Li Ning to Sell 25% Stake to Sports TalentFirm

　　中國(guó)運(yùn)動(dòng)服裝巨頭李寧有限公司將把25%的股份出售給非凡中國(guó)控股有限公司。在中國(guó)服裝市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)加劇之際，李寧公司正努力進(jìn)行大規(guī)模業(yè)務(wù)整頓。

　　香港證券交易所公告顯示，由李寧公司創(chuàng)始人李寧控股的非凡中國(guó)將出價(jià)13.6億港元（合1.75億美元）收購(gòu)李寧公司四分之一的股份。非凡中國(guó)是從投資控股公司Victory Mind Assets Ltd.和Dragon City Management Ltd.收購(gòu)這些股份的。這兩家投資控股公司由李寧和其兄李進(jìn)控制。

　　李寧目前正在進(jìn)行大規(guī)模業(yè)務(wù)調(diào)整，更換了高層主管，并將品牌重新定位；這是該公司為提高盈利能力、擴(kuò)大中國(guó)服裝市場(chǎng)占有率而實(shí)施的三年轉(zhuǎn)型計(jì)劃的一部分。 李寧公司上周五宣布公司首席財(cái)務(wù)官辭職；這是最近幾個(gè)月來(lái)該公司高層一系列調(diào)整的最新變動(dòng)。

　　BEIJING—Chinese sportswear giant Li Ning Co. is selling off 25% of the company to sports talentfirm Viva China Holdings Ltd. as Li Ning attempts to overhaul its business amid fierce competition inChina's apparel market.

　　Viva China, controlled by Li Ning's namesake Olympic gymnast founder, will buy the quarter-stakeof Li Ning for $1.36 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$175 million), according to a statement to HongKong's stock exchange, where Li Ning is listed. Viva China is buying the stake from investmentholding companies Victory Mind Assets Ltd and Dragon City Management Ltd, both controlled byLi Ning and his brother, Li Chun.

　　Li Ning is in the midst of a major business overhaul, replacing its senior management andrepositioning its brand as a part of a three-year transformation program aimed at improvingprofitability and taking broader market share in China's apparel market.

　　The Beijing-based shoe and apparel company announced Friday the resignation of its chief financialofficer, the latest in a string of senior management changes that has taken place over severalmonths.

　　In July, Li Ning announced plans to replace its veteran chief executive with its founder Li Ning, aformer gold-medal winning Olympic athlete. It also appointed a top executive from U.S. buyoutfirm TPG Group to oversee the company's transition.

　　Sports apparel makers selling to China's 1.34 billion consumers have struggled with managinginventory amid increased competition in the country's apparel market. Companies such as NikeInc. and Li Ning were among the first to distribute their clothes across China, making availablebrands with mass appeal. But in recent years, as companies such as Swedish fast fashion brandHennes & Mauritz and U.S. clothing company Gap Inc. have piled into the market, competition forsportswear companies has increased as there are now more options for consumers.

　　Li Ning was also among the many sportswear company that anticipated greater sales following the 2008 Beijing Olympics and purchased excess clothing that it was unable to clear from the shelvesof its stores.

　　TPG managers have said they've been clearing Li Ning's excess athletic shorts and T-shirts andhave been moving to gain more direct control of stores.