on advertising and promotion activities.  General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2020 were RMB90.6 million (US$12.8 million), slightly higher than RMB90.2 million for the same quarter of the prior year.

Income from operations for the first quarter of 2020 was RMB170.0 million (US$24.0 million) compared with RMB283.5 million for the first quarter of 2019.  Operating margin, which is income from operations as a percentage of net revenues, was 21.5% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with 31.1% for the same quarter in 2019.  Excluding share-based compensation expense, operating margin would have been 26.2% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with 34.3% for the same quarter in 2019.

The Company recognized a gain from foreign currency translation of RMB10.2 million (US$1.4 million) in the first quarter of 2020 compared with RMB13.8 million in the first quarter of 2019 primarily due to the impact of the change in exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar on the Company’s U.S. dollar cash deposits.

In the first quarter of 2020, the Company recognized a mark-to-market, non-cash gain of RMB9.9 million (US$1.4 million) associated with a change in fair value of equity securities investment in Huali University Group Limited, which is traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Other income in the first quarter of 2020 included local government financial subsidies of RMB4.5 million (US$0.6 million) compared with RMB62.5 million in the first quarter of 2019.

Net income attributable to 51job for the first quarter of 2020 was RMB205.2 million (US$29.0 million) compared with net loss of RMB(84.8) million for the same quarter in 2019.  Fully diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2020 was RMB3.02 (US$0.43) compared with loss per share of RMB(1.38) for the same quarter in 2019.

In the first quarter of 2020, total share-based compensation expense was RMB37.1 million (US$5.2 million) compared with RMB29.3 million in the first quarter of 2019.

Excluding share-based compensation expense, gain from foreign currency translation, and changes in fair value of equity securities investment and convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect of these items, non-GAAP adjusted net income attributable to 51job for the first quarter of 2020 was RMB222.3 million (US$31.4 million) compared with RMB349.5 million for the first quarter of 2019.  Non-GAAP adjusted fully diluted earnings per share was RMB3.27 (US$0.46) in the first quarter of 2020 compared with RMB5.33 in the first quarter of 2019.

As of March 31, 2020, cash and short-term investments totaled RMB11,231.1 million (US$1,586.1 million) compared with RMB9,940.6 million as of December 31, 2019.

Business Outlook

Based on current market and operating conditions, the Company’s net revenues target for the second quarter of 2020 is in the estimated range of RMB775 million to RMB825 million (US$109.5 million to US$116.5 million). Excluding share-based compensation expense, any gain or loss from foreign currency translation and any change in fair value of equity securities investment, as well as the related tax effect of these items, the Company’s non-GAAP fully diluted earnings target for the second quarter of 2020 is in the estimated range of RMB4.35 to RMB4.85 (US$0.61 to US$0.68) per share, which factors in the receipt of local government financial subsidies of approximately RMB120 million (US$17.4 million) in the second quarter of 2020. The Company expects total share-based compensation expense in the second quarter of 2020 to be in the estimated range of RMB37 million to RMB39 million (US$5.2 million to US$5.5 million). The above forecast reflects 51job’s current and preliminary view, which is subject to change and substantial uncertainty.

Guidance for earnings per share is provided on a non-GAAP basis due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting the future impact of certain items, such as gain/loss from foreign currency translation and change in fair value of equity securities investment. The Company is not able to provide a reconciliation of these non-GAAP items to expected reported GAAP earnings per share, without unreasonable efforts, due to the unknown effect and potential significance of such future impact.

Currency Convenience Translation

For the convenience of readers, certain Renminbi amounts have been translated into U.S. dollar amounts at the rate of RMB7.0808 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate on March 31, 2020 in New York for cable transfers of Renminbi as set forth in the H.10 weekly statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board.

