ATIF Holdings Chairman and CEO Jun Liu Interviewed by Yicai Media Group
ATIF Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: ATIF) announced a translated interview with Chairman and CEO Jun Liu, addressing the impact of COVID-19 and Sino-U.S. relations on their business. Liu noted that the pandemic and unstable relations had significantly affected IPO activities for Chinese companies. In response, ATIF has expanded into U.S. markets, providing IPO services for small and medium-sized enterprises and investing in IPO clients. The company is restructuring its business model to focus on the U.S. and European markets, digital assets, and crowdfunding, aiming for stronger growth and market position.
- Expansion into U.S. markets with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Los Angeles.
- Significant client acquisition for U.S. IPO consulting services.
- Introduction of a digital asset platform and NFT services expected to drive future growth.
- Restructured business model focusing on U.S. and European markets for IPO services.
- Impact of COVID-19 on business operations and stock performance.
- Acquisition of non-performing assets in the past negatively affected the company.
IRVINE, Calif., March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ATIF Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: ATIF, the "Company", "ATIF" or "We"), a holding group providing business and financial consulting services in Asia and North America, today released a translated interview of ATIF Chairman and CEO Jun Liu with Yicai Media Group, one of China's largest financial media conglomerates. Topics ranged from changes in Sino-U.S. relations to public listing service opportunities.
Reporter: As a business and financial consulting firm that provides U.S. listing services for Chinese companies, has ATIF been affected by the global pandemic and the deterioration of Sino-U.S. relations?
Jun Liu: Certainly, I think everyone has been affected by the global pandemic, including ATIF. As an institution serving early-stage Chinese stocks listed in the United States, from 2020 to the end of 2021, the Company's business has been greatly affected for nearly two years. This is mainly because Sino-US relations have entered a stage of change and instability, and together with policy uncertainty, it has brought a greater impact to Chinese companies' IPOs. There are currently nearly 200 companies applying for and pending review of Chinese stocks. The lockdowns and closures of businesses worldwide caused by the spread of COVID-19 challenged every corner of the economy. Additionally, the Luckin Coffee incident negatively impacted us and all law firms, auditing firms, and investment banks who provide services to early-stage Chinese companies.
Reporter: How did ATIF react in such a challenging environment and capture new business opportunities?
Liu Jun: ATIF's business up to that point focused on providing IPO listing consultant services for companies in Asia, but given the ongoing pandemic, we took steps that launched the Company's expansion into international markets. We already established a wholly-owned subsidiary in Los Angeles, California, in 2020, conducting IPO listing consulting business for small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States. Based on our research, most American SMEs do not have the opportunity to obtain professional and high-quality IPO listing services because of the high costs involved. At the same time, there are many Asian- and Chinese-funded enterprises in the United States. Although the business is running, the percentage of companies listing successfully is quite slim, almost none. Therefore, our U.S. subsidiary and its team found an attractive entry point to enter the U.S. market to provide consulting services for SMEs and Chinese companies in the United States and help them go public. We have signed several quality clients in the United States to provide going public consultant services. We are diligently working with them to help them achieve their listing goals in the United States.
At the same time, ATIF also invests in its IPO clients from North America. After completing the due diligence, we divide the clients into two types: making an equity investment with our IPO consultant services and providing IPO services only. The return for the first type of investment is tremendous for ATIF.
At the beginning of 2022, ATIF's business model has undergone some restructuring and upgrades.
- First of all, the IPO listing consulting business will mainly focus on the United States and Europe markets. We are positioned to provide IPO listing services for small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative companies in more attractive markets.
- At the same time, ATIF's recently launched investment fund for U.S. investors is also operated by a seasoned team with years of experience in trading and wealth management. Our services to high-net-worth individuals have been very well received so far.
- This year, we fully upgraded the IPOEX (www.ipoex.com) to the world's leading asset securitization service platform. ATIF will be transformed from a financial advisory services company into an internet-based financial information service platform consisting of diversified services.
- On the basis of the continuous development of our original business, we will vigorously improve the functionality of the IPOEX platform and provide several online services, including IPO listing business consulting services and digital asset management such as the issuance of digital currency and NFT products. We will cooperate with OpenSea, the world's largest and most well-known digital asset exchange, to launch the www.nftdpo.com network platform, providing guidance, along with distribution and on-chain services in OpenSea for users who issue NFT products around the world. These digital and NFT related new businesses will be strong drivers of the Company's future growth. The premise of our newly launched Digital Asset Platform Service is to leverage our knowledgeable technical staff and its technology stack to cater to the wildly popular non-fungible token (NFT) market. We believe such a business is full of potential. There have been many institutions and retail investors participating in it and enriching cutting-edge financial knowledge, technical support, and marketing support. ATIF's services comprehensively include digital currency, NFT design and issuance, on-chain services on exchanges, and aftersales marketing services. I believe this will be the growth drive of the Company's future business.
