China's Li Ning stumbles from gold medal position to no man's land

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#1
It is tough business to compete to Nike and Adidas, even within China...

China's Li Ning stumbles from gold medal position to no man's land

HONG KONG - In 2010, former Chinese gymnast Li Ning led a surging $4 billion sportswear business, a gold-medal pinnacle echoing his victories at the 1984 Olympic Games.

Now, the Li Ning business is more reminiscent of the ex-sportsman's exit from the 1988 Olympics without a podium finish. As customers have turned to aspirational global brands like Nike Inc or cheaper local firms, Li Ning has racked up heavy losses, losing four-fifths of its market value.

The company has long pinned a turnaround plan on targeting trendy, fast-growing areas of sport in China, like basketball, hoping to attract younger consumers with a mid-range pricing strategy. But company watchers fear what Li Ning sees as the middle ground could turn out to be a no-man's land, while still-loyal older customers may be turned off by the focus on youth goods.

"They tried to go younger, but in the course of doing that they lost a lot of those aged over 30 who were traditionally a more loyal customer base," said James Roy, senior analyst at China Market Research Group in Shanghai.

Equally, many younger customers have yet to buy into the strategy.

"It seems like (Li Ning) products are targeted mostly at students aged 13 or 14," Ding Jianan, a 22-year-old student, told Reuters in China's commercial capital Shanghai. "I can afford higher-priced items from Western brands, which offer better quality. In college, people like to compare each other's outfits so the peer pressure will push us to buy Nike or Adidas ."

Li Ning, backed by private equity powerhouse TPG Capital and Singapore wealth fund GIC , last month reported a first-half net loss of nearly $100 million, more than three times that of the corresponding period a year earlier.
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http://www.todayonline.com/business/chin...-mans-land
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#2
Li Ning commits the same mistake as C & A , Too bad.
“risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.
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#3
I don't think Li Ning failed because of competition with Nike and Adidas. IIRC, Adidas is also struggling within China itself.

On the contrary, Anta Sports is doing very well. Li Ning probably imploded through excessive expenditures and a lack of clear brand imaging. Operating leverage cuts both ends.
"Criticism is the fertilizer of learning." - Sir John Templeton
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#4
"Li Ning, backed by private equity powerhouse TPG Capital and Singapore wealth fund GIC , last month reported a first-half net loss of nearly $100 million, more than three times that of the corresponding period a year earlier.".... opppssss.... Tongue
1) Try NOT to LOSE money!
2) Do NOT SELL in BEAR, BUY-BUY-BUY! invest in managements/companies that does the same!
3) CASH in hand is KING in BEAR! 
4) In BULL, SELL-SELL-SELL! 
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#5
(02-09-2014, 11:22 AM)brattzz Wrote: "Li Ning, backed by private equity powerhouse TPG Capital and Singapore wealth fund GIC , last month reported a first-half net loss of nearly $100 million, more than three times that of the corresponding period a year earlier.".... opppssss.... Tongue

They bet on the wrong horse. It does not always pay to bet on branded names. Even during the good times, Li Ning's performance was already lagging its peers. The inventory glut situation only exposed its weaknesses.
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#6
Never quit while they are ahead. That's what most businessmen and investors forget.

If Li Ning just kept 10% of $4bn, no need to worry about 2 generations.


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"... but quitting while you're ahead is not the same as quitting." - Quote from the movie American Gangster
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#7
In the first place, I always thought branding with a person's name that connects achievements in sports, which biologically is a declining asset, doesn't make sense. Brains OTOH may not be depreciating over time.

My kids don't even know Jordan. And I can't imagine a Woods brand would be valuable 10 years from now (not to mention currently Smile )
Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give. –William A. Ward

Think Asset-Business-Structure (ABS)
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#8
(02-09-2014, 11:43 AM)opmi Wrote: Never quit while they are ahead. That's what most businessmen and investors forget.

If Li Ning just kept 10% of $4bn, no need to worry about 2 generations.


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Maybe they think they haven't reach the peak yet. They could have thought it was a potential $8bln business instead.
"Criticism is the fertilizer of learning." - Sir John Templeton
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#9
this is not new. Lining has been struggling for a while. it's brand neither can take on Nike or addidas and not cheap enuf some the mass market.


i thought GIC and Temasek have exited or at the very least recovered its initial investment?



(02-09-2014, 12:10 PM)dzwm87 Wrote:
(02-09-2014, 11:43 AM)opmi Wrote: Never quit while they are ahead. That's what most businessmen and investors forget.

If Li Ning just kept 10% of $4bn, no need to worry about 2 generations.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe they think they haven't reach the peak yet. They could have thought it was a potential $8bln business instead.
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