Conference Call Information

The Company’s management will hold a conference call at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 7, 2020 (9:00 a.m. Beijing / Hong Kong time zone on May 8, 2020) to discuss its first quarter 2020 financial results, operating performance and business outlook.  To dial in to the call, please use the following telephone numbers:

US: +1-888-346-8982
International: +1-412-902-4272
Hong Kong: +852-3018-4992
Conference ID: 51job

The call will also be available live and on replay through 51job’s investor relations website, http://ir.51job.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), 51job uses non-GAAP financial measures of income before income tax expense, income tax expense, adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to 51job and adjusted earnings per share, which are adjusted from results based on GAAP to exclude share-based compensation expense, gain from foreign currency translation, and changes in fair value of equity securities investment and convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect of these items.  The Company believes excluding share-based compensation expense and its related tax effect from its non-GAAP financial measures is useful for its management and investors to assess and analyze the Company’s core operating results as such expense is not directly attributable to the underlying performance of the Company’s business operations and do not impact its cash earnings.  The Company believes excluding gain from foreign currency translation, and changes in fair value of equity securities investment and convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect, from its non-GAAP financial measures is useful for its management and investors as such translation, mark-to-market gain or loss is not indicative of the Company’s core business operations and will not result in cash settlement nor impact the Company’s cash earnings.  51job also believes these non-GAAP financial measures excluding share-based compensation expense, gain from foreign currency translation, and changes in fair value of equity securities investment and convertible senior notes, as well as the related tax effect of these items, are important in helping investors to understand the Company’s current financial performance and future prospects and to compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis.  The presentation of these additional measures should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results or as being comparable to results reported or forecasted by other companies.  The non-GAAP measures have been reconciled to GAAP measures in the attached financial statements.

About 51job

Founded in 1998, 51job is a leading provider of integrated human resource services in China.  With a comprehensive suite of HR solutions, 51job meets the needs of enterprises and job seekers through the entire talent management cycle, from initial recruitment to employee retention and career development.  The Company’s main online recruitment platforms (http://www.51job.com, http://www.yingjiesheng.com, http://www.51jingying.com, http://www.lagou.com, and http://www.51mdd.com), as well as mobile applications, connect millions of people with employment opportunities every day.  51job also provides a number of other value-added HR services, including business process outsourcing, training, professional assessment, campus recruitment, executive search and compensation analysis.  51job has a call center in Wuhan and a nationwide network of sales and service locations spanning more than 30 cities across China.

Contact

Linda Chien
Investor Relations, 51job, Inc.
Tel: +86-21-6879-6250
Email: ir@51job.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “targets, “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, statements that are not historical facts, including statements about 51job’s beliefs and expectations, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as 51job’s strategic and operational plans, are or contain forward-looking statements.  51job may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties.  All forward-looking statements are based upon management’s expectations at the time of the statements and involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: execution of 51job’s strategies and business plans; growth and trends of the human resource services industry in China; market acceptance of 51job’s products and services; competition in the industry; 51job’s ability to control costs and expenses; 51job’s ability to retain key personnel and attract new talent; relevant government policies and regulations relating to 51job’s industry, corporate structure and business operations; seasonality in the business; fluctuations in the value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies; risks related to acquisitions or investments 51job has made or will make in the future; accounting adjustments that may occur during the quarterly or annual close or auditing process; and fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and globally, including the impact of the coronavirus or other pandemic.  Further information regarding these and other risks are included in 51job’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release and based on assumptions that 51job believes to be reasonable as of this date, and 51job undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

51job, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income

For the Three Months Ended

March 31, 2019

March 31, 2020

March 31, 2020

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

RMB

RMB

US$ (Note 1)

Revenues:

   Online recruitment services

613,376

547,017

77,254

   Other human resource related revenues

298,485

244,094

34,473

Net revenues

911,861

791,111

111,727

Cost of services (Note 2)

(249,364)

(254,303)

(35,914)

Gross profit

662,497

536,808

75,813

Operating expenses:

   Sales and marketing (Note 3)

(288,728)

(276,192)

(39,006)

   General and administrative (Note 4)

(90,243)

(90,642)

(12,801)

Total operating expenses

(378,971)

(366,834)

(51,807)

Income from operations

283,526

169,974

24,006

Gain from foreign currency translation

13,780

10,171

1,436

Interest and investment income, net

32,556

44,315

6,258

Change in fair value of equity securities investment

9,891

1,397

Change in fair value of convertible senior notes

(418,786)

Other income, net

62,328

4,335

612

Income (Loss) before income tax expense

(26,596)

238,686

33,709

Income tax expense

(60,056)

(36,771)

(5,193)

Net income (loss)

(86,652)

201,915

28,516

Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests

1,836

3,331

470

Net income (loss) attributable to 51job, Inc.

