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The Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Singapore could host Fifa youth competition, says Fifa chief Gianni Infantino
Fifa chief Gianni Infantino (right) and Football Association of Singapore president Forrest Li met after the second session of the Fifa executive football summit in 2025. - GIANNI INFANTINO/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE: A Fifa youth tournament, potentially a festival for Under-15s, could be held in Singapore in the future, while the Lions could participate in the cross-confederation Fifa Series friendly tournament in 2026. The ideas emerged at a meeting between Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li during the June 19-21 Fifa executive football summit 2025 in Miami, one of the host cities of the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States. Infantino confirmed the discussions about the two competitions and told the Fifa website on June 21: 'FAS President Forrest Li and I had a constructive discussion in Miami on how we can continue collaborating to take football forward in his beautiful country. 'When I visited Singapore in 2021, I felt the great passion people in the country have for football, and it reflected in the work being done to grow the game. 'Fifa has an established, fruitful relationship with the FAS through Fifa Forward and Fifa Football for Schools, and I offered Fifa's full support to President Li and his team while congratulating him on his recent election.' As early as 2013, Singapore had expressed its desire to host the Youth World Cup. In 2023, the FAS signed a letter of intent to discuss and consider co-hosting with Indonesia the Under-20 World Cup in 2025 and the Under-17 World Cup between 2025 and 2029. Indonesia had won the hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup, but lost them after it opposed Israel's participation in the tournament. They eventually held the Under-17 World Cup in the same year. Meanwhile, the Fifa Series is a biennial international tournament featuring friendlies between teams from various continents and held in different countries. Croatia emerged champions of the pilot edition in 2024, and the next edition is slated for the March international window in 2026. It remains to be seen if the Lions can accommodate for the Fifa Series as it will host Bangladesh in their final Asian Cup Group C qualifier on March 31. The Straits Times has contacted the FAS for more information, while Li told the Fifa website that he and Infantino had discussed the possibility of Singapore hosting an international event for U-15s. He said: 'We talked about the summer – new initiatives from Fifa about the Fifa Series and also the concept of a Fifa festival for Under-15s,' said Li. 'I think that's a great initiative to get more (Fifa member associations) involved and to help the players feel included and get the chance to experience the best of Fifa's football experience. So, I think that is very exciting.' Li, who is also chairman of Singapore Premier League and Singapore Cup champions Lion City Sailors, who made local football history by finishing as Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two runners-up last season, added that the ongoing Club World Cup, an expanded edition featuring 32 teams, is a 'great initiative'. He said: 'Finally we see a lot of excitement… and you see the best clubs from different continents finally playing together. So, this is great.' - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singapore could host Fifa youth competition, says Fifa chief Gianni Infantino
Fifa chief Gianni Infantino (right) and Football Association of Singapore president Forrest Li met after the second session of the Fifa executive football summit in 2025. PHOTO: GIANNI INFANTINO/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – A Fifa youth tournament, potentially a festival for Under-15s, could be held in Singapore in the future. That was one of the things discussed between Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li, after last week's second session of the Fifa executive football summit 2025 in Miami, one of the host cities of the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States. Infantino said on the Fifa website on June 21: 'FAS President Forrest Li and I had a constructive discussion in Miami on how we can continue collaborating to take football forward in his beautiful country, including the possibility of the men's national team's participation in the 2026 Fifa Series and the potential hosting of a Fifa youth competition in the future.' The Fifa Series is a biennial international tournament featuring friendlies between teams from various continents and held in different countries. The next edition is slated for the March international window in 2026. Croatia emerged champions of the pilot edition in 2024. Infantino, who also offered Fifa's 'full support' to Li, added: 'When I visited Singapore in 2021, I felt the great passion people in the country have for football, and it reflected in the work being done to grow the game. 