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Xiaomi to Raise Up to $5.27 Billion Through Share Sale

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Chinese smartphone and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Xiaomi Corp is set to raise up to $5.27 billion through a top-up placement, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters. The company will sell 750 million Class B shares, with a price range set between HK$52.80 and HK$54.60 per share, reflecting a discount of 4.2-7.4% compared to its HK$57 closing price on Monday.

Xiaomi intends to use the funds raised for business expansion, investments in research and technology, and general corporate purposes. The move comes on the back of Xiaomi’s recent success, reporting a nearly 50% jump in its fourth-quarter revenue and increasing its target for electric vehicle deliveries from 300,000 to 350,000 units for the year. Additionally, Xiaomi plans to expand its retail presence, aiming to open 10,000 new Mi Home stores worldwide over the next five years.

This share placement follows a broader trend of Chinese firms engaging in equity capital market deals in 2025, with total equity issuance from Chinese companies reaching $16.8 billion in the first quarter, more than double the amount seen a year ago.

Xiaomi’s offering is being managed by Goldman Sachs, CICC, and JPMorgan.

Toyota to Launch Wholly Owned EV and Battery Unit in China

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Toyota Motor announced on Wednesday that it will establish a wholly owned company in Shanghai to develop and manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries for its Lexus brand. Production is expected to begin in 2027, with an initial production capacity of approximately 100,000 units annually. The new facility will also create about 1,000 jobs in its start-up phase.

The new venture will focus on creating a Lexus-branded electric vehicle and developing battery technology for these vehicles. In addition, Toyota has stated that it will collaborate with the Shanghai municipal government on carbon-neutral initiatives, contributing to China’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

 

Apple’s Holiday Quarter Sales Affected by AI Delays and Chinese Competition

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Apple is expected to report modest revenue growth for its holiday quarter, with challenges stemming from delayed AI features and heightened competition from Chinese smartphone makers. Analysts predict a slow quarter for the tech giant as its iPhone 16 series, which launched in September, lacked AI features that its competitors, such as Google and Samsung, had already integrated into their devices. While Apple is planning to roll out improved AI capabilities, including updates to Siri, later in the year, these delays have hindered iPhone demand during the crucial holiday-shopping season.

Apple’s struggles with AI were further underscored when the company had to retract a news-summarizing AI tool that was criticized for inaccuracies by media outlets like the BBC. Jane Hepburne Scott, an investment manager at Aegon Asset Management, emphasized that Apple’s slower adoption of AI has contributed to a decline in its competitive standing and loss of market share.

Adding to Apple’s woes is fierce competition from Chinese smartphone manufacturers, particularly Huawei. The company’s global smartphone market share dropped to 23% in the last quarter of 2024, down from nearly 25% the previous year, with an even sharper decline in China, where its share fell by 10 percentage points to 17%. While the Chinese government has been subsidizing domestic smartphone purchases, these incentives primarily target budget-friendly phones, not high-end models like the iPhone.

Despite these challenges, Apple’s services division, which has been growing steadily, is expected to post a 12.9% increase in sales. However, the overall forecast for the quarter remains underwhelming, with analysts expecting just a 3.8% revenue growth for the period, significantly below the 6.1% growth from the September quarter.

Further complicating matters for Apple is the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, which has risen nearly 8% against major currencies, potentially making it harder for Apple to surpass sales expectations in international markets.