(84,816)

205,246

28,986

Net income (loss)

(86,652)

201,915

28,516

Other comprehensive income (loss)

(318)

308

43

Total comprehensive income (loss)

(86,970)

202,223

28,559

Earnings (Loss) per share:

   Basic

(1.38)

3.07

0.43

   Diluted (Note 5)

(1.38)

3.02

0.43

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:

   Basic

61,645,331

66,802,054

66,802,054

   Diluted

61,645,331

68,005,680

68,005,680

Notes:

(1) The conversion of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollar amounts is based on the noon buying rate of RMB7.0808

to US$1.00 on March 31, 2020 in New York for cable transfers of Renminbi as set forth in the H.10 weekly statistical

release of the Federal Reserve Board.

(2) Includes share-based compensation expense of RMB4,661 and RMB5,917 (US$836) for the three months ended 

March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

(3) Includes share-based compensation expense of RMB4,007 and RMB5,087 (US$718) for the three months ended

March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

(4) Includes share-based compensation expense of RMB20,618 and RMB26,120 (US$3,689) for the three months ended

March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

(5) Diluted loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was calculated in accordance with the

“if converted” method. The potential conversion of the convertible senior notes was excluded in the computation of diluted

loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2019 because the effect would be anti-dilutive. The impact of share

options was also excluded in the computation of diluted loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2019

because the effect would be anti-dilutive. On April 15, 2019, the convertible senior notes matured, and the note holders

requested the conversion of the senior notes into 4,035,664 shares.

51job, Inc.

Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results

For the Three Months Ended

March 31, 2019

March 31, 2020

March 31, 2020

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

RMB

RMB

US$ (Note 1)

GAAP income (loss) before income tax expense

(26,596)

238,686

33,709

Add: Share-based compensation

29,286

37,124

5,243

Less: Gain from foreign currency translation

(13,780)

(10,171)

(1,436)

Less: Change in fair value of equity securities investment

(9,891)

(1,397)

Add: Change in fair value of convertible senior notes

418,786

Non-GAAP income before income tax expense

407,696

255,748

36,119

GAAP income tax expense

(60,056)

(36,771)

(5,193)

Tax effect of non-GAAP line items

8

(31)

(4)

Non-GAAP income tax expense

(60,048)

(36,802)

(5,197)

Non-GAAP adjusted net income

347,648

218,946

30,922

Non-GAAP adjusted net income attributable to 51job, Inc.

349,484

222,277

31,392

Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share:

   Basic

5.67

3.33

0.47

   Diluted (Note 2)

5.33

3.27

0.46

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:

   Basic

61,645,331

66,802,054

66,802,054

   Diluted

67,336,334

68,005,680

68,005,680

Notes:

(1) The conversion of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollar amounts is based on the noon buying rate of RMB7.0808

to US$1.00 on March 31, 2020 in New York for cable transfers of Renminbi as set forth in the H.10 weekly statistical

release of the Federal Reserve Board.

(2) Diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was calculated in accordance with the “if

converted” method. This included the add-back of interest expense of RMB9,403 related to the convertible senior notes

to the numerator of non-GAAP adjusted net income attributable to 51job for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

The maximum number of 4,035,672 potentially converted shares related to the convertible senior notes was added to the

denominator of diluted common shares for the three months ended March 31, 2019. On April 15, 2019, the convertible

senior notes matured, and the note holders requested the conversion of the senior notes into 4,035,664 shares.

51job, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

As of

December 31,
2019

March 31,
2020

March 31,
2020

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

(unaudited)

RMB

RMB

US$ (Note 1)

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash

2,294,904

2,899,211

409,447

Restricted cash

66,169

3,085

436

Short-term investments

7,645,686

8,331,892

1,176,688

Accounts receivable (net of allowance of RMB21,952 and

  RMB19,344 as of December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020,

  respectively)

266,437

211,017

29,801

Prepayments and other current assets

669,208

184,437

26,047

Total current assets

10,942,404

11,629,642

1,642,419

Non-current assets:

