Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Masan loved being around family and friends He loved to make people laugh and had great banter He had a special bond and friendship with his sister He loved football and had an above average knowledge of the rules of the game He assisted with coaching The Crickets little league football team in Benton He is preceded in death by his grandfather David Trentham daughter Paige Trentham and Son Kasan Trentham Masan leaves behind to cherish his memory his Parents Arthur (Christy) Trentham his cousins Mathew (Riley & Jacob) Wilson he leaves numerous extended family and friends Masan's Family will be holding a private service You are invited to share a personal memory of Masan or your condolences with his family at his online memorial located at www.companionfunerals.com Companion Funeral & Cremation Service and the Cody family are honored to assist the Trentham family with these arrangements This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The issue of celebrating Masan Holi with ashes from funeral pyres at Manikarnika Ghat is kicking up dust in Kashi with one side opposing the practice and the other supporting it which will be celebrated on March 10 this year (Rajesh Kumar/ HT) Kashi Vidwat Parishad an organisation of intellectuals and Vedic scholars of Kashi has strongly objected to the practice and called it against the tradition of Kashi the manager of Baba Mahashmashan Nath Seva Samiti has claimed the tradition is centuries-old but the Samiti president Chandrika Prasad Gupta has said ashes are not necessary preferring the offering of ‘abir-gulal’ to the deity instead Kashi Vidwat Parishad’s general secretary Prof Ramnarayan Dwivedi said “Celebrating Holi with ashes from the pyre at Manikarnika Ghat is against the tradition of Kashi Masan is a place where Lord Shiva gives the mantra of Moksha to the departed souls The bodies are cremated at Manikarnika Ghat the bereaved family members and friends take the body there for cremation and the body is cremated by lighting the pyre we strongly oppose the celebration with pyre ashes.” Dwivedi said there should be no celebrations where people come to cremate the dead Baba Mahashmashan Nath Seva Samiti president Chandrika Prasad Gupta alias Chainu Saav has decided to dissolve the (Baba Masan Nath) temple committee Only my decision regarding the celebration will be valid Whatever happened last year at the Masan Holi was disgusting.” He was referring to an incident wherein some people threw slippers during the celebration last year “Masan ki Holi will be held on the Baba Masan Nath temple premises at Manikarnika Ghat As per the tradition that existed for hundreds of years every year abir and gulal was offered to Baba Masan Nath inside the temple.” this celebration was held outside the temple every year I am very disappointed with that,” Gupta said “It is not necessary that we celebrate Holi with pyre ashes I would like to say to the people of Kashi that we will follow the tradition of the temple do darshan of Baba Masan Nath and offer abir-gulal,” said Gupta there should not be anything that causes disrepute We will not let it become an event,” Gupta added media in-charge Vikas Yadav said Baba Mahashmashan Nath Seva Samiti’s president has made it clear the Masan Holi will be celebrated as per tradition.” “The Masan Holi is a centuries’ old tradition I used to make arrangements for the celebration of Masan Holi at Manikarnika Ghat a large number of people of Kashi used to participate in it Its popularity increased manifold with the advent of social media and other media platforms during last two decades songs like Digambar Khelen Masane Ma Hori and Hori Khelen Masane are testament to the antiquity of this tradition.” “By raising questions over this unique (tradition) Masan Holi will be celebrated the way it has been celebrated year after year for centuries,” Kapoor said “The Masan Holi celebration is an ancient tradition But there is no concrete literary or mythological evidence available to support the perception the perception has gotten stronger with each passing year.” “It is impossible for human beings to imitate all that Lord Shiva does Some people started organising it symbolically over a decade ago The faithful say that Baba Kashi Vishwanath along with Goddess Parvati reaches Kashi Vishwanath Temple on Rangbhari Ekadashi and the deity visits Manikarnika Ghat and plays Holi with his Ganas (attendees) Admin gears up: One-hour event on March 11 Masan ki Holi at Manikarnika Ghat will be held for just one hour from 12 noon to 1 pm on March 11 Entry of devotees will be through Kachori Gali and Manikarnika Ghat Wali Gali Devotees will exit through the Ganga ghats Kashi Zone Gaurav Bansal instructed the organisers The DCP said devotees should enjoy the festival peacefully “Police will deal strictly with those who fight 11 NDRF and PAC flood relief team personnel will be deployed on Ganga along with force of six police stations at the ghats Cameras will also keep an eye on the devotees Following its 2025 annual general meeting of shareholders Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT) reaffirmed its commitment to its "Back to Basics" strategy By concentrating on mining and processing critical minerals MHT is strengthening the foundation of its identity and long-term competitiveness Nui Phao Mining’s mineral processing plant The year 2024 brought significant macroeconomic challenges MHT responded by focusing on operational excellence and resource optimization under its "Back to Basics" strategy The result was solid financial performance with a 2% year-on-year revenue increase to VND14,336 billion (US$641 million) The company also reported a 15% rise in EBITDA to VND1,785 billion reflecting ongoing improvements in cost control Starck Holding GmbH to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation securing $134.5 million in proceeds and a one-time profit of nearly VND1 trillion ($38.5 million) in the fourth quarter This move allowed the company to streamline its portfolio and concentrate on high-margin mining and refining activities in Vietnam MHT also leveraged advanced technologies to extract valuable metals from more than 100,000 tons of sulfide concentrate stockpiles diversifying its portfolio with products such as high-purity APT These are crucial inputs for high-tech and renewable energy supply chains Engineers working at MTC - Masan High-Tech Materials’ advanced tungsten refinery was once again recognized as a "High-Tech Enterprise" by Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology for the 2025-2029 period highlighting its advanced extraction technologies and international-standard products MHT achieved significant milestones in 2024 including saving over 8,000 GJ of energy through efficiency initiatives reusing 76% of water via internal circulation systems and rehabilitating 64 hectares of mined land Community investments of over $140,000 supported infrastructure and livelihoods for more than 3,500 local residents The company also contributed approximately $36 million in taxes maintaining its position as the top corporate taxpayer in Thai Nguyen Province and affirming its commitment to sustainability and community development Amid tightening export controls in China on minerals such as tungsten MHT is well-positioned to serve as a reliable alternative for global industries imposed new tariffs on imported critical minerals in April 2025 MHT’s entire export portfolio-including tungsten oxide speaking at MHT’s 2025 annual general meeting of shareholders the company has sharpened its focus on operational excellence and financial discipline to maintain strong margins we’ll advance strategic initiatives from resource optimization to innovation-driven growth-building long-term competitive advantages and sustainable value for all stakeholders," he said By doubling down on its core business and embracing innovation Masan High-Tech Materials is not just staying afloat amid global uncertainty It is positioning itself to capitalize on emerging opportunities Email: evne@vnexpress.netTel: 028 7300 9999 - Ext 8556 FPT Tower, 10 Pham Van Bach Street, Dich Vong Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam © Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. HCM CITY — Masan Group Corporation (HOSE: MSN), the owner of WinMart supermarkets, released its unaudited management accounts for the fourth quarter of 2024 and the full year 2024, with full-year profit achieving approximately 200 per cent of the base-case guidance. Net revenues for the quarter and full year reached VNĐ22.7 trillion (US$905.1 million) and VNĐ83.2 trillion ($3.28 billion), up by 9.1 per cent and 6.3 per cent year-on-year, respectively. The topline growth was supported by sustained momentum from consumer-retail businesses and during Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT)’s fulfilled contractual obligation, offset by Masan MEATLife (MML)’s strategic direction to rationalise chicken farm footprints. Furthermore, MSN also recorded VNĐ100 billion in one-off charitable donation expense and reduced profit by VNĐ288 billion as Techcombank (TCB) recorded a one-off expense of ceasing the contract with Manulife. WinCommerce (WCM) and Masan MEATLife achieved profitability in 2024, contributing VNĐ993 billion in post-MI profit uplift. These businesses have transitioned to become key profit drivers for the company moving forward. Masan Consumer Corporation (MCH) reported Q4 and FY2024 revenues of VNĐ8.9 trillion and VNĐ30.9 trillion, respectively, reflecting 5.3 per cent and 9.4 per cent year-on-year growth. Healthy full-year performance was driven by convenience foods and seasonings, innovations in beverages and a strong 22.4 per cent increase in revenue from international markets. WinCommerce recorded revenues of VNĐ8.6 trillion in Q4 and VNĐ32.9 trillion in 2024, up by 11.8 per cent and 9.7 per cent year-on-year, respectively. Q4 performance continued to be driven by new store formats of WIN (catering to urban shoppers) and WinMart+ Rural (supplying rural shoppers), posting 10.4 per cent and 12.5 per cent like-for-like yearly growth. WCM reported positive NPAT Pre-MI of VNĐ209 billion in Q4, marking the second consecutive quarter with positive profit. Management will now focus on re-expanding the store network to be in line with its five-year network guidance presented at Masan’s 2024 Annual Shareholder Meeting. MML achieved NPAT Pre-MI of VNĐ85 billion in Q4 and VNĐ25 billion in the entire year. This marked the second consecutive quarter of delivering positive NPAT Pre-MI. Phúc Long Heritage (PLH)’s net revenue grew by 11.5 per cent and 5.6 per cent year-on-year to VNĐ417 billion and VNĐ1.6 trillion in Q4 and FY2024, respectively. Main growth drivers were the opening of 33 new stores and successful store renovations. Its net profit after tax Pre-MI saw a more than quadruple improvement in 2024, with VNĐ28 billion uplift in Q4 and accumulation of VNĐ97 billion for the full year. Net margin achieved 7.6 per cent for the full year. MHT’s revenues saw an increase by 21.3 per cent and 1.7 per cent, amounting to VNĐ3,9 trillion and VNĐ14.3 trillion in Q4 and FY2024, respectively. Subject to customary corporate approvals, macroeconomic conditions and consumer market recovery, Masan forecasts that net revenue for 2025 will range between VNĐ80 trillion (over $3.1 billion) and VNĐ85.5 trillion ($34 billion), representing a seven to 14 per cent growth year-on-year, after adjusting for the deconsolidation of HCS. Total consolidated revenue, excluding MHT, is expected to be within the range of VNĐ74 trillion ($2.9 billion) and VNĐ78 trillion ($3.1 billion), representing year on growth of between eight and 13 per cent. NPAT Pre-MI is projected to be VNĐ4.8 trillion ($191.4 million) to VNĐ6.5 trillion ($259 million), reflecting a robust growth of 14 per cent to 52 per cent compared to VNĐ4.3 trillion in FY2024. Chairman of Masan Group Dr Nguyễn Đăng Quang said: "In 2024, we prioritised developing a profitable, sustainable groupwide business model, that is now complete as WinCommerce and Masan MEATLife. "The focus now is to increase our share of the consumer wallet by maximising the synergies between our brand, retail and technology platform. Creating a one-tech and one-consumer (Win