'Fifa has an established, fruitful relationship with the FAS through Fifa Forward and Fifa Football for Schools, and I offered Fifa's full support to President Li and his team while congratulating him on his recent election.' Li told the Fifa website that they had discussed an international event for U-15s. The Straits Times has contacted the FAS for more information. 'We talked about the summer – new initiatives from Fifa about the Fifa Series and also the concept of a Fifa festival for Under-15s,' said Li, also chairman of Singapore Premier League champions Lion City Sailors, who made history by finishing as Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two runners-up last season. 'I think that's a great initiative to get more (Fifa member associations) involved and to help the players feel included and get the chance to experience the best of Fifa's football experience. So, I think that is very exciting.' Li also said the ongoing Club World Cup, an expanded edition featuring 32 teams, is a 'great initiative', adding: 'Finally we see a lot of excitement… and you see the best clubs from different continents finally playing together. So, this is great.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SE Q1 Earnings Call: Revenue Misses Estimates, But Profitability and User Growth Accelerate
E-commerce and gaming company Sea (NYSE:SE) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, but sales rose 27.8% year on year to $4.84 billion. Its non-GAAP EPS of $0.83 per share was 8.7% below analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy SE? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $4.84 billion (27.8% year-on-year growth) Adjusted EPS: $0.83 vs analyst expectations of $0.91 (8.7% miss) Adjusted Operating Income: $857.6 million vs analyst estimates of $470.9 million (17.7% margin, 82.1% beat) Adjusted EBITDA Margin: 19.6% Paying Users: 64.6 million, up 15.7 million year on year Market Capitalization: $98.14 billion Sea's first quarter performance was defined by rapid growth across all three divisions, supported by expanding user bases and improved monetization efforts. Management attributed the results to operational efficiency measures—particularly in logistics and marketing—across its e-commerce and digital financial services arms. CEO Forrest Li referenced Shopee's record high gross merchandise value and cost reductions, noting, 'Unit economics improved, largely driven by our continued scale expansion, cost optimization and enhanced monetization, especially from advertising.' Garena, Sea's gaming division, posted its strongest quarter since 2021, which management credited to a successful content collaboration and product diversification. The quarter also saw the rebranding of Sea's digital financial services unit as Monee, which posted notable growth in both revenue and loan book size. Looking ahead, Sea's leadership emphasized continued investment in product enhancement and regional expansion, while balancing growth and profitability. Management sees significant runway for Shopee in Brazil and Southeast Asia, with President Chris Feng stating, 'We remain confident of achieving our full year GMV growth guidance of 20% with improving profitability.' The company also expects Monee's off-platform growth and new lending products to drive broader financial inclusion. However, executives highlighted that future performance will be influenced by macroeconomic trends and shifts in consumer behavior. CFO Tony Hou cautioned that short-term margin fluctuations may arise due to evolving country and product mixes, but Sea remains committed to prudent risk management and diversified funding for its credit operations. Management pointed to a combination of product innovation, operational improvements, and geographic expansion as key contributors to first quarter results, while also noting the impact of seasonality and strategic cost discipline. E-commerce efficiency gains: Shopee's improved profitability stemmed from better ad monetization, lower logistics costs, and the rollout of AI-powered tools for sellers. Initiatives like the instant delivery option and the Shopee VIP subscription program, which surpassed one million users, increased purchase frequency and buyer retention. Brazil market expansion: Growth in Brazil was driven by pricing advantages, improved delivery speed, and targeted logistics investments. Sea's management reported that e-commerce penetration in Brazil remains low, offering additional growth opportunities as Shopee expands into underserved segments and diversifies product categories. Digital financial services rebranding: The transformation of SeaMoney into Monee marked a strategic broadening of financial services, including new product launches in unsecured lending, insurance, and banking. Off-platform usage of credit products, such as SPayLater, grew notably in markets like Malaysia and Indonesia. Gaming division momentum: Garena's performance was buoyed by the Free Fire-NARUTO SHIPPUDEN collaboration and localized content strategies. Management highlighted that these campaigns reactivated churned users and drove daily active user counts near pandemic-era peaks, reinforcing Free Fire's market leadership. Operational discipline and funding mix: Management underscored