Long-term investments

1,482,544

1,495,713

211,235

Property and equipment, net

271,932

268,239

37,883

Goodwill

1,036,124

1,036,124

146,329

Intangible assets, net

203,162

192,612

27,202

Right-of-use assets

320,809

313,250

44,239

Other long-term assets

10,420

12,537

1,770

Deferred tax assets

22,147

24,527

3,464

Total non-current assets

3,347,138

3,343,002

472,122

Total assets

14,289,542

14,972,644

2,114,541

LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

48,114

75,234

10,625

Salary and employee related accrual

162,775

111,389

15,731

Taxes payable

267,596

131,891

18,627

Advance from customers

1,108,518

979,627

138,350

Lease liabilities, current

34,817

35,591

5,026

Other payables and accruals

1,211,642

1,924,001

271,721

Total current liabilities

2,833,462

3,257,733

460,080

Non-current liabilities:

Lease liabilities, non-current

50,763

45,775

6,465

Deferred tax liabilities

214,307

209,679

29,612

Total non-current liabilities

265,070

255,454

36,077

Total liabilities

3,098,532

3,513,187

496,157

Mezzanine equity:

Redeemable non-controlling interests

216,974

213,298

30,123

Shareholders’ equity:

Common shares (US$0.0001 par value: 500,000,000 shares

  authorized, 66,784,688 and 66,902,685 shares issued and

  outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020,

  respectively)

53

54

8

Additional paid-in capital

4,901,466

4,967,497

701,545

Statutory reserves

17,930

17,930

2,532

Accumulated other comprehensive income

254,524

254,832

35,989

Retained earnings

5,774,358

5,979,604

844,481

Total 51job, Inc. shareholders’ equity

10,948,331

11,219,917

1,584,555

Non-controlling interests

25,705

26,242

3,706

Total equity

10,974,036

11,246,159

1,588,261

Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and equity

14,289,542

14,972,644

2,114,541

Note (1): The conversion of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollar amounts is based on the noon buying rate of RMB7.0808 to US$1.00

on March 31, 2020 in New York for cable transfers of Renminbi as set forth in the H.10 weekly statistical release of the Federal

Reserve Board.

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/51job-inc-reports-first-quarter-2020-financial-results-301054710.html

Source: 51job, Inc.

Ribbon Announces Management Change

WESTFORD, Mass., May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications software and network solutions to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors, today announced that the President and CEO of ECI Telecom Ltd. (“ECI”), Darryl Edwards, has departed Ribbon at the end of April as planned. Since the completion of the combination of Ribbon and ECI on March 3, 2020, Mr. Edwards has been an advisor to Bruce McClelland, CEO and President of Ribbon.

Mr. Edwards joined ECI in June 2012, with the goal of re-establishing ECI’s reputation for innovation and breaking boundaries in the telecommunications industry. Under his leadership, ECI has made significant investments in research and development and refreshed its product portfolio with new packet and optical product lines, making the transition to software defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV).

“We’re immensely grateful for the great work that Darryl has done in cementing ECI’s place as an innovation leader in the packet and optical networking space,” said Mr. McClelland.  “We are now very focused on executing on our strategy to significantly scale the ECI business by leveraging the strong foundation that Ribbon has with major Service Providers and Enterprise customers around the world, particularly as we enter the 5G networking era.”

“It has been a great pleasure to lead ECI for the past eight years. During this time, the industry has changed dramatically, and so did ECI,” added Mr. Edwards. “When I became CEO of ECI, we had to re-assert ECI’s innovation and put it back at the heart of the company. We’ve since become a pioneer in the industry, supporting a large number of customers, helping them realize their ambitions with our unique elastic network philosophy and approach. The merger with Ribbon is a natural and positive next step for ECI as it looks to continue to expand its global presence.” 

About Ribbon
Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN), which recently merged with ECI Telecom Group, delivers global communications software and network solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today’s smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge IP solutions, UCaaS/ CPaaS cloud offers, leading-edge software security and analytics tools, as well as packet and optical networking leveraging ECI’s Elastic Network technology.  To learn more about Ribbon, visit rbbn.com and for more information about our packet and optical networking portfolio, visit ecitele.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements  
The information in this release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements. The actual results of Ribbon Communications may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Ribbon Communications’ business, please refer to the “Risk Factors” section of Ribbon Communications’ most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements represent Ribbon Communications’ views only as of the date on which such statement is made and should not be relied upon as representing Ribbon Communications’ views as of any subsequent date. While Ribbon Communications may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point, Ribbon Communications specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

Investor Relations
Monica Gould
+1 (212) 871-3927
IR@rbbn.com      

North American Press
Dennis Watson
+1 (214) 695-2224
dwatson@rbbn.com 

APAC, CALA & EMEA Press
Catherine Berthier
+1 (646) 741-1974
cberthier@rbbn.com 

Analyst Relations
Michael Cooper
+1 (708) 383-3387
mcooper@rbbn.com

Logo: https://techent.tv/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ribbon-announces-management-change.jpg 

Source: Ribbon Communications Inc.