Membership) platform will lead to each business platform growing double digits in 2025 and beyond.” — VNS The company expects net profit to reach 4.9-6.5 trillion dong for the full year translating to a growth of 14-52% compared with the 2024 financial year It will continue to divest from non-core businesses such as the sale of German tungsten powder producer HC Starck to become a more focused consumer-retail platform Masan’s retail store network WinCommerce and food processing unit Masan MeatLife together posted 206 billion dong in EBIT growth in Q1 2025 “underscoring their emergence as future core profit engines” The company asserted that the direct impact of the proposed US tariffs will be minimal The US market accounted for less than 1% of the fast-moving consumer goods subsidiary Masan Consumer’s 7.5 trillion dong revenue in the first quarter International markets witnessed a 73.2% year-on-year increase in revenue—the largest markets include mainland China key products are currently exempt from the announced tariff measures “US-China trade tensions have triggered critical metal export restrictions from China pushing prices upward,” which bolsters Masan Hi-Tech Materials’s earnings potential and underscores its strategic importance as a non-China supply source Amid the headwinds to exports and foreign direct investment the company anticipates its core segments such as consumer staples and grocery retail to benefit from domestic stimulus Masan is backed by marquee investors such as South Korea’s SK Group Temasek-backed SeaTown Holdings and Alibaba the firm raised a $250-million financing from Bain Capital’s special situation arm Masan secured an agreement with SK that saw the Korean chaebol extend its put option with Masan for up to five years SK had injected $470 million into Masan for a 9.5% stake in 2018 Masan will buy back a 7.1% stake in WinCommerce from SK for $200 million Deals Analysis IPOs & Markets Deals This is your last free story for the month. Register to continue reading our content Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT) revenue saw an improvement of VND74 billion ($2.9 million) in the third quarter thanks to the continuous increase in tungsten and copper sales Tungsten revenue increased 2 per cent from third-party customers mainly due to higher realised selling price especially for the sales recognised in the second and third quarters when market price increased to $325-$335 per metric ton units Copper revenues continued to improve with revenue of VND670 billion ($26.4 million) for the first nine months with increasing sales to local customers which contributed significant improvement to the company cashflow the market value of the copper stockpile at Nui Phao Mining Company amounted to nearly $92 million creating momentum for the company to make a business breakthrough in the last quarter of the year Some of the copper and fluorspar shipments planned in September were delayed to early October due to flooding caused by typhoon Yagi The total revenue and earnings before interest and amortisation impact of those shipments were $8.9 million and $6.1 million respectively but will be realised in the fourth quarter Masan High-Tech Materials signed an MoU with Fluorine Korea and Traxys North America LLC to ensure the stable supply of acid-grade fluorspar to Fluorine Korea’s AHF plant in Ulsan Nui Phao Mining will make available a stable supply of acid-grade fluorspar of up to 70,000 tonnes per year The company also successfully finalised the contract with new mining and blast hole drilling contractor in the third quarter and expects to achieve up to 10 per cent reduction in terms of mining cost compared to the prior contracts This new contractor started working in August 2024 and expected to ramp up production significantly in the fourth quarter of the year Masan High-Tech Materials promotes sustainable production and business activities through the "Fit for Future"programme in which new initiatives are implemented to reduce costs improve business efficiency and financial results Technological advancements and automation solutions implemented across its plants also assist the company in cost control and productivity enhancement thus ensuring stable output and operational efficiency despite fluctuations in raw material costs and disruptions in the global supply chain MHT announced the signing of definitive agreements with Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (MMC) Group on 30 May 2024 in which MMC will acquire of 100 per cent of HCS from MHT for equity purchase price of $134.5 million It is expected the transaction will close within the fourth quarter upon receiving approval from relevant governmental authorities Masan is expected to report a one-time profit gain of approximately $40 million as a result of the transaction and benefit from long-term net profit after tax of $20-30 million This is an important strategic move to help Masan High-Tech Materials strengthen its financial situation and increase its ability to invest in new projects Masan will retain potential monetary upside from future commercialisation of black mass recycling technology developed by H.C win-win APT and tungsten oxide offtake agreement contributing to revenue stability for Masan High-Tech Materials going forward The international commodity market is brimming with optimism Recent interest rate cuts in the US and Europe have injected fresh momentum into production and consumption particularly in high-tech industrial sectors like electronics China's tightened export controls on critical minerals This policy shift has also spurred European nations and the US to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China This context presentst significant opportunities for Masan High-Tech Materials which owns Nui Phao mine - the world's second-largest tungsten mine outside China to hold a pivotal role in the global high-tech materials supply chain The above market developments are creating favourablee conditions for Masan High-Tech Materials to realise its 2024 revenue target of $590 million to $622 million With the steady growth in global tungsten demand MHT is on track for impressive business performance by year-end paving the way for long-term value creation for shareholders and stakeholders alike has announced new advancements in 3D printing and battery technology through the development of globally patented tungsten powder products Masan High-Tech Materials (HNX-UpCOM: MSR) has announced that it has reached a framework agreement with Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Group Mitsubishi Materials Corporation will acquire 100 per cent of H.C Starck Holding (Germany) GmbH from Masan High-Tech Materials Group for an equity purchase price of $134.5 million ★ Poor ★ ★ Promising ★★★ Good ★★★★ Very good ★★★★★ Exceptional Vietnam Investment Review under the Ministry of Finance Advertisement  | Contact us HCM CITY — Masan Consumer Corporation (UpCOM: MCH) will transfer its stock trading from the UPCoM to listing on the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) this year Masan Group Corporation (HOSE: MSN) and Masan Consumer Corporation held investor and analyst meetings to provide updates on their Q4 2024 and full-year 2024 business performance and reveal plans for continued growth in 2025 the listing transfer will help Masan Consumer unlock its value the company has not yet announced a detailed roadmap stating that it will assess market conditions and regulatory requirements before making an official decision head of capital markets & strategic initiatives at Masan Group said Masan Consumer saw revenue growth of 9.4 per cent in 2024 to reach VNĐ30.9 trillion (US$1.22 billion) driven by premiumisation in convenience foods and seasonings and a strong 22.4 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue from international markets MCH aims to achieve double-digit revenue growth of 10-15 per cent in 2025 reaching VNĐ33.5 trillion to VNĐ35.5 trillion by executing against strategic growth drivers and developing end-to-end digital supply chain “Retail Supreme” and amortisation (EBITDA) is projected to reach VNĐ8.8 - 9.3 trillion ($347.6 - 367.4 million) Anh said MCH will continue to focus on premiumisation of its seasoning and convenience food portfolio to extend market leadership in the premium segment by expanding beyond instant noodles into ready meals The export segment recorded impressive growth last year The company will continue to advance its "Go Global" strategy this year by focusing on key markets such as the US convenience food and instant coffee portfolio The company’s leadership expects overseas markets to remain a key growth driver in the coming years helping Masan strengthen its position on the global culinary map Masan Group's net revenues and net profit after tax post-minority interest (NPAT Post-MI) were up 6 per cent and 377.5 per cent year-on-year to VNĐ83.2 trillion ($3.28 billion) and approximately VNĐ2 trillion ($79.7 million) Masan targets to achieve net revenues of VNĐ80-85.5 trillion ($3.1 - 34 billion) representing 7 - 14 per cent year-on-year growth on a like-for-like (LFL) basis after adjusting for the deconsolidation of H.C NPAT Pre-MI is projected to be VNĐ4.87 trillion to VNĐ6.5 trillion reflecting a robust growth of 14 per cent to 52 per cent compared to VNĐ4.27 trillion in 2024 Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT) could “benefit tremendously” from China’s recent export ban on critical minerals to the US noting that the share prices of many tungsten-related mining companies around the world have rallied 40 per cent “We have signed an agreement with a Vietnamese buyer that guarantees 85 per cent of our copper inventory in fiscal year 2025 which would give it up to 10 per cent reduction in mining costs MHT anticipates an LFL topline growth of 3 per cent to 19 per cent following the deconsolidation of HCS with a revenue target ranging from VNĐ6.5 trillion to VNĐ7.5 trillion driven by earnings improvement supported by higher commodity prices But this does not factor in any upside from the potential price appreciation due to the China ban on export Masan Group’s net revenue reached VND22.7 trillion ($905.3 million) and VND83.2 trillion ($3.3 billion) The topline growth was supported by sustained topline momentum from consumer-retail businesses and Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT)'s fulfilled contractual obligation by counterparty offset by MML’s strategic direction to rationalise chicken farm footprints and amortisation reached VND4.58 trillion ($182.6 million) and VND15.9 trillion ($634 million) increasing by 44.6 per cent on-year and 19.3 per cent on-year in Q4 and FY2024 respectively This uplift was driven by positive earnings growth momentum of all consumer-retail businesses Net profit after tax post minority interest of VND691 billion ($27.5 million) and VND1.99 trillion ($79.4 million) in Q4 and FY2024 grew by 1,282 per cent on-year and 377.5 per cent on-year This was driven by strong profitability momentum across its consumer-retail businesses a reduction of VND365 billion ($14.5 million) in debt-incurring net financial expenses and VND89 billion ($3.55 million) in one-off gains from the sale of HC Starck Holding (Germany) GmbH (HCS) Masan also recorded VND100 billion ($3.98 million) in one-off charitable donation expense and reduced profit by VND288 billion ($11.5 million) as Techcombank recorded a one-off expense of ceasing the contract with Manulife The momentum of core businesses since the beginning of the year gave management confidence in the transformation of Masan’s consumer-retail platform Masan's Q4 earnings grew by nearly 14 times on-year to VND691 billion ($27.5 million) with full-year profit achieving approximately 200 per cent of the base-case guidance WinCommerce and Masan MEATLife achieved profitability in FY2024 contributing VND993 billion ($39.6 million) in post-MI profit uplift These businesses have transitioned to become key profit drivers for the company moving forward Masan Consumer Corporation reported Q4 and FY2024 revenue of VND8.9 trillion ($355 million) and VND30.8 trillion ($1.22 billion) reflecting on-year growth of 5.3 per cent and 9.4 per cent The healthy full-year performance was driven by premiumisation in convenience foods and a solid 22.4 