Chapter 298: Preservation

"I think Sister Mei's forecast is overly optimistic."

Li Mochen's personal accountant was named Huangfu Enda, and the reason Li Mochen decided to hire him was actually based on Li Mei's recommendation.

The position of personal accountant was extremely important; Li Mochen had to find someone he could trust.

As an accountant, Huangfu Enda was undoubtedly outstanding. He graduated from the University of Chicago with dual master's degrees in law and accounting, and previously worked at 'Icabod,' one of the four major accounting firms in America. Before leaving, he had served as a senior accountant at Icabod.

For a yellow-skinned person who was generally discriminated against in the American business world, this was a very rare achievement, especially accomplished within five years.

But it was precisely because he recognized the discrimination and the ceiling above that Huangfu Enda decisively jumped ship from Icabod.

This was also to repay the favor of Li Mochen's father. Huangfu came from a poor family, and his success was due to Li Chunchu's financial support.

"I think the period of huge profits can last at most six months. After that, the company will face increasingly fierce competition. It may even enter a period of low profits due to intensified competition, until enough losers are driven out of the market. With our current number of stores, maintaining a profit of 30 million gold shields after six months would be a very good result. Don't forget that if the company expands beyond Atlanta, we will have to hire a large number of security personnel, which will also significantly increase our operating costs. However, I still have a positive view of the Rising Sun Company's business strategy. The company's self-purchased stores not only reduce operating costs but also have great potential for appreciation. I suggest the BOSS complete financing as soon as possible. Based on our company's current profitability, the valuation is at least 1 billion gold shields. Sufficient funds will help us expand quickly, seize the market, and gain the first-mover advantage."

Upon hearing this, Li Mei pursed her lips without refuting, only adding: "Speaking of the security department, Kadiren means we must expand recruitment as soon as possible. Zhang Wei also feels he is beginning to be overwhelmed."

Li Mochen was not surprised. Although Zhang Wei was quite capable, he had previously served as security director at most for a company with a market value of 20 million.

The key was that this person's magic profession level was only fourteen. In the future, even without any expansion, the Rising Sun Company would need to hire at least ninety security teams and more than five extra-legal level teams to ensure the safety of its current seventy-nine stores. Zhang Wei clearly lacked the strength and prestige to command a number of magic profession users equivalent to a marine battalion.

"I will push this forward as soon as possible."

Li Mochen looked at Li Mei: "We have a saying in the East: 'It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.' I hope our company will control costs from the very beginning and not relax due to the current huge profits. The same goes for personnel training. Please convey this to Kadiren."

Elisa, in the corner of the sofa, sighed inwardly, thinking how long it would take them to earn so much money if they only relied on hunting. The profits and assets of the Rising Sun Company were almost too many for her to count.

Then there was Li Mochen's personal assets, which were relatively few and straightforward.

First, a short-term investment fund of 22 million gold shields, with a daily interest rate of 0.02%, maturing in a month and a half. This was set aside by Li Mochen for paying taxes.

Li Mochen also held 6 million gold shields in cash, intended for donations to political or charitable organizations.

Rather than contributing this money to the government, it was better to donate it in exchange for tangible benefits and reputation.

Li Mochen had not yet planned to establish his own charitable foundation; otherwise, he could donate the money to his own foundation and then cover his daily expenses through the foundation's accounts.

Then there was a twenty-story Bert Building, which Li Mochen had recently purchased for 12 million gold shields.

As for Richard Publishing House, only the land of its printing plant was worth something. Considering its 4 million gold shields in liabilities, the publishing house's assets were almost negative. If no changes were made, it was expected to lose 200,000 to 500,000 gold shields next year.

In addition, Li Mochen had completed the inheritance procedures for Li Chunchu's offshore companies.

Previously, these four offshore companies owned two warehouses in Atlanta, a factory that was subleased, and two five-story buildings; then three residences, two office buildings, and five stores across Europe and America; and two small docks in Brazil and Savannah Port, with a total value between 190 million and 230 million gold shields.

Two weeks ago, Li Mochen also purchased the Craig Community Bank, the building at 34 Anfake Street, the Blood Hand Security Company and its building at 22 Anfake Street, and the Anli Chain Laundry with fifteen stores.

It is worth mentioning that for the first three properties, Li Mochen spent only 6 million gold shields in cash at the foreclosure auction. Of course, he actually spent more, including costs for laundering black money and doing some work with the court and several council members.

Then there were liquid assets. Li Mochen currently held up to 180 million gold shields in cash, 22 million gold shields worth of gold bars, 40 million gold shields in stocks and securities, and about 100 million gold shields in various magical materials. Most of these were inherited from Li Chunchu.

The deputy团长 of the Sacred Blood Hunt was right; the Antoria Continent was indeed hugely profitable.

However, Li Mochen dared not let Huangfu Enda and Li Mei come into contact with this part of the black assets for now, so he could only estimate in his mind that the value was between 560 million and 650 million.

"BOSS, your finances are very healthy now, even excessively healthy."

Huangfu Enda looked puzzled: "Acquiring Mr. Motter's shares is no problem. Even based solely on BOSS's endorsement income, major banks would be generous. If BOSS can trust me, I can help you negotiate with the banks to lower the annual interest rate to below 8%."

"But A Mo's goal is not just the Georgia Post; he also has his eye on Firefly Media."

Elisa Targaryen said calmly: "Not long ago, A Mo's close friend suggested that if he plans to take over the Georgia Post, he might as well acquire Firefly Media as well."

She did not mention that this so-called close friend was Angela Medici.

Huangfu Enda's pupils contracted: "As far as I know, Firefly Media's equity structure is quite concentrated? The Flag Group also has very strong power."

Hearing this, Li Mei felt her heart race and sighed, thinking, has A Mo's ambition grown to this extent?

Li Mochen felt helpless. He only wanted to publish a comic; how did it come to this?

"The problem is that the Flag Group no longer has the patience to run it."

Elisa Targaryen shared what she had heard: "The Flag Group, rooted in the dark world and the New World expansion, has tremendous financial resources, but the recent war in Antoria has left them with no time to attend to it. Three of their hunting groups have been crippled. To raise war funds, they have been selling off assets on the market and seem intent on offloading Firefly Media. Of course, the timing might be a few months from now."

Huangfu Enda pushed up his glasses: "I don't know about a few months from now, but if it were now, I personally advise BOSS to give up. To acquire Firefly Media, we would need at least 400 million gold shields in cash. After all, when the Flag Group acquired Southern Cable TV alone, it spent 120 million gold shields. And BOSS's main business now is the Rising Sun Company; you can't come up with that much money. Even if you buy the Georgia Post and use those shares as collateral for a loan, it's far from enough. Unless you're willing to mortgage the Rising Sun Company's shares, but that would put you in a disadvantageous position in asset management. Moreover, Firefly Media itself is losing money. If BOSS takes over and can't turn it around, it will be a heavy burden."

Firefly Media was entirely a media company built by the Flag Group with heavy investment. It owned two fashion magazines, a sports magazine, the 'Atlanta Daily Telegraph,' and 'Southern Cable TV.' In recent years, it had been expanding its influence in the southern states, but the losses were also large, and the financial reports were not publicly known.

However, Firefly Media's influence was still there. The 'Atlanta Daily Telegraph' alone had 170,000 subscribers and 400,000 in sales. 'Southern Cable TV' had 3.5 million paying users. The bulk of Firefly Media's losses came from here; without enough money to purchase exciting programs, it was hard to retain the paying user base. Previously, the Flag Group was simply throwing money at it.