Baidu to Report First Quarter 2020 Financial Results on May 18, 2020

BEIJING, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Baidu, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU), a leading search engine, knowledge and information centered Internet platform and AI company, today announced that it will report its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, after the U.S. market closes on May 18, 2020. Baidu’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 9:15 PM on May 18, 2020, U.S. Eastern Time (9:15 AM on May 19, 2020, Beijing Time).

Please register in advance of the conference call using the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers, Direct Event passcode and unique registrant ID by email.

For pre-registration, please click http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/7490173. It will automatically direct you to the registration page of “Baidu Q1 2020 Earnings Conference Call”, where you may fill in your details for RSVP. If it requires you to enter a participant conference ID, please enter “7490173”.

In the 10 minutes prior to the call start time, you may use the conference access information (including dial-in number(s), Direct Event passcode and unique registrant ID) provided in the confirmation email that you have received following your pre-registration.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at http://ir.baidu.com.

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until May 26, 2020:

International:

+61 2 8199 0299

Passcode:

7490173

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is a leading search engine, knowledge and information centered Internet platform and AI company. Baidu aims to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu’s ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BIDU”. Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Investors Relations, Baidu, Inc.
Tel: +86-10-5992-8888
Email: ir@baidu.com

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baidu-to-report-first-quarter-2020-financial-results-on-may-18-2020-301053793.html

Source: Baidu, Inc.

IBM, IMDA, M1 AND Samsung to Collaborate on Singapore’s First 5G Industry 4.0 Trial

SINGAPORE, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), M1 Limited (M1) and Samsung today announced Singapore’s first 5G Industry 4.0 trial, to demonstrate the transformative impact of 5G for enterprises and drive the next bound of Singapore’s digital economy. This announcement is part of IBM’s edge computing solutions for the 5G era announced at IBM Think 2020.

IBM, IMDA, M1 AND SAMSUNG TO COLLABORATE ON SINGAPORE’S FIRST 5G INDUSTRY 4.0 TRIAL
IBM, IMDA, M1 AND SAMSUNG TO COLLABORATE ON SINGAPORE’S FIRST 5G INDUSTRY 4.0 TRIAL

The trial aims to develop insights and showcase benefits of 5G in Industry 4.0[1]. It will be an innovation model that allows for development, testing and benchmarking of 5G-enabled solutions that can be applied across various industries.

This partnership consists of the following three main areas:

  • 5G Innovation: The trial aims to design, develop, test and benchmark 5G-enabled industry 4.0 solutions that can be applied across various industries.
  • 5G Solution Showcase: Solutions developed will be featured at IBM’s Industry 4.0 Studio[2] 5G Solutions Showcase. The showcase will feature Industry 4.0 solutions powered by 5G and leveraging capabilities such as Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence. The aim is to help proliferate 5G solutions to different industry sectors in Singapore.
  • 5G Solutions Roll-out: IBM and Samsung will evaluate successful solutions developed during the project for possible use in their operations in a broad range of markets and sectors.

5G’s capabilities such as faster data transfer and more-rapid response times, when coupled with other transformative technologies like AI, can enable significant improvements to manufacturing processes. The project will test 5G-enabled use cases for manufacturing, focusing on three main areas:

  • Automated visual inspection using AI for image recognition and video analytics;
  • Improved equipment monitoring and predictive maintenance using AI-enabled acoustic insights; and
  • Assembly and debugging using augmented reality to improve productivity and quality

The trial at the Industry 4.0 Studio will commence in Q2, 2020 and will be conducted at IBM Singapore’s Centre of Competency (CoC) for Smart Factory Operating Model for sharing of ideas and best practices. This makes IBM Singapore the ideal location for the trial, and solutions could be ultimately rolled out to other IBM Manufacturing sites, globally.