per cent increase in revenue from international markets WinCommerce reported Q4 revenue growth of 11.8 per cent and 9.7 per cent for the year to hit revenues of VND8.6 trillion ($342.9 million) and VND32.96 trillion ($1.3 billion) The Q4 performance was driven by new store formats of WIN (catering to urban shoppers) and WinMart+ Rural (catering to rural shoppers) posting 10.4 per cent and 12.5 per cent like-for-like WCM reported positive NPAT Pre-MI of VND209 billion ($8.3 million) in Q4 marking the second consecutive quarter with positive profit WinCommerce operated 3,828 WinCommerce stores Phuc Long Heritage’s (PLH) net revenue grew by 11.5 per cent and 5.6 per cent to VND417 billion ($16.6 million) and VND1.62 trillion ($64.6 million) in Q4 and FY2024 The main growth drivers were the opening of 33 new stores and successful store renovations a cluster of 11 renovated stores saw a 13.4 per cent improvement in dine-in average daily sales compared to flat growth in similar but non-renovated stores This represents PLH's latest effort to uphold its commitment to identifying the winning strategy Masan MEATLife delivered increases of VND192 billion ($7.7 million) and VND565 billion ($22.5 million) to achieve NPAT Pre-MI of VND85 billion ($3.4 million) and VND25 billion ($997,000) in Q4 and FY2024 This marked the second consecutive quarter of delivering positive NPAT Pre-MI Masan High-Tech Materials' revenue saw a Q4 increase of 21.3 per cent and 1.7 per cent for the full year amounting to VND3.87 trillion ($154.4 million) and VND14.34 trillion ($572 million) Masan forecasts FY2025 consolidated net revenue to range between VND80 trillion ($3.2 billion) and VND85.5 trillion ($3.4 billion) representing 7 per cent to 14 per cent on-year like-for-like growth after adjusting for the deconsolidation of HCS is expected to be within the range of VND74 trillion ($2.9 billion) and VND78 trillion ($3.11 billion) representing between 8 per cent to 13 per cent on-year growth NPAT Pre-MI is projected to be VND4.88 trillion ($194.7 million) to VND6.5 trillion ($259.3 million) reflecting a robust growth of 14 per cent to 52 per cent compared to VND4.27 trillion ($170.4 million) in FY2024 Masan aims to deliver over 20 per cent growth by focusing on key markets such as the US Masan Group has made its way into Fortune’s Southeast Asia 500 rankings for 2024 thanks to its impressive business performance and strategy Masan Group Corporation on July 26 released its unaudited management accounts for the second quarter with all core business segments recording strong growth Masan Group Corporation on October 23 released its unaudited management accounts for the third quarter with earnings up 1,350 per cent on-year At the meeting with investors in early May unveiled the plan to mobilise capital this year With an average annual growth rate of 15 per cent over the past 6-7 years it is the right time for Masan Consumer to consider the implementation of its initial public offering (IPO) plan Double-digit growth for seven consecutive years Masan Consumer has a stable track record of high growth The company significantly outperforms other companies in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and packaged food industry in the region Masan Consumer grew at a rate 2.2x faster than the market average The report also emphasised Masan Consumer's plan to list MCH shares on the HoSE HSBC believes that listing on the HoSE can help MCH shares improve liquidity in line with the outstanding capacity that the company has achieved over the years a successful IPO would help increase the valuation of Masan stocks such as MCH and MSN This roadmap is becoming clearer with positive information from both the company and the market Serving 98 per cent of Vietnamese households Masan Consumer's starting point and core product line is seasonings Masan Consumer has eight main consumer goods industries in Vietnam The company owns five brands with annual revenue ranging from $150 million to $250 million These consumer goods brands are popular in Vietnam The five flagship brands account for 80 per cent of Masan Consumer’s revenue in the Vietnamese market over 98 per cent of Vietnamese households own at least one Masan Consumer product CHIN-SU and Nam Ngu are the most popular brands in urban areas the most chosen brands in rural areas are CHIN-SU according to a report by securities company HSC Masan Consumer has established a loyal customer base which is ready to experience new products and contribute to increasing sales across multiple categories Masan Consumer continued its record growth momentum in 2023 with positive business results in the second quarter of 2024 The company posted revenue growth of 14 per cent and maintained a high gross profit margin of 46.3 per cent the company's Go Global strategy also recorded positive figures with export revenue registering an increase of 17 per cent over the same period last year the Ministry of Finance approved Circular 68/2024/TT-BTC stock purchases transactions do not require sufficient funds when placing orders by foreign institutional investors Listed organisations and public companies will also disclose information in English This circular comes into force on November 2 This is a step closer for the Vietnamese stock market to meet the requirements for an upgrade to emerging market status by FTSE Russell SSI Research forecasts that Vietnam will be upgraded in an assessment scheduled for September 2025 With the upgrade to emerging market status preliminary estimates suggest that capital inflows from exchange-traded funds (ETF) could reach up to $1.7 billion not including capital from active funds (FTSE Russell estimates that total assets from active funds are five times greater than those from ETF funds) This could be a catalyst for companies with IPO plans in 2025 Foreign investors are keen on the FMCG industry and the long-term investment opportunities in businesses with a stable track record of high growth and huge dividend payments Masan Consumer's MCH stock will be a potential option Masan Consumer has attracted the attention of many large domestic and foreign investors The board of directors revealed a series of large investment funds holding shares in Masan Consumer Albizia Asean Tenggara Fund owns 3,891,258 MCH shares The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust owns 1,041,100 MCH shares Masan Consumer aims to continue its double-digit revenue and profit growth Net revenue is expected to reach between VND32.5 trillion ($1.32 billion) and VND36 trillion ($1.86 billion) The company has plans to own $6 billion brands and achieve 10-20 per cent revenue from the global market increasing market accessibility from 100 million consumers in Vietnam to 8 billion people globally As instant noodle sales bounce back in Vietnam major food makers continue to employ different strategies to diversify income and capture new growth Masan Group Corporation (HSX: MSN) today reported its management accounts for the first nine months of 2019 sharing insights in sensory and consumer science As part of the transaction, Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT) and H.C Starck entered into a long-term ammonium paratungstate and tungsten oxide offtake agreement providing a strong anchor for MHT’s order book Masan also retains potential monetary upside from Nyobolt a British fast-charging tungsten and niobium-based battery technology company nearing scaled commercialisation as well as future commercialisation of black mass recycling technology developed by H.C Masan Group will report a one-time after-tax profit gain whilst transaction proceeds will be used to reduce MHT’s debt balance to approximately $490 million from approximately $670 million pre-transaction Masan Group is expected to report net debt to earnings before interest and amortisation of approximately 3.17x at the end of the year consistent with the group’s target of maintaining the ratio below 3.5x Starck is the first step in realigning our business platform to focus where we can create outsized shareholder value the transaction creates a healthier MHT balance sheet to ensure we remain the lowest cost producer of tungsten to take advantage of the macro and micro tailwinds – increasing demand for tungsten applications driven by the improving underlying global economy." is poised to seize new opportunities against the backdrop of positive signals in the global market went up 48% from 2023 and marked the highest compensation he had received since assuming the CEO role in 2020 Danny was the only executive of Masan to receive remuneration in the past year. Members of the board of directors and the audit committee, including chairman Nguyen Dang Quang Danny’s salary is substantially higher than that of other CEOs in Vietnam his compensation of VND14.7 billion in total was six times that of an average CEO in a listed public company according to market data provider FiinGroup he worked as an analyst in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley he played a pivotal role in shaping the group’s development strategy and orchestrating merger and acquisition transactions In the following years he held key positions within the company before taking the CEO post in June 2020 By the end of last year Danny owned more than 3.7 million MSN shares which are now valued at around VND252 billion The surge in Danny’s earnings could be partly explained by Masan’s strong performance last year reaching a three-year high revenue of VND83.18 trillion Post-tax profit jumped 2.3 times to VND4.27 trillion The results were driven by profit growth in the retail consumer business segment WinCommerce – the subsidiary operating the WinMart supermarkets and Win outlets Masan Group forecasts revenue to grow 3% to VND85.5 trillion before allocation to minority shareholders is expected to reach up to VND6.5 trillion representing a growth of 52% compared to 2024 Masan has carried out numerous notable merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions including acquiring over 98 per cent of Vinacafé Bien Hoa controlling stakes in Net Detergent JSC and Quang Ninh Natural Mineral Water Co. later rebranded as Masan Nutri-Science and subsequently Masan MEATLife Other major deals include the purchase of the VinCommerce retail system (now WinCommerce) and a controlling stake in the Phuc Long Coffee & Tea chain Masan’s strategy is not to merely expand its portfolio acquisitions focus on integrating platforms that align with its overarching strategy rather than simply chasing revenue or profit Masan has transitioned from a fast-moving consumer goods company into a comprehensive consumer-retail ecosystem under its “Point of Life” strategy designed to meet end-user needs holistically,” Le said Masan announced plans to scale back M&A activities to focus on optimising its business operations and deepening its core consumer-retail model Masan’s recent deals have centred on either bolstering resources to serve consumer growth opportunities or gradually divesting from non-core operations Masan announced an equity investment of at least $200 million from Bain Capital Bain had increased its total equity investment to $250 million demonstrates confidence in Vietnam’s market and Masan’s consumer-centric strategy despite challenging financial market conditions The capital injection strengthens Masan’s financial position enabling it to better seize opportunities to serve Vietnamese consumers in sectors such as groceries The group’s focus remains on innovative solutions and optimising its consumer-retail platform to capitalise on Vietnam’s “golden consumption era” Masan has mobilised $5 billion in equity and debt attracting investments from prominent funds such as KKR signed a framework agreement with Mitsubishi Materials Corporation the latter will acquire all of Germany’s H.C The deal includes a long-term offtake agreement for ammonium paratungstate and tungsten oxide a UK-based fast-charging lithium-ion battery technology company and rights to potential monetisation of blackmass technology intellectual property developed by HCS Masan continues to strengthen its core consumer-retail operations it acquired a 7.1 per cent stake in WinCommerce from SK Group has been a cornerstone of Masan’s strategy to expand its retail footprint and increase control over