Chapter 25 25. Ready to acquire Penguin

  In 2000, a global event happened—

  The Internet bubble burst in the United States in 2000, triggering an unprecedented global economic and financial crisis.

  Although the reasons for the Internet bubble are difficult to describe, they are also very simple—

  As a new industry born in the 1980s, the computer industry has a very tenacious vitality. Many large U.S. companies, such as Amazon, eBay, and Google, have created new mountains.

  Jinshan.

  So many companies started to follow suit, and countless Internet companies were born in the United States.

People don’t understand the Internet, but they can see the rapid soaring stock prices of these Internet companies, and the favorable policies of the United States at that time provided Internet companies with interest rate cuts and tax cuts. Under such circumstances, the Internet industry bubble quickly blew up. .

By 2000, the overall price-earnings ratio of the Nasdaq index company had reached 200, which was more than twice as high as 80 of the Nikkei 225 index company during the RB real estate bubble in 1991. It seems that everyone has forgotten about the RB real estate bubble. It doesn’t matter whether the company makes money or not, as the stock price rises.

Most companies did not invest money in the construction of technology and products like Amazon, Ebay or Google at the time, but just stayed in the money-burning model of advertising and new promotion. The occupation of the market depends on expensive advertising. And mergers and acquisitions.

With the rapid consumption of funds, the market growth rate is far behind the expansion speed of Internet companies, that is, Internet companies have grown extremely fast, but the number of Internet users has not increased enough, and the number of Internet users is not enough. These companies Huohuo, story I can't go on, and the bubble is on the verge of bursting.

   Just like Buffett’s words, when the tide recedes, we know who is swimming naked, and the darkest moment is coming.

In February 2000, Federal Reserve Chairman Greenspan felt that the situation was not right. He felt that the bubble was a bit big, and which country’s central bank could bear a price-earnings ratio of 200, so he began to crack down on investment enthusiasm, and announced a substantial interest rate hike, which was added to before 1995. Level and increase the cost of capital flow, prompting people to be more cautious when investing.

   On March 10, Nasdaq reached its highest point of 5048. The news that the RB economy entered a recession again on March 13 caused a sell-off of technology stocks in the international market, and investors’ worries began to heat up.

  Subsequently, people's panic was ignited for a while, and then a large number of selling behaviors occurred.

  In April, the Nasdaq Index fell more than 25%.

  ...

  It is June 5th, 2000.

  Greenspan himself did not expect that his own austerity policy would lead to the bursting of the bubble, which would eventually evolve into an out of control crisis.

  This crisis has swept through, not only the United States itself is affected, but also the entire world.

  Little Ma’s penguin, the current environment can be described as the darkest moment.

First of all, IDG and Yingke, which invested in Penguin in 1999, were deeply affected by the financial crisis. In addition to burning money, there was no sign that Penguin could make money. So the two shareholders were thinking about how to help Penguin find their next home, so that they could get away. .

  IDG and Yingke each hold 20% of Penguin’s shares, and Ma’s team accounts for the remaining 60%.

  Little Ma tried to wait for Yingke to acquire Penguin, but he did not expect that the second son of the Li family was waiting for a sale.

  He felt a little disheartened.

  More importantly, Xiao Ma doesn’t know where he is going.

  Now is the big environment of the Internet in the cold winter, all Internet investors are trembling, no one will be willing to invest money to them again.

  Little Ma sat in the small office of less than 40 square meters in the SEG Science and Technology Park, describing it as haggard.

  To be honest, he had a one-day meeting with several other team members yesterday to discuss the future development direction of QQ.

   But until 3 am, they still didn't have any particularly good ways to realize their cash.

  Besides being able to sell some special accounts and paid registration, they could not think of how QQ can make money with such a large number of users of the communication software.

  But for them, these are just a drop in the bucket.

  To be honest, everyone’s confidence has collapsed.

  ...

  "Excuse me, is this Penguin Company? Is Mahuatengma always there?"

   Meetings all night, but found nothing. In addition to difficulties or difficulties, a few people fell to the work station and slept with their heads covered, without noticing the few people who appeared at the door.

  Hearing the sound, Xiao Ma raised his wistful eyes and took a look.

  Two women and one man stood at the door.

  Because I don’t wear glasses, I can barely recognize a few fuzzy outlines.

  He quickly grabbed the glasses on the table and put them on his face.

   Handsome men and beautiful women.

  Several people are very young.

  If he hadn't appeared at the door of their company, Brother Xiao Ma would probably think that these people are some movie stars, just passing by and filming.

  Cao Yang did not expect that Penguin's office was such a small place at the beginning.

   covers an area of ​​less than 40 square meters, a simple front desk, and you can see several cubicles when you enter the door.

  There is a person lying in each cell.

  Cao Yang recognized Xiao Ma at a glance.

  Because this face is too familiar to him, he has worked for Xiao Ma for 10 years in his previous life, and he can receive a red envelope outside his office every year when work starts, and take a photo with him by the way.

  It’s just this face, much younger than the one he knew.

   "Hello, President Ma, I am the general manager of Bomi Game Company, and my name is Cao Yang." Cao Yang stepped forward and handed out his right hand to Brother Xiao Ma.

   "Cao..."

  Little Ma stroked his greasy hair, his eyes blurred.

  After a few seconds, he remembered.

  At the end of last year, Bomi’s boss also came.

  It's just that face, much older and more mature than the young people now.

  ...

  "Hello, Mr. Zhang Zhidong, Mr. Zhang, right? Mr. Xu Shenhua, Mr. Xu, Mr. Zeng Liqi, Mr. Zeng, Mr. Chen Yidan, Mr. Chen."

  Cao Yang shook the hands of the five founders of Penguin one by one.

  The faces of several people are a little dazed.

  Because Penguin is only a small company and is still on the verge of bankruptcy, I did not expect that President Cao could remember everyone's name so clearly.

  I am really flattered.

  In addition, Cao Yang is very handsome, so everyone can't help but feel a little more fond of him.

  "This is my assistant Zhuang Yurou, partner Pei Siqing."

  Cao Yang introduced the two ladies around him to a few people.

   However, when Pei Siqing was about to step forward to shake hands with them, he was gently pulled back by Cao Yang.

  Cao Yang stepped forward and said to Brother Xiao Ma, “That’s right, we’re here this time to talk about things that my father didn’t finish talking about last time.”

  ...

  (End of this chapter)

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