Successful 5G-enabled Industry 4.0 use-cases developed from this trial could be demonstrated for manufacturing enterprises and applied to production, service, quality control, and testing across a broad range of industries.

Partnership between IBM, IMDA, M1 and Samsung

IBM will implement and test Industry 4.0 use cases that will leverage IBM’s AI, IoT, edge, and augmented reality technologies, and network architecture built on IBM systems using open solutions infrastructure from Red Hat.

“We want to complement Singapore’s Smart Nation and Digital Economy efforts and empower enterprises and industry players with a robust and versatile 5G launch-pad through this trial. This will allow businesses to leverage digital technologies to create next-generation solutions and be responsive to rapidly changing market and 5G adoption in Singapore. IBM has built industry-leading hybrid cloud, AI and security capabilities underpinned by deep industry expertise. With support from IMDA and our strategic partners Samsung and M1, this collaboration will seed Singapore’s 5G capabilities and strengthen its position as a leading industrial innovation hub, and move us closer in fulfilling our Industry 4.0 vision,” said Martin Chee, Managing Director, IBM Singapore.

IMDA will share the learnings and solutions developed through this partnership with Singapore businesses and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the manufacturing sector, and 5G innovation ecosystem participants.

“5G will be the backbone of Singapore’s Digital Economy, strengthening our national competitiveness and reinforcing our position as a global business and connectivity hub. We are excited to work with IBM, Samsung and M1 to develop 5G capabilities and innovative use-cases, and look forward to sharing the learnings with the industry to help them build new capabilities, transform their businesses and tap new opportunities. We are committed to co-investing with the industry, and welcome all companies to join us on our 5G journey,” said Tan Kiat How, Chief Executive, IMDA

Together with Samsung as network and mobile solution provider and M1 as the telco provider, 5G network framework and skillsets could be established, allowing the solutions and the 5G framework know-how to be rolled out from Singapore and commercialised in other countries.

“We are very pleased to partner with IBM, Samsung and IMDA for Singapore’s first 5G Industry 4.0 trial. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to collaborate with leading industry players to develop, test and roll-out innovative 5G-enabled industry 4.0 solutions that will enhance smart manufacturing processes. Through this partnership, we hope to strengthen our in-house engineering capabilities in harnessing state-of-the-art 5G standalone (SA) technology for enabling hyper-connectivity, end-to-end network slicing, ultra-low latency, highly reliable and secured communications. With the recent award of one of Singapore’s two nationwide 5G licence, we will build a cutting-edge 5G network infrastructure and bring new consumer, enterprise and government use cases to the market as soon as the ecosystem matures, which we are certain will help bring Singapore’s Digital Economy forward,” said Denis Seek, Chief Technical Officer, M1.

“These are exciting times for the manufacturing industry. Already at the forefront of digital transformation, disruptive technologies and digitalization are now opening up new and unprecedented possibilities for the sector. New technologies will confer on tomorrow’s factories which will depend on ultra-reliable and low latency communication between machines, sensors, databases and workers’ mobile devices. Singapore has long been a leader in fostering innovation, and this 5G Industry 4.0 program is yet another validation of their technology leadership,” said KC Choi, Executive Vice President & Global Head of B2B Business, Samsung Electronics. “By combining Samsung’s end-to-end 5G Standalone (SA) network platform — including phones and devices at the edge, we are witnessing ground breaking new Industry 4.0 capabilities for enterprise clients. More importantly, work and productivity aside, 5G will be a key tool in entertaining and connecting people. We are excited to be partnering with IBM, IMDA and M1 to help make the promise of 5G a reality today and showcase this in Singapore.” 

[1]   Apart from providing a strong foundation for Industry IoT and automation, 5G would also reduce the cost of processing by shifting the load from the edge device to centralised systems. This reduces the requirement and cost for edge device thus making the application more cost effective.

[2]  The IBM Industry 4.0 Studio will be launched in June and located at Changi Business Park. Interested businesses can contact representatives of IBM, IMDA, M1 and SAMSUNG to visit the studio and view the solutions.

About IBM

For more information please visit https://www.ibm.com/cloud/.  

About Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) leads Singapore’s digital transformation with infocomm media. To do this, IMDA will develop a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive digital society, driven by an exceptional infocomm media (ICM) ecosystem – by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore’s ICM infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment, and enhances Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission.