its core business Masan notes that WinCommerce has entered a profitability phase with positive net profit after tax (NPAT) reported for the first time since the pandemic It posted revenues of VND8.6 trillion ($338.5 million) and NPAT of VND20 billion ($800,000) for Q3 providing a clear pathway to sustainable and increasing profitability aiming for 4,000 locations by the end of 2024 The group remains focused on delivering sustainable growth while contributing to Vietnam’s modern trade market Masan’s M&A strategy and operations reflect a deliberate focus on building a consumer-retail ecosystem that aligns with Vietnam’s evolving market dynamics By divesting non-core assets and optimising its core businesses the group is positioning itself as a leader in Vietnam’s modern consumption era and Masan Group announced the signing of an MoU on October 18 to advance trade in key sectors of focus including agri-food Masan Consumer’s MCH shares have more than doubled this year raising whether they remain a good investment for new buyers EDC will open its first office in Vietnam in late November in alignment with Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy to promote the nation's interests in the region The MoU aims to foster deeper economic collaboration between Canada and Vietnam creating new and expanded opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors seeking to enter Masan Group has been at the forefront of Vietnam’s impressive economic development over the past three decades serving 100 million Vietnamese and global consumers by addressing their basic daily needs (fast-moving consumer goods investments and payment services) and lifestyle needs (telecommunications As Masan Group executes its 'Go Global' strategy EDC will provide Masan access to its deep international networks to grow beyond Vietnam while also considering long-term financing support to Masan Group’s businesses including Masan’s tungsten mining and processing business Masan will help EDC build knowledge of the market and facilitate introductions to strategic networks and partners to assist Canadian exporters and investors with market entry "Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Indo-Pacific region and Canada’s largest trading partner within the ASEAN providing extensive opportunities for Canadian exporters and investors," said Todd Winterhalt senior vice-president of International Markets and head of Communications and Public Affairs at EDC is a first for EDC in the country and will support the advancement of trade between both our nations in key sectors where Canada has strengths consumer goods and mining," Winterhalt added Masan Group has identified its growth drivers for the rest of 2024 consumer-focused strategy and the improved economic environment Masan Consumer concluded a list of shareholders on September 26 that will receive additional cash dividends for 2023 of 168 per cent The company recently announced the plan to pay 2024 dividend in cash Masan Consumer (Stock code: MCH) announced Resolution of the Board of Directors approving the transfer of MCH shares from UPCoM to listing on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) is back in Forbes’s real-time billionaire list with a net worth of US$1 billion as of Monday magazine’s data shows Quang’s net worth peaking at $1.9 billion in 2022 before falling to $1.2 billion last year In January he dropped off the list of Vietnam’s billionaires He has been in and off it since first entering it in 2019 remained the richest person in Vietnam with a wealth of $4.1 billion chairwoman of budget airline Vietjet ($2.8 billion) chairman of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group ($2.4 billion) In fourth and fifth places were Ho Hung Anh chairman of private lender Techcombank ($1.8 billion) chairman of automaker Thaco ($1.3 billion) In January most Vietnamese billionaires saw their wealth remain unchanged or decline as the stock market struggled to make gains the last session before a nine-day Tet holiday In a recent meeting with investors, a Masan representative said “WinCommerce continued to generate profits in August 2024 the retail chain made profits in June and July Like-for-like growth of the minimart chain accelerated to over 10 per cent on-year.” WinCommerce is Vietnam’s largest grocery trade retail platform with nearly 3,700 WinMart supermarkets and WinMart+ This marks an important milestone in WinCommerce’s retail strategy as innovation and operational optimisation have generated healthy organic profits Masan has increased its ownership in WinCommerce to strengthen its control and to drive long-term growth in its core business The corporation announces its acquisition of a 7.1 per cent stake in WinCommerce from SK Group for $200 million Masan shall receive the right to acquire SK Group’s remaining shares in WinCommerce (WCM) in the future at cost SK Group has achieved a successful return on investment by selling a portion of its WCM stake while continuing its long-term investment in Masan through the extension of the put option “We expect third-quarter profits to be higher than the second quarter thanks to the improved profitability of WinCommerce as well as positive signals from other business segments,” the representative said most securities firms predict an economic recovery the retail and consumer goods sectors are bright spots thanks to cash flows into manufacturing According to Viet Dragon Securities Corporation (VDSC) the retail sector will gain traction on the back of the manufacturing recovery Low-interest rates improve consumer confidence According to the General Statistics Office GDP in the second quarter of 2024 grew positively; the growth rate was estimated at 6.93 per cent over the same period last year HSBC’s economists believe that Vietnam is likely to be the fastest-growing economy in ASEAN in 2024 a spot it lost to Malaysia and the Philippines in 2022 and 2023 Given the better-than-expected growth in the second quarter they predict that the country’s yearly GDP growth will be 6.5 per cent Thanks to favourable visa policies and the 2024 tourism promotions launched by localities nationwide Vietnam witnessed strong growth in international tourist arrivals GSO also reported that nearly 10 million international visitors arrived in Vietnam in the first seven months of this year an increase of 51 per cent over the same period last year and 1.9 per cent against the pre-pandemic level in 2019 SSI Research forecasts that Vietnam will be upgraded in the assessment scheduled for September 2025 and VCI are stocks that could attract significant capital flows as Vietnam is upgraded to emerging market status but they still have room for foreign investment MSN and VNM are two consumer staples stocks on the list J.P.Morgan has also shifted its preference to consumer staples which it believes should reap the double benefits of lower input costs and resilient earnings growth the government’s push and seasonality is fuelling economic activity through H2 which should spill over to stock market performance during Q4–Q1 “The strong growth versus regional peers reinforces our Overweight (OW) on Vietnam within ASEAN and consumer staples (MSN),” the report stated The international financial institution believes the near-term tailwinds are favouring sStaples stocks with: (1) Potential inflows from emerging market upgrade and (3) Resilient earnings growth and upgrade the sector to OW with Masan Group (MSN) as one of the top picks Using the sum-of-the-parts (SOTP) valuation method Morgan has priced MSN at VND94,640 ($3.85) per share with projected price-to-earnings and enterprise value to earnings before interest The SOTP method involves valuing each subsidiary or business division of a company individually then combining these values to determine the overall company valuation “We are confident that we will complete the profit plan for 2024 with strong growth in the short and medium terms to create superior values for the company’s shareholders,” said Nguyen Dang Quang and international tourist arrivals to Vietnam send a positive signal about the recovery of the economy in general and the consumption market in particular This trend contributes to promoting the business results of retail and consumer goods enterprises As an industry leader with continuous positive results from its core retail consumer business Masan promises to not only complete but also exceed its 2024 profit plan is modernising grocery retail in Vietnam with its "New Commerce" consumer model South Korean conglomerate SK Group and Vietnamese corporation Masan Group (HSX: MSN) announced an agreement on September 4 to extend the timeline for SK Group's put option with Masan by up to five years Masan Group has urged the government to streamline procedures for initial public offerings (IPOs) and revise listing requirements to align with international standards arguing that the current system hampers Vietnam's capital market potential and restricts growth for businesses seeking flexible funding The 24th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival held from October 26 to November 3 in Changwon drawing a record-breaking 756,000 visitors Changwon Special City announced that the chrysanthemum displays will remain accessible for a self-guided viewing period from November 4 to November 10 allowing more visitors to enjoy the blooms in their full glory While the extended viewing period will not include performances or experiential programs safety management will continue on-site to ensure a pleasant experience Themed “Chrysanthemum Love Songs Calling from the Sea,” this year’s festival showcased a variety of chrysanthemum displays and nighttime illuminations which provided visitors with a serene escape from daily life The festival expanded across 2 kilometers from 3.15 Marine Nuri Park to Happo Waterside Park A specially lit Chrysanthemum Wish Road connected the sites offering visitors a magical nighttime experience Highlights included 230 chrysanthemum installations featuring over 120 million blooms Standout attractions were the 7-meter rotating chrysanthemum tree made from 1,080 pots and a remarkable multi-layered work with 1,535 blooms both capturing visitor attention and admiration The festival layout was carefully organized with booths arranged in one direction Reflecting visitor feedback from last year the festival also introduced resting shelters and conveniently located trash bins to ensure a clean and enjoyable environment Festival highlights included an opening ceremony attended by over 10,000 people with a drone light show and performances by singers Kim Da-hyun and Kim Ui-young A multimedia fireworks show drew 30,000 attendees including 80 local vendors and the fish market and the Changwon persimmon booth introduced a delivery service to enhance convenience with additional buses added to accommodate high visitor demand Read now > Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture and the leadership behaviours proven to deliver market-leading revenue This certification is based on anonymous employee feedback and independent analysis conducted using a methodology built on over 30 years of global research The Great Place to Work Certification helps outstanding candidates identify companies with truly exceptional workplace environments Masan Consumer is one of the leading Vietnamese fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies Masan Consumer has placed consumers at the centre of its operations driving innovation to meet everyday needs with quality The company also delivers premium offerings to cater to Vietnam’s evolving market the Great Place to Work survey garnered participation from over 3,000 employees across more than 20 Masan Consumer offices and factories nationwide The results revealed that 87 per cent of employees regard Masan Consumer as a great place to work received a remarkable 91 per cent overall score 93 per cent of employees feel good about the way the company contributes to the community a testament to Masan Group’s overarching philosophy of "doing well by doing good" This commitment is reflected in the various environmental and governance initiatives Masan Consumer has implemented over the years 92 per cent of employees expressed pride in both their personal achievements and the company’s overall success