- We are developing and establishing ATIF's own equity crowdfunding platform on the IPOEX platform to provide a safe and dynamic marketplace between high-quality companies and investors eager to invest in the earlier stages of a company's development before becoming public. The platform is the bridge to solve their financing problems and prepare them to be IPO-ready in the future. The new business model will be more sophisticated and specific, with broad market demand, and we expect it to bring more lucrative benefits to the Company.
Reporter: What are the competitive advantages of ATIF's services to customers?
Liu Jun: First of all, ATIF's service team has rich experience in IPOs and other listing methods, with a proven track record of success with dozens of companies. More importantly, unlike other consulting agencies, ATIF's advisory services provide one-stop-shop services globally, ranging from legal, auditing, deal underwriting, and other related services. Each works seamlessly towards the same goal of delivering quality results for the client. ATIF's role is like a symphony conductor to provide a comprehensive effort based on each client's needs. ATIF designs a customized listing and implementation plan for each client. Moreover, because of our extensive network of partners, ATIF can also help clients select and recommend suitable and affordable intermediaries according to the size of the client.
Reporter: What is the Company's long-term goal in your opinion? What is your personal life goal?
Liu Jun: My goal for 2022 is to have ATIF positioned as an internet financial service company this year. As a financial service enterprise, the management team of ATIF has been engaged in the internet and financial service industry for nearly a decade. We have unique insights into the internet and financial industry. I was one of the first pioneers of the internet in China and one of the first three million Chinese to access the internet. After serving as the head of marketing at Alibaba in the early days, I started a b2b e-commerce group (www.b2b.cn), which became one of the top ten online marketing companies in China with over 2,000 employees. After that, I also created the Morgan Network, the first B2C online shopping mall in China. Now ATIF's service team has many excellent partners who worked together at that time. I believe that, taking advantage of our team's Internet and financial industry expertise, the IPOEX platform will be the world's leading asset securitization service platform in the future, covering corporate listing, equity crowdfunding, digital currency and NFT, funds, securities trading, and investment banking underwriting. Truly a comprehensive financial services platform.
As for my pursuits in life, I always hope that all companies and entrepreneurs can get fair and justified financing opportunities and quickly obtain development funds for enterprises and projects. May all enterprises have an equal opportunity at the starting line to grow and have a social and economic impact while contributing meaningfully to the economy and society.
Reporter: We see that the Company's market capitalization is extremely undervalued. Is this far from your expectations?
Liu Jun: Absolutely! Without question, COVID-19 impacted our business and, in turn, our stock performance. The acquisition of non-performing assets two years ago also negatively impacted us. We spun off those non-performing assets in 2021 and pivoted to our business and geographic expansion. We believe that the Company has found the right direction and a clear business model from now on. This year, we will usher in our development plan, and I expect financial returns will be greatly improved.
ATIF has gradually transformed; soon, we will become a domestically incorporated company in the United States. I believe ATIF is a company worth investing in and following, and I expect our prospects and future will be huge. A good public company should prioritize product improvement, market expansion, and team building, focusing on occupying the market and developing innovative business products, using the profits earned and the financing convenience of listing to reinvest in the business for further growth opportunities. Only companies with such foresight can maximize the shareholders' value in the future.
About ATIF Holdings Limited
ATIF Holdings Limited ("ATIF") is a holding group with business consulting, asset management and investment business with business centers located in Los Angeles, California, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, China. ATIF mainly provides IPO Advisory Services to small and medium-sized enterprises in Asia and North America. ATIF has advised several enterprises in China in their plans to become publicly listed in the U.S. ATIF was awarded the "Top 10 Best Listed Companies 2019" from the "Golden Bauhinia Award", the highest award in Hong Kong's financial and securities industry. For more information, please visit https://ir.atifchina.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantee of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, are: future financial and operating results, including revenues, income, expenditures, cash balances and other financial items; ability to manage growth and expansion; current and future economic and political conditions; ability to compete in an industry with low barriers to entry; ability to obtain additional financing in the future to fund capital expenditures; ability to attract new clients and further enhance brand recognition; ability to hire and retain qualified management personnel and key employees; trends and competition in the financial consulting services industry; a pandemic or epidemic; and other factors listed in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions you that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date such statements are made. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release.
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SOURCE ATIF Holdings Limited
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