March 12, 2004
Dear Fellow Shareholders
With this letter, we are updating our
shareholders and those interested in Largo Vista on new business
strategies being developed by the management of your Company,
the activities we have recently been involved in, and the opportunities
your Company is pursuing in the Pacific Rim, why we continue
to be excited about these situations, and why, sometimes, there
are frustrations and difficulties in moving the Company forward.
We are confident that the foundation we have established is
solid and that the opportunities in existence in this developing
part of the world are enormous. But
we are dealing with countries and situations that we can’t
always control. As with any Company involved in new ventures,
we are sometimes still on a learning curve and we have to be
closely attuned to changes and opportunities.
Our Concept
We believe we have the ability to market
petroleum and other energy products through our contacts, relationships
and experiences in both China and Vietnam. We have been proven to be trustworthy
businessmen who do what is promised and indeed exceed others’ expectations. We
know the pros and cons in the international business, the situations
in different countries, and the way to make the deal happen. We
have focused our efforts on three areas: LPG trading in China,
the potential international merger between Largo
and Petral of Indonesia, and international companies involved
in rebuilding in Vietnam. We have been careful not to disclose
information during the sensitive development of business transactions
but we now feel the time is appropriate to update our shareholders.
Petral
During the past year, Largo Vista Group honored its agreement
with Petral (the trading arm of its parent company, Pertamina)
to diligently open the Chinese market to supply buyers of liquid
petroleum gas (LPG). Petral needed to move product to cover expenses
of the LPG depot it had taken over from a Japanese company. China
logistically is the most favorable country for this depot to
supply. Petral’s former president, Mr. Soekono Wahjoe, had
made it clear to us many times that Petral wanted and was dedicated
to open the Chinese market. It assigned Largo Vista as
an exclusive agent in China and renewed this arrangement for
another year before expiration. All of this made us believe
it was worth pursuing this business transaction with Petral. Based
on that, we spent many months and enormous effort arranging
a consortium of buyers; we knew that no one in Petral really
knew LPG international trading and Largo had to cover every detail
of the trading so as to make the deal happen earlier; and thus
we have done everything in our capabilities including:
1. Prepared
several options for Petral to define the relations between Petral and Largo,
such as client/agent, Petral/China office, Partner/Partner, Seller/buyer;
2. Contacted
international shipping brokers for a quote of an LPG vessel of 20,000 MT on long
term basis and spot basis for Petral’s
consideration;
3. Visited,
more than once, dozens of companies including seven large ones all of whom have
the capacity to receive a vessel of more than 20,000 MT respectively for the
purpose of introducing Largo, Petral and other background as a strategic and
ideal supplier of LPG;
4. Worked
out a standard Sales and Purchase Contract for Petral in both Chinese and English
versions;
5. Hosted
an LPG Supply Conference by inviting our potential customers and their customers;
6. Attended
all LPG seminars and made as many business contacts as possible during the meetings;
7. Maintained
good relationships with regional LPG or Petroleum Associations and organizations;
8. Developed
an acceptable banking structure to satisfy both customers’ and
Petral’s needs;
9. Submitted
a policy proposed to Petral that Largo won’t
charge it anything until it makes money and Largo will go through
all the preparation until Petral sends its people to sign the
final contracts.
Beside LPG trading, Largo also made another
business proposal for Petral’s consideration: That Petral and Largo merge
so that Largo will benefit from Petral’s business strengths
and profitability while Petral will benefit from the US stock
market and huge market in both China and Vietnam through Largo. For
this purpose, Largo sent its delegation to Singapore three times:
first, to introduce the proposal, the second time, to answer
questions and explain details of the plan and the last time,
to sign a Memorandum of Understanding and to make video presentation
before going to their headquarters. In an enormous misfortune
to this opportunity, President Megawati replaced the president
of Pertamina and the new president of Pertamina replaced the
president of Petral. Politics, something we can’t control,
postponed this irresistible proposal from happening as scheduled.
Furthermore, Largo established a relation with a private (VS
Sinopec and CNPC, the dominant Chinese State-owned companies)
but publicly traded petroleum company, Tianfa Petroleum Corporation www.tianfapetro.com and
proposed to both Petral and Tianfa a master plan with a swap
of shares so that Petral can now enter into China market as a
pioneer now in petroleum business, a position lots of petroleum
companies want to have, while satisfying the requirement of Indonesia
government to privatize and diversity the ownership of Petral. Though
the Chinese partner had a positive response, Petral’s management
then was not ready to receive this proposal and didn’t
respond to the proposal we made in November 2003.
We are still excited about our situation
because even though we didn’t succeed in pursuing the cooperation with Petral
for political or other reasons, our efforts, our strong points,
the achievements and foundations the efforts have established
are still there. We will propose to the new management
of Petral or to Pertamina directly our cooperation and we never
close the door to other potential partners.