the importance of maintaining healthy margins and asset quality, especially in Monee. CFO Tony Hou explained Sea's preference for diversifying funding sources—rather than relying solely on internal capital—to support sustainable growth in its loan portfolio. Sea expects growth to be supported by ongoing e-commerce expansion, product innovation in financial services, and further gaming engagement, though risks from macroeconomic and competitive factors remain. Shopee's balanced growth approach: Management expects Shopee's growth to continue through enhanced buyer engagement, expanded ad products, and logistics improvements. However, President Chris Feng indicated that the company prioritizes market penetration over maximizing short-term profit margins, given the still early stage of e-commerce in core markets. Fintech diversification and risk management: Monee's forward strategy involves scaling off-platform lending and launching new financial products, while maintaining a focus on prudent underwriting and asset quality. Management stressed the need for diversified funding partners and stated that country and product mix changes could periodically affect margin trends. Gaming content innovation: Garena aims to sustain high user engagement through new game launches, IP collaborations, and locally relevant content. CFO Tony Hou noted that while seasonality and major campaigns may create quarter-to-quarter volatility, the long-term outlook anticipates double-digit growth in user base and bookings. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will watch (1) the scalability of Shopee's VIP membership and logistics enhancements, (2) Monee's progress in off-platform lending and funding diversification, and (3) Garena's ability to maintain engagement through new game launches and content partnerships. The ongoing development of AI-powered features and expansion in Brazil will also be key indicators of Sea's execution and market positioning. Sea currently trades at a forward EV/EBITDA ratio of 43.9×. At this valuation, is it a buy or sell post earnings? The answer lies in our full research report (it's free). Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
CNA
31-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Lion City Sailors complete domestic double with second consecutive Singapore Cup
SINGAPORE: The Lion City Sailors completed a domestic double on Saturday (May 31) with a 1-0 win against Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Cup final. After a goalless first half, Sailors attacker Bart Ramselaar scored the only goal of the game in the 49th minute to secure his side's second consecutive Singapore Cup. Ramselaar received the ball in Tampines' penalty box before giving the Sailors the lead with a deflected shot. The Sailors clinched the Singapore Premier League title earlier this month, ultimately finishing eight points clear of Tampines at the top of the table. It was their second league title under owner Forrest Li, the billionaire founder of tech giant Sea and recently elected Football Association of Singapore president. Saturday's victory could have rounded out a historic treble, but the Sailors were unable to cap off a fairytale run in the AFC Champions League Two. They fell to Emirati club Sharjah in the final of the tournament after conceding an injury-time goal.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sea Ltd's $410M Comeback: From Pandemic Darling to Southeast Asia's Profit Machine
Sea Ltd (NYSE:SE) just clocked its fourth straight quarterly profitmarking a clean streak since its last loss in Q1 2024. For Q1 2025, the company reported $4.84 billion in revenue, slightly under the $5.02 billion estimate, but still up nearly 30% year-over-year. Net income hit $410.8 million, and adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $946.5 million. CEO Forrest Li called it a strong start, backed by improving profitability across all three business lines. Shopee, Monee (formerly SeaMoney), and Garena all delivered growthwith Shopee hitting record order volumes and Garena getting a serious boost from its Free Fire x NARUTO crossover. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Sign with SE. Shopee's core marketplace revenue surged 39.2% year-over-year, powered by more transactions and stronger ad monetization. Monee saw 57.6% revenue growth and 62.4% EBITDA gains, with $5.8 billion in outstanding consumer and SME loans. Asset quality remained stable, even as the lending book scaled. Garena had its best quarter since 2021, with bookings jumping 51.4% and paying users up more than 30%. What's emerging is a balanced, profitable, multi-engine businessno longer overly reliant on a single hit product or vertical. The chart backs this up. From early 2023 through mid-2024, Sea was stuck in neutralrevenue flat, earnings bouncing around. But starting late 2024, something clicked: revenue climbed, EBITDA widened, and net income turned consistently green. Profitability is no longer a quarterly surprise. If Sea can keep executing like this, it might not just be backit could be building real momentum across Southeast Asia and beyond. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