For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on Facebook IMDAsg and Twitter @IMDAsg.

About M1

M1, a subsidiary of Keppel Corporation, is Singapore’s most vibrant and dynamic communications company, providing mobile and fixed services to over two million customers. Since the launch of commercial services in 1997, M1 has achieved many firsts, including the first operator to offer nationwide 4G service, as well as ultra high-speed fixed broadband, fixed voice and other services on the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN). With a continual focus on network quality, customer service, value and innovation, M1 links anyone and anything; anytime, anywhere. For more information, visit www.m1.com.sg

Facebook: facebook.com/m1limited
Instagram: instagram.com/m1.sg
Twitter: twitter.com/m1singapore
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/m1-limited

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.

For media clarifications, please contact: 

Aung Thi Ha (Mr)
Manager, Communications and Marketing, IMDA
DID: (65) 9338 2594
Email: aung_thi_ha@imda.gov.sg 

Ken Ng
Senior Executive, Corporate Communications, M1
DID: (65) 9699 0133
Email: ngcj@m1.com.sg 

Esther Low 
Head, PR & Corporate Marketing, Samsung Electronics Singapore
DID: (65) 9170 7107
Email: esther.low@samsung.com 

Selvi R
Communications Manager, IBM ASEAN
DID: (65) 9795 4165
Email: selvir@sg.ibm.com

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200506/2796011-1?lang=0

Gridsum Announces Receipt of Revised Non-Binding Proposal

BEIJING, May 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Gridsum Holding Inc. (“Gridsum” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GSUM), a leading provider of cloud-based big-data analytics and artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions in China, today announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has received a revised non-binding proposal letter, dated May 1, 2020, from Guosheng Qi, Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Guofa Yu, a director and the Chief Operating Officer of the Company, their respective affiliated entities, Beta Dynamic Limited, Shenzhen Qianhai Banyan Capital Investment & Management Co., Ltd and Hangzhou Yutao Capital Co., Ltd (collectively, the “Consortium Members”), proposing to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company that are not already owned by the Consortium Members in a going private transaction (the “Transaction”) for US$2.00 in cash per American depositary share (each representing one Class B ordinary share of the Company), or US$2.00 in cash per ordinary share. A copy of the revised non-binding proposal letter is attached as Exhibit A to this press release.

The special committee of the Board (the “Special Committee”), formed to consider the original proposal from certain of the Consortium Members and any other alternative transactions, is evaluating the revised proposal with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors. The Board and the Special Committee caution the Company’s shareholders and others considering trading in the Company’s securities that no decision has been made by the Special Committee or the Board with respect to the Company’s response to the revised proposal. There can be no assurance that any definitive offer will be made, that any agreement will be executed, or that this or any other transaction will be approved or consummated.

About Gridsum

Gridsum Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: GSUM) is a leading provider of cloud-based big-data analytics and AI solutions for multinational and domestic enterprises and government agencies in China. Gridsum’s core technology, the Gridsum Big Data Platform and the Gridsum Prophet: Enterprise AI Engine, is built on a distributed computing framework and performs real-time multi-dimensional correlation analysis of both structured and unstructured data. This enables Gridsum’s customers to identify complex relationships within their data and gain new insights that help them make better business decisions. The Company is named “Gridsum” to symbolize the combination of distributed computing (Grid) and analytics (sum). As a digital intelligence pioneer, the Company’s mission is to help enterprises and government organizations in China use data in new and powerful ways to make better informed decisions and be more productive.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to” and similar statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and assumptions about Gridsum and the non-binding proposal. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by Gridsum is included in Gridsum’s annual report on Form 20-F and other reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Gridsum undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations

Gridsum
ir@gridsum.com

Christensen

In China
Mr. Christian Arnell
Phone: +86-10-5900-1548
Email: carnell@christensenir.com

In U.S. 
Mr. Tip Fleming 
Phone: +1 917 412 3333 
Email: tfleming@christensenir.com  

Exhibit A

May 1, 2020

The Board of Directors
Gridsum Holding Inc.
South Wing, High Technology Building
No. 229 North 4th Ring Road
Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China

Dear Sirs:

Reference is made to the non-binding preliminary proposal made by (i) Mr. Guosheng Qi, Mr. Guofa Yu and their respective affiliated entities (collectively, the “Management“), (ii) Beta Dynamic Limited (the “Initial Sponsor“), an affiliate of Hammer Capital Private Investments Limited, on July 15, 2019 (the “Original Proposal“), pursuant to which the Management and the Initial Sponsor proposed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Gridsum Holding Inc. (the “Company“) that are not already owned by the consortium in a going private transaction (the “Acquisition“).