Survey responses also highlighted high levels of agreement on fair treatment regardless of gender or race underscoring Masan Consumer's steadfast efforts to promote diversity These outstanding survey results reaffirm the dedication of Masan Consumer’s leadership to placing people at the heart of its mission This commitment has elevated employee experience while strengthening Masan Consumer’s position as an employer of choice both domestically and internationally In addition to attracting a robust and professional workforce Masan Consumer is dedicated to comprehensive training and development programmes The company offers competitive and tailored compensation packages ensuring every individual has opportunities to invest in their future Masan Consumer also emphasises building efficient and employee-friendly HR systems to optimise performance "Achieving the 'Great Place To Work' certification for the second year in a row is a significant milestone for Masan Consumer It demonstrates our focus not only on serving consumers but also on investing in resources to elevate the employee experience continuously This is a core factor that empowers us to conquer ambitious business goals and contributes to making Masan a source of national pride by winning the love of consumers." This esteemed recognition from GPTW serves as a powerful motivation for Masan Consumer’s leadership and employees alike to continue building a workplace admired not only in Vietnam but globally Masan Consumer and Vietjet signed a deal on December 4 to bring CHIN-SU Pho Story on board during Vietjet’s domestic and international flights has seen its stock price soar more than 240 per centin the year to date In the third quarter, Masan Group’s net revenue reached VND21.5 trillion ($845.3 million) a 6.6 per cent increase from $794.2 million in 3Q2023 supported by sustained topline momentum from consumer-retail businesses Net profit after tax post minority interest of $27.6 million was up 1,349.2 per cent on-year driven by strong profitability momentum across the consumer-retail businesses and $30.9 million lower in debt-incurring net financial expenses and absence of non-cash deduction as result of FX volatility and amortisation (EBITDA) reached $166.3 million in 3Q2024 This significant uplift was driven by positive earnings growth momentum of all consumer-retail businesses Masan has hedged 100 per cent of its long-term USD-loan since the beginning of the year securing the P&L against negative impacts of FX movements with a year-over-year uplift of $20 million on net profit after tax post minority interest Consumer-retail businesses maintained growth momentum further supported by non-core activities’ profit uplift Masan Consumer Corporation delivered 10.4 per cent on-year revenue growth in 3Q2024 to $313.7 million driven by premiumisation in Convenience Foods (+11 per cent on-year) and Seasonings (+6.7 per cent on-year) and innovations in Beverages (+18.8 per cent on-year) and Home and Personal care (+12.4 per cent on-year) It also strategically reduced trade promotion to invest in higher Return on Investment activities such as new channel development and brand building optimising operating expense over revenue by 70bps net profit after tax post minority interest recorded 25.9 per cent a 90bps increase compared to the same period last year WinCommerce reported 9.1 per cent on-year revenue growth in 3Q2024 to reach revenue of $338.12 million across the whole network mainly driven by new store formats catering to urban shoppers and Winmart+ Rural catering to rural shoppers with 12.5 per cent and 11.5 per cent like-for-like on-year growth compared to 8 per cent on-year growth of the traditional format New store opening has re-accelerated as like-for-like growth continued to improve and new store formats with distinct value proposition allowed more flexibility in site selection Winmart supermarkets have delivered positive EBIT despite flat top-line growth Masan MEATLife delivered $1.69 million on-year uplift in EBIT and $4.13 million on-year uplift for net profit after tax post minority interest for 3Q2024 driven by increased sales mix from processed meat and higher chicken and pork market prices increased by 13.6 per cent on-year while farm revenue decreased by 28.2 per cent on-year in 3Q2024 as the company strategically moved further downstream and rationalise chicken farms Masan MEATLife’s revenue increased slightly by 1.7 per cent on-year to $76.3 million in 3Q2024 Masan MEATLife continues its mission to revolutionise the under-developed Vietnamese processed meat market with tasty with the two brands Ponnie and Heo Cao Boi having captured 50 per cent of the respective market share in the sterilised sausage market was the primary driver of the 19.4 per cent year-over-year growth in processed meat highlighting the strategic focus on product proliferation to expand consumption occasions Phuc Long Heritage's net revenue grew by 12.8 per cent on-year to $16.7 million in 3Q2024 mainly driven by contribution from 21 new stores opened in the same quarter The company currently operates 174 stores nationwide Like-for-like daily sales of PLH stores outside WCM maintained consistent growth in 3Q2024 compared to the second quarter of 2024 at 2 per cent on-quarter Masan High-Tech Materials' EBIT decreased by $4.6 million due to lower market demand coupled with disruption caused by Typhoon Yagi and scheduled maintenance of a processing plant Starck to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation for an equity purchase price of $134.5 million is expected to close before year-end 2024 upon which Masan is expected to benefit from a long-term net profit after tax uplift of $20-30 million Transaction proceeds will be used to reduce Masan’s outstanding debt balance Starck also means Masan is relieved from pension liabilities of approximately $196 million contributed $44.8 million in EBITDA in 3Q2024 “The most significant shareholder value creation driver is WinCommerce and Masan MEATLife achieving positive in 3Q2024 which will accelerate as we continue to execute our medium-term strategy Masan Consumer continues to deliver double-digit top and bottom-line growth and is entering the next phase of growth as premiumisation innovations and out-of-home consumption pick up," said Nguyen Dang Quang I am confident we will approach our high-case net profit after tax target of $78.6 million and now are focused on synergising our entire consumer-retail platform to deliver consolidated double-digit top and bottom-line growth for 2025.” 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A Pastor of 20 Years in Ministry: "Other Pastors Shouldn't Dismiss It Just Because They Belong to a Different Denomination They Should Listen for Themselves and Decide" During the '2024 Shincheonji's Bible Seminar on Testifying to the Fulfillment of Revelation,' held in Masan on the 25th a pastor who's served for 20 years expressed his impression "I was moved by how Shincheonji Church focuses on the prophecies recorded in the Bible." the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony agreed to host the seminar after continuous requests from pastors and believers in the Yeongnam region Over 100 pastors and more than 16,000 other people attended the seminar which was also broadcasted live on YouTube leader of Shincheonji Church and seminar speaker providing a clear overview of prophecy and fulfillment throughout the Bible "I am testifying to what I have seen and heard in regard to the contents of Revelation," Chairman Lee said "The words of the Bible must be delivered exactly as they are humble themselves like children and personally check whether the message is true or false." "The Bible says the path to Heaven is narrow and difficult Just saying you believe in Jesus won't take you to Heaven You need to listen carefully to every word Jesus spoke understand clearly who you are according to the Bible Pastors in the Gyeongnam region who have encountered the teachings of Shincheonji are showing signs of fundamental change "My perspective changed significantly after listening to the Word and judging for myself," one pastor said "I signed a partnership agreement because I believe that continued communication with Shincheonji will benefit the congregation." "I was amazed to see Chairman Lee give a lecture for over an hour without even opening the Bible; as I listened carefully I found nothing that strayed from the Bible," another pastor shared "I feel compelled to share this message with more people." Shincheonji Church is planning to hold another large Bible seminar in Busan on the 29th 727 Korean churches had signed MOUs with Shincheonji Church of Jesus to exchange teachings a total of 13,053 churches across 84 countries have signed MOUs with Shincheonji Church 1,671 churches in 43 countries have joined Shincheonji Church and replaced their signs Media Contact:Scott Alwin909-731-3451[email protected]  there was a lively atmosphere in Yeongdeungpo This was due to the "2024 Shincheonji Revelation.. Pastors from traditional churches showed an enthusiastic response to the Shincheonji Word Seminar held in the Yeongnam region Religion Do not sell or share my personal information: several Naga and Aghori sadhus and their followers played Holi alongside burning pyres in a manner unique only to Kashi Naga and Aghori sadhus and others take part in Masan Holi celebrations at Harishchandra Ghat in Varanasi (Rajesh Kumar) With some locals joining the celebration even as the sight left foreigners dazed and confused the city of Baba Kashi Vishwanath got off to a Holi start on Monday Under the aegis of Kashi Mokshadayini Seva Samiti—a social organisation—a procession of Baba Masan Nath was taken out from Baba Keenaram Ashram in Ravindrapuri to Harishchandra Ghat via IP Vijaya Pawan Chaudhary said hundreds of saints and devotees participated in this year’s procession in which Baba’s tableau ‘damru-dal’ and ‘band-baja’ were also a part As soon as the procession reached the ghat a grand aarti of Baba Masan Nath was performed Naga and Aghori sadhus played Holi with ashes from pyres and performed Shiva Tandava Five quintals of pyre ashes were arranged for the event from which the sanyasis who reached the ghat applied ash and gulal to each other No modern musical instrument was used in the procession Naga sadhus and sanyasis performed ‘tandava’ to the tunes of traditional Banarasi drums at Kashi’s Mahasmshan Harishchandra Ghat Chaudhary said this event was organized every year at Harishchandra and Manikarnika Ghats renounced saints and devotees participate in the Holi of pyre ashes The celebration of Masan Holi caused a row as Kashi Vidwat Parishad a body of intellectuals and Vedic scholars The organisation maintained its stand and said it was against the celebration of Masan Holi by common people and at households since it was against the tradition of Kashi Its general secretary Prof Ramanarayan Dwivedi said general people should not participate in it since such a celebration was nowhere mentioned in the scriptures Vishal Singh and hundreds of devotees were also present Pics: ‘Abir’ and ‘gulal’ were also used by people there Changwon City will host two major festivals in October celebrating cultural diversity and the beauty of autumn flowers The 19th MAMF (Multicultural and Migrant Festival) will take place from October 11-13 at Yongji Cultural Park co-hosted by Gyeongnam Province and Changwon City and special events like the Philippine Bayanihan Dance Company and the World Citizens Together Festival This year’s guest country is the Philippines marking 75 years of diplomatic relations with Korea the 24th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival will be held from October 26 to November 3 at 3·15 Marine Nuri Park Known as the largest autumn flower festival in Korea it will showcase 125,000 chrysanthemums across 10 themed displays Special city tour buses and marine sports experiences will be available for visitors Nearly 700,000 visitors attended the festival last year Masan Consumer released its Q3 financial statement for 2024 The corporation achieved 10 per cent on-year net revenue growth in the third quarter with after-tax profit up 14 per cent at $82.8 million This growth in revenue was largely attributed to increased demand for convenience foods and seasonings