Chapter 558: Group Advantages

The four magazines of *Zhi Yin Comic Magazine* have a weekly circulation of 11.2 million copies in Japan. In markets outside Japan, the cumulative weekly circulation is about 5 million copies. This means Jiuding Animation Co., Ltd. has to distribute over 16.2 million copies of comic magazines every week.

Among these, the magazines in Japan have the highest retail price, which is 4.5 Hong Kong dollars per copy when converted. In Hong Kong, the retail price is 3 Hong Kong dollars per copy, while in other countries, the lowest price is 2.5 Hong Kong dollars per copy.

Of course, the retail price is different from the factory price. Just considering the factory price alone, selling magazines for a month can generate 200 million Hong Kong dollars in revenue, with the Japanese market contributing 150 million Hong Kong dollars!

Additionally, there are commercial single volumes that have been published. Although only four comics—*Dragon Ball*, *Pokémon*, *One Piece*, and *Douluo Dalu*—have released single volumes, each series has released eight volumes, with each volume selling over two million copies.

In terms of single-volume comics, the four series combined have sold 69 million copies, creating 250 million Hong Kong dollars in revenue, with a net profit of around 80 million Hong Kong dollars.

Moreover, *Zhi Yin Comic Magazine* has many advertising slots, generating significant revenue.

As of now, Jiuding Animation Co., Ltd.'s magazine business has accumulated a revenue of 780 million Hong Kong dollars.

*Zhi Yin Comic Magazine* has become popular across Southeast Asia and in countries like Japan and Korea. The four animated series already produced—*Dragon Ball*, *Douluo Dalu*, etc.—have been sought after by TV stations around the world. The exclusive and non-exclusive broadcast rights have been sold 25 times, with an average price of 60,000 Hong Kong dollars per episode.

In more developed regions, the selling price is higher. For example, in Japan, each episode of an anime has been sold for 120,000 Hong Kong dollars, generating 155 million Hong Kong dollars in revenue from this alone.

And this broadcast right is not sold as a one-time deal; it only covers the broadcast rights for one year. After the contract expires, TV stations must pay again if they want to re-broadcast.

Apart from the comic and anime markets, Jiuding Animation Co., Ltd. has another major pillar: peripheral retail business—Manke Home Retail Stores.

Previously, Ma Tengdong focused on the Japanese market, expanding the number of flagship Manke Home peripheral stores to 50. Later, he opened 20 more new stores, bringing the total number of Manke Home stores in Japan to 70, firmly establishing the top retail brand in the comic peripheral field through capital investment.

Outside the Japanese market, Ma Tengdong also did not neglect to seize the momentum of anime and comics. He invested heavily to expand from the original 15 stores to 80, with a pace of opening 20 stores per month.

So now, the number of flagship Manke Home stores has reached 150, with monthly sales officially surpassing 80 million Hong Kong dollars last month, and a net profit exceeding 50 million Hong Kong dollars. The profit margin for peripheral retail exceeds 60%!

When Ma Tengdong reported that Jiuding Animation Co., Ltd. had achieved 1.215 billion Hong Kong dollars in revenue and 570 million Hong Kong dollars in net profit since its establishment, the entire conference room fell silent. Even Yan Wenhan, who had felt proud earlier, was taken aback.

The 570 million Hong Kong dollars in net profit is more than twice that of Jiuding Media Company, which was established five months earlier!

Seeing everyone's silence, Xia Yu's mouth curved into a smile of satisfaction.

It can only be said that they underestimated the potential of the anime and comic market. This data is quite normal, even slightly low, and does not represent Jiuding Animation's true level.

The four magazines of *Zhi Yin Comic Magazine* dominate the top four positions in the Japanese comic market. What does that mean?

Previously, it was comparable to the combined market of Shueisha, Shogakukan, Kodansha, Hakusensha, and Futabasha, the five major publishers, and even more!

Jiuding Animation, as the leader in Japanese comics, is also the leading comic company in Southeast Asia and even Asia. From tonight onwards, it will achieve revenue of over 300 million Hong Kong dollars each month, with a monthly profit of at least 100 million Hong Kong dollars!

Currently, with a cumulative revenue of 1.215 billion Hong Kong dollars and a cumulative net profit of 570 million Hong Kong dollars, it is simply because of the short establishment time!

In Xia Yu's view, in 1979, Jiuding Animation Co., Ltd. could easily exceed 4 billion Hong Kong dollars in annual revenue and at least generate several billion in net profit!

A real gold mine!

"I thought Jiuding Media was the most impressive. I didn't expect the seemingly inconspicuous anime and comic industry to have such potential. To nurture Jiuding Animation to this level, I was short-sighted!"

Many people in the room echoed similar thoughts, followed by a sense of immense pressure.

With Jiuding Media's previous achievements and Jiuding Animation's impressive rise, even Jiuding Publishing Company, which is considered less successful, has achieved 60 million in monthly revenue and over 10 million in net profit.

Reflecting on their own managed companies, everyone felt a pang of unease, and their faces flushed as they became nervous about their turn.

Of course, there was one exception: Zhang Lei, the manager of Jiuding Printing Factory. His mindset was relatively calm.

Because Jiuding Media, Jiuding Animation, and Jiuding Publishing Company all rely on Jiuding Printing Factory for their printing needs, the better the development of these three companies, the higher the business volume for Jiuding Printing Factory.

He reported with a calm expression: "Dear Chairman, colleagues, Jiuding Printing Factory undertakes all the internal printing business for the group, accounting for 97% of the factory's printing volume, with the remaining 3% from external business."

"The company has 18 printing factories across Asia. To match the rapidly expanding business of the sister companies, apart from the main plant in Hong Kong, the other 17 factories were acquired and expanded."

"Last month, the company's revenue increased to 150 million Hong Kong dollars, with a gross profit margin of 20.5% and a net profit margin of 12.2%. The monthly net profit reached 18.3 million Hong Kong dollars!"

"The company currently employs 1,225 people."

From the data of Jiuding Printing Factory, it is evident how the group's full coverage advantage in the industrial chain allows it to monopolize profitable printing business, making Jiuding Media and the other three major printing clients generate a monthly revenue of 150 million Hong Kong dollars and an annual revenue close to 2 billion Hong Kong dollars for the printing industry!

Although the profit margin of the printing factory is not high, because it is within the group, these profits do not leave the group. Saving is earning! It is equivalent to the three major companies saving 18.3 million Hong Kong dollars each month.

Moreover, because the business volume of Jiuding Media and the other three companies has turned Jiuding Printing Factory into an industry giant, greatly enhancing its competitive advantage, the factory is competing for a larger share of the printing market. The 3% share of external business indicates that the influence is already expanding, with monthly orders reaching 4.5 million Hong Kong dollars—quite impressive!