Financial Performance - The company's revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022, was HKD 27,828,186 thousand, an increase of 4.2% compared to HKD 26,701,492 thousand in the same period of 2021[3] - Gross profit for the same period was HKD 8,184,466 thousand, down 5.8% from HKD 8,689,861 thousand year-on-year[3] - The net profit for the period was HKD 2,901,633 thousand, a significant decrease of 51.1% compared to HKD 5,941,244 thousand in the previous year[4] - Basic earnings per share for the period was HKD 2.173, down from HKD 4.573 in the same period last year, reflecting a decline of 52.5%[3] - Total comprehensive income for the period amounted to HKD 1,314,023 thousand, compared to HKD 6,405,307 thousand in the previous year, indicating a decrease of 79.5%[4] - The group's profit before tax was HKD 4,520,747, compared to HKD 7,343,231 in the previous year, indicating a decrease[19] - The group reported a total segment profit of HKD 4,775,339, down from HKD 7,586,074 in the previous period[19] - The basic net profit attributable to the company's shareholders decreased by 50% to HKD 2,522.3 million from HKD 5,061.7 million year-on-year[57] Assets and Liabilities - Non-current assets increased to HKD 54,787,315 thousand as of June 30, 2022, compared to HKD 53,550,772 thousand at the end of 2021[5] - Current assets rose to HKD 46,167,297 thousand, down from HKD 50,264,996 thousand at the end of 2021, reflecting a decrease of 8.3%[5] - The company's total liabilities decreased to HKD 22,259,420 thousand from HKD 26,846,033 thousand, a reduction of 17.1%[6] - Total capital amounted to HKD 68,683,293 thousand, with a decrease of HKD 3,561,080 thousand compared to the previous period[7] - Non-controlling interests were reported at HKD 5,666,121 thousand, reflecting a decrease of HKD 932,928 thousand[7] - Retained earnings stood at HKD 50,261,361 thousand, with a reduction of HKD 3,269,012 thousand[7] Cash Flow - The net cash generated from operating activities was HKD 3,497,605 thousand, while cash used in investing activities was HKD (2,282,477) thousand[9] - The net cash from financing activities was HKD 99,382 thousand, resulting in a net increase in cash and cash equivalents of HKD 1,314,510 thousand[9] - The cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period were HKD 6,826,867 thousand, compared to HKD 4,854,643 thousand in the previous year[9] Market Strategy and Future Plans - The company plans to focus on expanding its market presence and enhancing product development in the upcoming quarters[2] - The group plans to continue expanding its market presence and investing in new technologies to drive future growth[16] - The company aims to increase order volumes as downstream customers begin to replenish low inventory levels, anticipating a gradual recovery in demand in the second half of the year[78] Dividends - The interim dividend declared for the six months ended June 30, 2022, is HKD 0.30 per share, down from HKD 0.56 per share in the same period last year[26] Segment Performance - The chemical segment experienced slight revenue growth due to high prices and strong sales of key products like caustic soda and acetic acid[56] - The copper-clad laminate division's revenue decreased by 26% to HKD 10.74 billion, with EBITDA dropping 49% to HKD 2.26 billion due to high commodity and energy prices[58] - The printed circuit board division's revenue increased by 8% to HKD 6.99 billion, but EBITDA fell 10% to HKD 0.88 billion amid rising overall costs[58] - The chemical division's revenue rose by 5% to HKD 7.93 billion, while EBITDA decreased by 11% to HKD 1.89 billion due to rising raw material prices[58] - The real estate division's revenue surged by 657% to HKD 43.52 billion, with EBITDA increasing by 397% to HKD 2.13 billion, driven by higher residential property deliveries[58] Stock Options and Employee Incentives - The company granted a total of 16,370,000 stock options under the employee stock option plan as of June 30, 2022, with 14,490,000 options awarded to directors and/or their associates, and 1,880,000 options awarded to employees[40] - The estimated fair value of the granted stock options is HKD 77.3 million, with HKD 68.423 million attributed to options granted to directors and/or their associates, and HKD 8.877 million to options granted to employees[40] - The stock options granted under the plan are subject to a ten-year validity period[36] - The plan aims to incentivize participants contributing to the long-term growth and profitability of the company[43] Corporate Governance - The company has adopted and complied with the corporate governance code under the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listing Rules during the six months ending June 30, 2022[94] - The audit committee has reviewed the accounting policies and practices adopted by the group, including the interim financial report for the six months ending June 30, 2022[93]