alongside effective production cost control Masan Consumer recorded $865.7 million in revenue while accumulated profit rose 13.79 per cent to $215.74 million MCH stock prices climbed 17.2 per cent in Q3 and have surged over 200 per cent over the past year known for popular brands in Vietnamese households such as Chinsu has developed a diverse portfolio of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) as part of its leadership strategy in Vietnam’s market while also pursuing international expansion The company operates across eight FMCG segments in Vietnam and Wake-up 247 contributing around 80 per cent of its revenue each generating between $150 million to $250 million annually This robust product portfolio is distributed via one of the country’s most extensive networks with around 300,000 points of sale and 2,700 sales staff under direct company control ranking third in urban and second in rural coverage Having achieved a leading position in Vietnam’s food and beverage (F&B) market Masan Consumer is advancing its “Go Global” strategy with a goal to drive 15 per cent of sales from international markets by 2027 Masan Consumer’s valuation requires a comparative lens alongside leading FMCG companies in nearby markets Masan Consumer's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2 per cent and a net profit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4 per cent over 2019-2023 exceed those of other listed F&B companies in Vietnam HSC’s recent report affirms that MCH is trading in a favourable zone when benchmarked against regional peers in terms of valuations Comparing some growth and valuation indicators among FMCG companies in the region CAGR of revenue in the 2017-2023 period (per cent) Average after-tax profit margin for the 2017-2023 period (per cent) Masan Consumer reported average revenue growth of 13.5 per cent nearly double the 6.4 per cent average of similar enterprises in neighbouring markets while regional enterprises posted an average after-tax profit margin of 11.6 per cent over this period MCH shares currently trade at a trailing price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 18.1x approximately 40 per cent lower than the regional peer average of 29.1x positioning MCH shares as attractively priced in terms of valuation and growth potential 40 per cent lower than the regional average of 27.7x and a return on average equity of 45 per cent (compared to a regional average of 28 per cent) MCH is viewed as financially efficient and competitively positioned both locally and regionally Building sustainable competitive advantage Masan Consumer’s board of directors announced plans to expand its FMCG model targeting larger markets to drive revenue and sustain long-term growth Masan Consumer introduced product lines serving diverse household needs–from the kitchen to the bathroom The current FMCG market it serves is valued at $8 billion while the total market size in Vietnam is estimated at $32 billion meaning Masan Consumer’s market share is below 5 per cent the company is venturing into the out-of-home market beginning with self-heating hot pot and self-heating rice products under its Omachi brand Securities firm KBSV believes that with its experience and the support of the WinCommerce system Masan Consumer is well-positioned to sustain growth domestically pursuing strategies of product portfolio expansion the “Go Global” strategy aims to serve 8 billion global consumers which has seen success on major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon (US) and Coupang (South Korea) with an aim to achieve 10-20 per cent of revenue from international sales Masan Consumer’s competitive edge stems from its brand strength the comprehensive Masan Group ecosystem (including the WinCommerce distribution network) MCH’s debt-to-asset ratio remains low and sustainable showing resilience without reliance on leverage to drive growth the company’s total assets reached $1.8 billion with cash and short-term investments at $324.6 million are maintained through efficient inventory management Masan Consumer’s board approved transferring MCH shares from the Unlisted Public Company Market to the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange This strategic shift is expected to drive a surge in MCH stock value with HSC rating MCH as a “buy” with a target price of $10.58 per share the forward PE ratio for 2025 would be 22.8x still below the regional average for companies in the same industry The deal reduces SK Group’s ownership in Masan from 8.72% to 3.67% the Vietnamese firm said in a disclosure Friday It added that the shares were bought by large organizations with long-term vision for the company SK Group’s remaining 55 million shares of Masan will be subject to transfer restrictions to help stabilize the company’s shareholder structure as it seeks to achieve strategic growth targets Foreign investors net sold VND1.3 trillion (US$51.4 million) worth of Masan shares Thursday They closed 2.7% lower Friday at VND74,500 SK Group still holds a 4.9% stake in The CrownX which comprises retail chain operator WinCommerce and Masan Consumer Holdings South Korean media have reported earlier that SK Group have been making moves to restructure its investment It expected to collect around $720 million from the endeavor Last year SK Group denied rumors of divesting from Vietnam and instead affirmed its long-term commitment to the country which it eyed to become a business hub in Southeast Asia Masan’s revenue rose 5% year-on-year to VND60.48 trillion in the first nine months while its post-tax profit doubled to VND2.73 trillion exceeding the year’s target by almost a third SK Group became a shareholder in Masan in 2018 investing around $470 million to acquire nearly 110 million treasury shares If the partnership fails to deliver expected synergies or if disagreements arise over strategy SK holds an irrevocable put option to require Masan Group or a designated party to repurchase the entire 109.9 million MSN shares issued in 2018 at a price of VND100,000 (around $4) per share The price will be adjusted for stock dividends and other corporate actions valid for six years from the issuance date can only be exercised once for the full stake and becomes void if any shares are sold before that time The option is currently set to expire in October 2024 through its subsidiary SK South East Asia Investment added to its stake in Masan’s ecosystem in 2021 spending around $410 million to acquire 16.26 per cent of WinCommerce SK Group has poured over $1.2 billion into Masan and its affiliates SK invested a further $340 million to acquire 4.9 per cent of The CrownX Masan’s retail-consumer platform that integrates WinCommerce with Masan Consumer Holdings while SK retained 4.9 per cent of The CrownX SK will transfer 7.1 per cent of WinCommerce to Masan for $200 million WinCommerce is Vietnam’s largest modern retail operator with over 130 WinMart supermarkets and 3,600 WinMart+/WiN minimarts Masan said increasing its stake in WinCommerce would bolster its control and accelerate growth in its core retail business The deal also includes an option for Masan to purchase SK’s remaining WinCommerce shares at the original investment price The partial stake sale allows SK to lock in profits while extending its long-term investment in Masan by prolonging the put option WinCommerce posted consecutive positive net profits driven by rapid revenue growth and the expansion of new store formats catering to both urban and rural consumers The results mark a key milestone in WinCommerce's retail strategy with innovations and operational efficiencies delivering sustainable profitability “WinCommerce is entering a new phase of profitability and we expect this trend to accelerate with like-for-like growth and continued development of Vietnam’s modern retail sector,” said Danny Le “We value SK Group’s collaborative approach which has maximised shareholder value for all parties involved.” 'New Retail' is fast becoming a buzzword in Vietnam and internationally as it is believed to be a great leap forward for the retail industry with many companies already announcing their shift towards the model emphasized that strategic planning has been crucial in garnering investor confidence One notable example was Masan’s acquisition of VinCommerce the company was struggling with a negative EBITDA of 7% which operates the WinMart and WinMart+ chains now manages nearly 3,700 supermarkets across 62 of Vietnam's 63 cities and provinces WCM reported revenues of VND7,844 billion (US$316.1 million) EBITDA also rose by 11.1% to VND172 billion (US$6.9 million) Masan reported that WCM had achieved three consecutive months of profitability and is expected to maintain positive profits in the third quarter of 2024 WinCommerce's annual revenue has stabilized between VND26-31 trillion (US$1.05-1.25 billion) "These numbers signal a promising sustainable growth roadmap for the future," said Michael Hung Nguyen Masan is also projected to exceed its annual profit targets for the latter half of 2024 buoyed by a recovering consumer market and supportive government economic policies These factors are likely to contribute to profitability during the second half of the year Masan's strategic initiatives have attracted significant foreign investment from global players such as KKR who seek long-term collaboration with the company the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust also made an investment by acquiring over 1 million shares of Masan Consumer (MCH) as reflected in MCH's 2023 additional dividend payment capital mobilization on the stock market reached VND181,345 billion (US$7.3 billion) by the end of June with VND18,966 billion (US$764 million) raised through stock offerings and VND5,877 billion (US$236 million) through bond offerings As both the domestic and global economies continue to recover numerous businesses have successfully raised significant capital through the stock market Convenience stores under the WinMart+ brand are at the center of Masan's retail expansion plans HANOI -- Vietnamese retail conglomerate Masan Group aims to triple membership in its loyalty program to 30 million people as soon as next year seeking to strengthen consumer relations amid an expansion push Solidifying its footing in a market with a population of roughly 100 million Masan plans to triple the number of convenience stores by the end of the decade The trust, which manages the assets of the charitable organization Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, owns 1.04 million shares of Masan Consumer which has announced that it would pay 2024 dividends at VND9,500 per share Billionaire Bill Gates seen at an event in London The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funded by a number of investors including Gates and renowned investor Warren Buffet The trust managed $75.2 billion worth of assets by the end of last year It has been indirectly investing in Vietnam for years It participates in the stock market through Vietnam Enterprise Investments Limited (VEIL) the largest investment fund in the country the trust was VEIL's second-largest shareholder with nearly 24.7 million shares instant coffee and other consumer products It plans to spend VND6.9 trillion in paying dividends this year Its shares early next year are set to be transferred from Unlisted Public Company Market to the country’s biggest bourse It posted VND5.5 trillion in post-tax profit in the first nine months the Shincheonji Church of Jesus held a large-scale “Testimony of the Reality of Fulfilled Revelation” event in Masan responding to requests from pastors in the Gyeongnam region This event marked the first major religious gathering in Masan since 1995 The conference focused on clear interpretations of the Book of Revelation and the realities of biblical prophecies and their fulfillment emphasized the importance of the Book of Revelation as fulfilled according to biblical prophecy urging participants to believe in the words recorded in the Bible He stressed that “the words of the Bible are being realized according to order believers must have faith in them.” He highlighted the importance of not neglecting the life-giving words that Jesus Christ sacrificed His life to deliver reiterating the necessity of faith based on the Scriptures who has