We very much appreciate the time spent and efforts made by the special committee (the “Special Committee“) of the board of directors of the Company and its advisors so far with respect to the Acquisition.  We are submitting this revised non-binding proposal to reaffirm our interests in the Acquisition that we are interested only in acquiring the outstanding shares that we do not beneficially own. Set forth below are the key terms of our revised proposal:

1. Consortium. The consortium (the “Consortium“) currently consists of the following members (collectively, the “Consortium Members“):

(a)  the Management,
(b)  the Initial Sponsor,
(c)  Shenzhen Qianhai Banyan Capital Investment & Management Co., Ltd, and
(d)  Hangzhou Yutao Capital Co., Ltd (杭州煜韬资产管理合伙企业(有限合伙)).

2. Purchase Price. We would like to revise our offer price (the “Offer Price“) to US$2.00 in cash per American depositary share of the Company (“ADS“, each representing one ordinary share of the Company), or US$2.00 in cash per ordinary share (in each case other than those ADSs or ordinary shares held by the Consortium Members that may be rolled over in connection with the Acquisition). Our decision to revise the Offer Price has been a difficult one to make but is necessitated by the tougher than expected market conditions facing the Company and the Chinese economy. In particular,

(a)   The global financial markets have experienced significant volatility recently, including substantial volatility in equity securities markets, and volatility and tightening of liquidity in credit markets. As a result, the trading price of the Company’s ADS has decreased significantly since the Original Proposal.

(b)   Since the Original Proposal, the Company has experienced weaker than expected financial and operational performance as identified, among others, in the Company’s earnings releases since the Original Proposal. According to the Company’s earnings release for the third quarter of 2019, the Company’s net revenues decreased 25%, to RMB60.1 million (US$8.4 million), from RMB80.5 million in the comparable period of 2018; and the gross profit decreased 32%, to RMB38.8 million (US$5.4 million), from RMB56.8 million in the comparable period of 2018. In addition, the material adverse impact on the Company’s performance and operations caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 is expected to continue throughout 2020. We believe that such deterioration in the Company’s business has had a significant negative impact on the value of the Company.

(c)   The recent statement given by the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the chairman of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board warning the disclosure, financial reporting and other risks of Chinese listed companies, as well as the evolving trade tension between the U.S. and China, are expected to lead to lower valuation of the Company by the U.S. stock markets.

3. No Binding Commitment. This letter constitutes only a preliminary indication of our interest, and does not constitute any binding commitment with respect to the Acquisition. A binding commitment will result only from the execution of definitive agreements, and then will be on terms and conditions provided in such documentation.

In closing, we continue to be fully committed to close the Acquisition and believe that the Acquisition provides full value to the Company’s shareholders. We look forward to continuing working with the Special Committee and its advisors.

Should you have any questions regarding this proposal, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

*  *  *

Sincerely,

Guosheng Qi

/s/ Guosheng Qi                           

Generation Gospel Limited

By:             /s/ Guosheng Qi               
Name:        Guosheng Qi
Title:           Director

Fairy Sprit Limited

By:             /s/ Guosheng Qi               
Name:        Guosheng Qi
Title:           Director

Guofa Yu

/s/ Guofa Yu                                        

Garden Enterprises Ltd.

By:             /s/ Guofa Yu                     
Name:        Guofa Yu
Title:           Director

Beta Dynamic Limited

By:             /s/ CHEUNG Siu Fai       
Name:        CHEUNG Siu Fai
Title:           Director

Shenzhen Qianhai Banyan Capital Investment & Management Co., Ltd

By:             /s/ Xiangming Qu             
Name:        Xiangming Qu
Title:           Authorized Signatory

Hangzhou Yutao Capital Co., Ltd

By:             /s/ Zhang Chuanjun          
Name:        Zhang Chuanjun
Title:           Authorized Signatory

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Source: Gridsum Holding Inc.