GINTIAN Industry, a Shenzhen A-share company, plans to launch a B-share listing in the Special Economic Zone next month, according to industry sources. The size of the flotation was estimated to be more than 500 million yuan (about HK$678 million), making it the largest B-share listing so far, said the sources. The leading underwriter is believed to be China Development Finance. It will be sub-underwritten by international and mainland merchant bankers, including Standard Chartered and J and A Securities. The company will launch the subscription in the coming two weeks. Gintian declined to comment, saying only: ''The company is considering fund-raising activities to finance the company's expansion and development plans. ''The B-share listing is only one of the possibilities.'' Gintian was listed in the Shenzhen A-share market in February, 1989. The company had total assets of one billion yuan with net assets of 253.5 million yuan and 53.4 million yuan share capital. Its profit after tax reached 52 million yuan last year, up 104 per cent on 1991, while sales revenue amounted to 788 million yuan, an increase of 68 per cent. The company expects to double its profit this year, with an increase of 39.6 per cent in turnover. Half the company's profits are generated by property business, 20 per cent by trading, 10 per cent by retailing and services, and 20 per cent by textiles, garments and high technology. The company last year appointed international accountant Arthur Anderson as its auditor. Gintian has a land bank of 1.5 million square metres in China that will strongly support its property operations. The company was founded in 1982 and transformed into a shareholding company in 1988. With 3,000 staff and 42 subsidiaries, Gintian has offices in Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian, Yantian, Weihai, Nanjing, Wuxi, Shantou and Huizhou. It also has overseas branches in Hongkong, the United States, Poland, Thailand and Japan. Forty per cent of its products are shipped to overseas markets. It plans to set up additional companies in South America and eastern Europe for garment and textile exports. It will also open a supermarket, and produce hi-tech computer and electronic products in the coming weeks.