Vietnam
Similarly to our efforts to provide LPG
into China, Petral, our main channel of supply, failed to provide
competitively priced gas oil into Vietnam. Our strategy there is to provide
more services than energy trading itself at this time. When
the time comes, or we find a new qualified supplier of petroleum
products, we can restart our gas oil trading again. We will never
stop seeking other opportunities in petroleum industry where
Largo still has connections. Meanwhile, our strategy is
to provide alternative services to the energy trading in Vietnam.
Vietnam is now moving forward with billions
of dollars of infrastructure improvements and projects including
pipelines and processing plants. As we announced in several news releases, we will
serve as agents for some major businesses that are bidding for
these construction projects. Largo Vista is currently involved
in six projects in the country’s major effort to rebuild
its infrastructure and we estimate that service fees could exceed
a half million dollars.
We may also act as sellers/buyers of
the products for these projects. We are confident that
our knowledge of Vietnam and our contacts in the business will
allow us to play an important role in these major construction
efforts.
China
Our strategy with our operations in Zunyi is to stay in the LPG
business and pursue the significant opportunities. We are
becoming an expert in the development of retail business while
keeping in touch with as many secondary wholesalers as possible,
who are the customers of our future customers, the offshore storage
depot owners. The idea is that our module developed here
on how to run a retail business can be repeatedly applied to
all the LPG retail business in China. The main goals for our
Zunyi operation are to lower our overhead expenses, develop more
end users, build more pipeline networks and generate income. We
are also continuing our efforts to be an LPG supplier to offshore
depots, as we know the LPG international and domestic business
better than others, have more connections, and can present more
proposals that make sense and that can attract more international
petroleum companies.
Following such a strategy, we have done the following:
1. Maintained a very
good relationship with Zunyi city government officials, who expressed their appreciation
to us for our operations and the understanding shown in the cooperation
and completion of the first pipeline project. We have completed
the supply station of the second pipeline project and are trying
to obtain Projects 3 & 4, which are located next door to
Project No. 2, allowing us to use the same Supply Station. This
strategy greatly lowers the construction costs and increases
our profitability. Largo
remains the only company that has installed an LPG pipeline project
in Zunyi.
2. Recently, prior
to the Chinese New Year, 2004, we collected what the city government owed to
us, the amount that offsets all the costs of the first pipeline project. For
the second pipeline project, we established a policy that without
receiving the funds payable, we didn’t move forward. With
the completion of these two projects, Largo Vista can enjoy 40
years of exclusive rights to retail LPG through our pipeline
networks.
3. We changed our
management team in Zunyi, having elected personnel who are more aggressive, responsible,
communicative and devoted to our success. We expect more impressive operational
results from the new management. They are computerizing
our operations and signing up households for LPG service with
excellent results.
4. We are now working
to further reduce our operational expenses and
turning our bottle exchange shops from loss to profit. Anything
that can’t save a penny or influence our profitability
will be cut and greater efforts will be made to develop more
households and commercial users.
5. We were supported
by both local government and a local partner and we will strengthen our relations
with them in the future.
Compensation & Contribution
In 2003, a compensation program for all
staff members was put in place, a combination of cash, stock
and options. The salary level for all employees was significantly
lowered.
Mr. Shan Deng, Interim CEO, didn’t
get paid for the year 2003. Per the October 17, 2002 press release,
the officers have nearly completed the promised ten percent contribution
to the Company.
Profitability
As noted in our news release of March
2, 2004, detailing the completion of significant portions of
the second pipeline project in Zunyi, China, we said that the
only thing separating us from our projection of profitability
was that the occupancy rate has reached only 40 percent in
the condominiums we serve. As the news release explained, we
are continuing the expansion of our pipeline projects in China
for the long term. Interestingly, oil companies have invested
billions of dollars on natural gas pipelines in China and someday,
we believe, the pipelines that we have under our control can
be converted to natural gas
at an excellent profit for Largo Vista and its shareholders.
Other Projects
The management of the company has started
to investigate and survey of some projects in China that might
be excellent acquisition candidates. From the past experience, we conclude that
we should focus on something that we can control taking advantage
of our strengths. We remain positive and confident in the
pursuit of a successful future for Largo Vista. We thank
all you shareholders who have been so patient and supportive.
SINCERELY,
Deng Shan, Chairman
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included herein may contain forward-looking
information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities
Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules.
All statements, other than statements of fact, including, without
limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives
of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements
will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events
could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
The Company's actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of
a number of factors. These risks and uncertainties, and certain
other related factors, are discussed in the Company's Form 10-KSB,
Form 10-QSB and other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These forward-looking statements are made as of this
date and the Company assumes no obligation to update such forward-
looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, and certain
other related factors, are discussed in the Company's Form 10-K,
Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These forward-looking statements are made as of the
date of this release and the Company assumes no obligation to
update such forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Largo Vista Group
Investor Relations, 949-252-2180
Source: Largo Vista Group, Ltd.
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