been in ministry for over 40 years “I never learned deeply about the Book of Revelation in seminary and had overlooked this part myself,” adding “Studying Shincheonji’s teachings has helped me understand the overall content of the Bible more deeply.” He noted that discussions with fellow pastors have broadened their understanding of Revelation Shincheonji Church has held similar events across various continents garnering significant interest from pastors both domestically and internationally The church has established partnerships with 10,053 churches in 84 countries 1,671 churches from 42 countries have changed their church signs after creating a MOU with Shincheonji rebranded as part of Shincheonji after their agreements A representative of the Shincheonji Church stated “This event has served as a catalyst for a positive cycle that deepens faith,” adding that requests for teachings will continue to grow both domestically and internationally with more events expected in various regions The Masan event was a crucial opportunity for believers in the Gyeongnam area to reaffirm the importance of the Book of Revelation and the Bible and the church’s influence is anticipated to continue expanding Man Hee Lee will personally attend another event on the 29th at the Busan Andrew Education Center for local pastors and citizens Michael Hung Nguyen, deputy CEO of Masan Group shared the journey to reap fruits since the acquisition of WinCommerce which runs the WinMart/WinMart+/WiN chains “When Masan decided to venture into the retail market in late 2019 Investors believed that Masan was investing in irrelevant industries like the retail market and amortization (EBITDA) stood at minus 7 per cent this figure reached positive four per cent up 11 per cent following Masan’s acquisition of WinCommerce We hope that WinCommerce will achieve positive profits in the third quarter of 2024,” Michael Hung Nguyen said The hope was quite modest when the representative spoke at a recent meeting with investors WinCommerce continued to achieve positive NPAT in August 2024 Like-for-like growth of the minimart chain accelerated to over 10 per cent on-year meaning consecutive profits months from June to August 2024 WinCommerce has elevated its position in the retail sector since the transfer in 2019 WinCommerce was Vietnam’s largest grocery trade retail platform and WiN minimarts across 62 out of 63 localities accounting for 50 per cent of the total modern retail chains the chain records 2023 revenue of VND30 trillion ($1.2 billion) WinCommerce posted VND7.84 trillion ($316 million) in revenue EBITDA climbed 11.1 per cent to VND172 billion ($6.92 million) Masan announced that WinCommerce recorded positive after-tax profit in August 2024 After completing its corporate restructuring the company plans to open 10,000 outlets by 2030 This means WinCommerce needs to open 1,000 stores per year to triple its current scale WinCommerce’s leaders expect 80 per cent of stores will generate profits and the retail segment will record operating profits since its acquisition Vietnam’s leading retail chain has reaped fruits marking the beginning of a sustainable growth roadmap To achieve successful mergers and acquisitions or increase the chance of raising funds the company needs to formulate a clear strategy to persuade and gain trust from investors Michael Hung Nguyen proudly shared about his time working at Masan the group has successfully raised $5 billion and SK Group have made several investments in Masan towards long-term cooperation.” among major investors pouring money into Masan the billion-dollar Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust In a document seeking shareholders' opinions on making additional dividend payments for 2023 disclosed the list of shareholders with voting rights the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust holds more than 1.04 million MCH shares making it the 11th largest shareholder in Masan Consumer the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust has never directly held shares in any Vietnamese enterprise The company owns five brands with annual revenue over $80 million the company posted a revenue of VND13.97 trillion ($562.3 million) and an after-tax profit of VND3.46 trillion ($139.3 million) The company has plans to own $6 billion brands and become Southeast Asia’s leading company in terms of revenue and profit growth due to new fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) models Masan Group is expected to achieve consolidated net revenue of VND84 trillion-VND90 trillion ($3.4 billion-$3.6 billion) an increase of 7-15 per cent over the same period in 2023 Its core net profit after tax post-minority interest is expected to reach VND2.3 trillion-VND4 trillion ($92.6 million-$160 million) an increase of more than 17 per cent and double that of 2023 South Korea’s SK Group recently sold a 5.05 percent stake in Vietnam’s Masan Group as part of its ongoing business rebalancing efforts involved the sale of 76.28 million shares to an external party reducing SK’s stake in Masan from 8.72 percent to 3.67 percent Vietnam’s second-largest retail conglomerate reported that major institutional investors from the U.S. The two companies had previously agreed in September to extend the deadline for SK’s put option on Masan shares by up to five years SK initially invested $450 million in Masan in 2018 This transaction follows SK Group’s earlier announcement in September to sell a 7.1 percent stake in WinCommerce SK originally acquired 16.3 percent of WinCommerce’s shares for $410 million in 2021 WinCommerce operates more than 3,600 convenience stores and supermarkets across Vietnam SK is reportedly in talks to divest its stake in another Vietnamese entity SK initially invested $1 billion for a 6.1 percent stake in Vingroup in 2019 highlighted the “visible results of proactive rebalancing and operational improvement efforts.” The council is a deliberative body of CEOs of affiliate companies under SK Group and the group’s highest decision-making body SK anticipates reducing the number of its subsidiaries by over 10 percent by the end of the year While the group’s net debt increased slightly from 84.2 trillion won ($60.9 billion) at the end of last year to 85.5 trillion won in the first quarter of this year it began to decrease from the second quarter onwards Korea’s inflation rises 2.1% in April Korea’s first alternative trading system launches Naver’s resale platform KREAM pursues merger with StockX Kakao Mobility’s second-largest shareholder considers stake .. Shinsegae Gangnam opens ‘House of Shinsegae’ F&B space Competition for Korea’s first clean hydrogen power projects .. Coupang sets new record in Korea with over $27 bn sales in 2.. Retail investor activism on the rise in Korea Half of Korean jobs to be affected by AI adoption: BOK Korea feared to face delays in Czech nuclear power project d.. Samsung smart farm tech boosts mango yields, cuts costs in J.. LK Samyang launches superwide zoom lens with German partner Musinsa’s beauty business surges 130% in Q1 Luxury watches, jewelry rise as new growth engine for depart.. KakaoMap launches indoor navigation for 54 major train stati.. SK telecom shares fall on new subscription freeze KEPCO to unveil first 5-year power distribution plan by mid-.. Daemyung Sono to sell entire stake in Air Premia LG CNS partners with KAIST to train AI transformation expert.. item.tmx : Math.floor(item.tmn)+'/'+Math.floor(item.tmx)) +'℃ Samsung’s Bespoke AI Combo hits 100,000 sales milestone LG Energy Solution seeks global talent in U.S. LG Electronics rolls out tumbler washer MyCup LG Elec installs LED scoreboard at Boston Red Sox stadium HD Hyundai Heavy holds ceremony for Philippine patrol ship LG unveils 2025 OLED Evo TV Samsung unveils gaming monitor with glasses-free 3D technology KITA Chief meets Texas Governor to discuss semiconductor subsidies KB Kookmin Bank, KCS to enhance forex monitoring system LG Electronics’ AI Washtower optimizes laundry in 3 seconds Restaurant street around Masan Terminal in Synthetic-dong The streets are shabby because there are no people even at noon on the 24th which used to be a symbol of the commercial district in Synthetic-dong and only rental banners are flying in empty stores which had been in place for more than 20 years is also empty because it has yet to find a tenant since it closed two years ago The atmosphere of the company is also gloomy a Changwon home appliance parts manufacturer has seen a double-digit drop in sales this year This is due to a sharp drop in the volume of raw contractors heading to suppliers by increasing overseas production to reduce labor costs and respond to U.S A representative of a parts company appealed "We have endured low-priced attacks in China but it is difficult to maintain management anymore." Amid the growing impact of Korea's economic reverse growth in the first quarter local businessmen are pouring out words that it is the worst It is also revealed in a survey of local businessmen The Bank of Korea's business sentiment index by region in the first quarter of this year fell sharply in business conditions (-5.6 points) and domestic sales (-7.1) compared to 2023 two years ago The business sentiment index is an index of economic conditions recognized by companies such as business conditions and financial conditions the more companies are pessimistic about the economy The psychological index also worsened in the metropolitan area but the situation was better than in the non-metropolitan area domestic sales fell by double digits in Jeju (-31.7 points) "There are no private or public construction orders," said a representative of a Jeju civil material producer but these days are the most difficult." "We are urgently reducing labor costs because there is no demand for construction but it is only a stopgap measure," he said "If companies that are holding out for a while go bankrupt one after another the Jeju manufacturing industry will not be able to get back on its feet." The delinquency rate of corporate loans is also soaring as the hit on local companies intensifies As the banking sector tightened its funding channels for risk management the vicious cycle of being blocked again due to financial difficulties has intensified deposit bank delinquency rates in Jeju (1.1%) Chungnam (0.4%) and Gangwon (0.4%) soared to the highest monthly rate since December 2019 "As credit ratings of many local companies are falling it is inevitable to manage loans conservatively." An official from the Yeosu Industrial Complex Council said "This is the first time that the Yeosu Industrial Complex which has supported the national industry for more than 50 years Without special support such as emergency fund transfusion and tax relief from the government the entire local economy and industrial ecosystem could collapse." Experts say that the strict capital regulations of financial companies will be lifted to open up corporate funds but it has become urgent to prescribe reorganization of crisis industries such as excessive facility reduction and promotion of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) an economics professor at Korea University "Local governments should grow around new industries that fit regional characteristics such as mobility "We also need central government support such as rent support and corporate tax incentives." an economics professor at Catholic University "Giving reckless support to marginal companies to revive the local economy can weaken the financial system," adding "Selective and conditional funding should be provided by clearly judging the possibility of corporate rehabilitation." ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT) announced on Wednesday the successful closing of the sale of 100 percent of H.C Starck Holding (Germany) GmbH (HCS) to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (MMC) Group This transaction was as first reported in May 2024 providing a strong anchor for MHT’s order book a British fast-charging tungsten and niobium-based battery technology company nearing scaled commercialization as well as future commercialization of black mass recycling technology developed by HCS whilst transaction proceeds will be used to reduce MHT’s debt balance to approximately US$490 million from approximately $670 million pre-transaction the group is expected to report Net Debt to EBITDA of approximately 3.17x as of December 2024 consistent with its target of maintaining the ratio below 3.5x commented: “The sale of HCS is the first step in realigning our business platform to focus where we can create outsized shareholder value the transaction creates a healthier MHT balance sheet to ensure we remain the lowest cost producer of tungsten to take advantage of the macro and micro tailwinds – increasing demand for tungsten applications driven by improving underlying global economy.” a global leader in advanced tungsten materials it is the largest mid-stream tungsten producer outside China The company operates the Nui Phao polymetallic mine and a tungsten processing plant in Thai Nguyen Province northern Vietnam and has R&D centers in Germany and Vietnam It is also a major producer of fluorite and bismuth is a global leader in custom tungsten powder manufacturing With over a century of expertise and access to the largest tungsten reserves outside China an ‘integrated materials manufacturer,’ supplies essential materials like copper and non-ferrous metals and tools for industries such as automotive and home appliances The group also engages in recycling and energy businesses Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam Your comment will be reviewed before being posted 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Masan High-Tech Materials (HNX-UpCOM: MSR "MHT" or "Company") Group announced the signing of definitive agreements with Mitsubishi Materials Corporation ("MMC") Group (together with MHT Group Transaction proceeds will be used to reduce MHT's outstanding debt balance consistent with Masan Group's target to reduce Net Debt to EBITDA to below 3.5x Masan is expected to report a one-time profit gain of approximately USD40 million as a result of the transaction and benefit from long-term NPAT uplift of USD20-30 million Nyobolt is starting to scale and commercialize its operations Nyobolt unveiled an EV concept with 6-minute charging time and has signed Head of Terms with two major commercial customers There is monetary upside for Masan as Nyobolt starts to commercialize its innovative tungsten-niobium battery technology Chief Executive Officer of Masan Group and Chairman of MHT commented: "We will focus on rebuilding MHT to the lowest cost producer of tungsten to maximize cash flows.  At the same time we will continue to explore strategic alternatives to transform Masan Group into a consumer pure-play MMC Group's acquisition of HCS plays to its strengths in the mid-stream and down-stream tungsten value chain The acquisition will provide MMC Group with access to HCS's production hubs in Europe North America and China as well as a comprehensive tungsten scrap recycling platform backed by proprietary intellectual property including 90 worldwide patents and another 53 patents in the application phase The transaction marks the next step of business cooperation between the Parties representing a unique opportunity to create an end-to-end global tungsten alliance President of MMC's Metalworking Solutions business said: "We are very pleased to continue to partner with MHT Group and are confident that we can add to the continued success of MHT Group and HCS leveraging MMC Group's deep expertise and network This transaction represents an important milestone in the execution of our FY2031 strategy to further grow in the tungsten industry and contribute to a recycling-oriented society." UBS AG Singapore Branch acted as the financial advisor to MHT The closing of the transaction is expected by the end of 2024 and is subject to customary corporate and regulatory approvals ABOUT MASAN HIGH-TECH MATERIALS CORPORATION Masan High-Tech Materials is the global leader in providing advanced tungsten materials used in key industries such as electronics energy and pharmaceuticals with production facilities in Vietnam As the largest manufacturer of mid-stream Tungsten products outside of China the Company has two research and development centres in Germany and Vietnam and it is currently operating the Nui Phao polymetallic mine and a state-of-the-art tungsten processing plant in Thai Nguyen province Masan High-Tech Materials is also a globally significant producer of Fluorite and Bismuth https://masanhightechmaterials.com a wholly owned subsidiary of Masan High Tech Materials is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality tungsten powder tailored to individual customer needs The company combines a century of experience in tungsten processing with high innovative power and technological expertise Decades of experience in recycling and access to the world's largest tungsten reserves outside of China owned by the company's parent group Masan High-Tech Materials ensure stable supply with conflict-free raw materials Starck Tungsten Powders employs around 540 people at three production sites in Germany Canada and China plus sales offices in the U.S The company's headquarter is at its largest production site www.hcstarck.com MMC Group is an "integrated materials manufacturer." MMC Group meets customers' needs by providing such basic materials as copper and cement MMC Group also manufactures and sells mechanical parts electronic materials and components used in automobiles MMC Group is also involved in recycling and energy business under the corporate philosophy "For People Society and the Earth," pursues the vision of "Circulating resources for a sustainable future" and the mission of "Create a sustainable future (a prosperous recycling-oriented and decarbonized society)" MMC Group will continue to build a richer society by making unique materials that meet customers' needs and providing processing solutions best suited to each customer Investors/AnalystsPhu DuongEmail: [email protected] MediaPham Thi Hong VanEmail: [email protected] This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Masan High-Tech Materials' expectation intentions or strategies that may involve risks and uncertainties including Masan High-Tech Materials' expectations some of which are beyond Masan High-Tech Materials' control which may cause High-Tech Materials' actual results of operations performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions future events or promises of future performance "MHT" or "Company") today announced that it had reached a framework agreement .. Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy Machinery Mining & Metals Mining & Metals vice chairman and deputy CEO of Masan Group made these recommendations at a government conference on September 21 to discuss measures to support Vietnam's socioeconomic development Nam reiterated the goals outlined in the national stock market development strategy through 2030 targeting a market capitalisation of 120 per cent of GDP and a bond market debt level reaching 58 per cent of GDP Nam emphasised that to ensure businesses have access to lower-cost low-cost funding from foreign investors and boosting the non-banking capital market He also proposed expanding foreign investor access to Vietnam’s capital markets noting that this could significantly reduce financing costs for companies "This would enable businesses to access cheaper and more stable capital sources," Nam said "We appreciate the Ministry of Finance’s efforts to upgrade Vietnam from a ‘frontier’ to an ‘emerging’ market as it will unlock investments from global funds restricted to emerging markets," said Nam He added that Masan is eager to see new regulations addressing the pre-trade margin requirements a key step towards achieving emerging market status in 2025 Nam called for easier access to non-bank capital markets allowing businesses more flexibility in their capital-raising plans Nam also urged the government to reassess the stock exchange listing requirements to better accommodate new business models He argued that current IPO procedures are overly lengthy and complicated Masan further expressed concerns over two aspects of the latest draft revisions to the Securities Law which could potentially slow the capital market’s development The first involves new requirements that corporate bonds offered publicly must be secured by assets or guaranteed by banks While this amendment aims to strengthen risk management Nam argued that it is not well-suited to an economy transitioning from asset-heavy to knowledge-based industries He called for a more appropriate evaluation framework in this context The second issue raised was the proposed extension of the lock-up period for private placements of shares and bonds by public companies The previous regulation restricted share transfers to strategic investors only but the revision would extend this to professional investors as well potentially deterring investment and limiting the ability of issuers to raise capital through private placements Masan Group Corporation (HOSE: MSN) has successfully completed a $250-million equity raise from Bain Capital a world-leading private investment firm with approximately $180 billion of assets under management Hong Kong is exploring opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties across various industries particularly focusing on the financial market CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) talked to VIR's Luu Huong about how Hong Kong can share its expertise in developing financial centres and facilitate overseas listings of Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian companies which stands for Summer Programme in Sensory Evaluation is an international symposium held in Vietnam It brings together global experts in sensory science and businesses worldwide to interact with top scientists This year's symposium aimed to promote digital transformation and consumer science within the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry Building on the success of previous editions SPISE 2024 was held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 26 to 27 There were also representatives from the University of Texas The event discussed the latest topics in developing product formulas and applying machine learning to big data processing to meet the increasing and diverse needs of Vietnamese consumers and expand exports to international markets deputy CEO and chief R&D officer of Masan Consumer "Sensory science has been applied to our recently developed Consumer Innovative Center and Consumer-In-Love models (CIC & CIL) This new approach allows us to communicate directly and work closely with consumers using qualitative and quantitative methodologies." At Masan Consumer sensory science application in the product development process greatly supports R&D in delivering winning products Sensory science thus continues to be an essential tool for increasing innovation success rate SPISE 2024 featured workshops on sensory and consumer data analysis vice president of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology emphasised the symposium's growth and impact since its inception in 2005 "SPISE 2024 showcases the increasing importance of sensory evaluation and our commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration The evolving product development landscape demands faster and more agile approaches making sensory evaluation more critical than ever." -Applications of sensory analysis in the food industry/product development -Relating sensory and other consumer research methods -Advances in sensory and consumer methodology -Cross-cultural sensory and consumer research -Measurement of product experiences and emotions -Integrating data from multiple sensory modalities using machine learning techniques -Enhancing the holistic understanding of sensory experiences through data fusion -Applying sentiment analysis tools to interpret consumer feedback from sensory evaluations -Understanding the emotional aspects of sensory experiences through natural language processing -Developing models that predict sensory responses based on AI and machine learning algorithms -Utilizing predictive analytics for anticipating consumer preferences https://conferences.hcmut.edu.vn/spise2024#home One of Vietnam’s largest private conglomerates grabbed double-digit growth across consumer-related business segments in the third quarter this year paving the way for a full-year upbeat performance