According to the 'Star Daily' on December 9 (Reporter Chen Junqing), today (December 9) after the market closed, linkage software co., ltd. announced that the upper limit of the share buyback price would be adjusted from 9.6 yuan/share to 21 yuan/share.

The announcement indicates that the purpose of this adjustment is to ensure the smooth implementation of the second phase of the share buyback plan through centralized bidding transactions. In addition to the adjustment of the buyback price, linkage software co., ltd. has also adjusted the source of funds for this buyback from 'the company's own funds' to 'the company's own funds and/or self-raised funds.'

According to the recalculated upper limit of the adjusted price, the estimated number of shares to be repurchased will be adjusted to between 1,428,571 shares and 2,380,952 shares, accounting for 0.36% to 0.60% of the company's current total share capital of 400,010,003 shares.

A reporter from 'Star Daily' called the securities department of linkage software co., ltd. regarding the recent increase in the share buyback price and related issues. As of the time of publication, no response had been received.

According to the official website, linkage software co., ltd. was established in 2003 in the Suzhou Industrial Park and is a financial software company. Its main business includes software development services for Japan and domestic application software solutions. The company is committed to the application of emerging technologies in the financial industry, providing clients with comprehensive software development services including consulting, design, development, and maintenance.

On September 5, 2024, the board of directors of linkage software co., ltd. agreed to use its own funds to repurchase some of the issued ordinary shares of RMB (A shares) through centralized bidding transactions. The repurchased shares will be used entirely for employee stock ownership plans or stock-based incentives at an appropriate time in the future, with a buyback price not exceeding 9.6 yuan/share and a total buyback amount not less than 30 million yuan (inclusive) and not more than 50 million yuan (inclusive), with the repurchase period being within 12 months from the date the company's board of directors approved the buyback plan.

The increase in the buyback price is officially based on the above buyback plan adjustments.

On the day Linkage Software Co., Ltd. announced the share buyback plan (September 5), the closing price was 6.84 yuan/share. Based on today's (December 9) closing price of 14.48 yuan/share, its stock price has risen over 111%. Notably, the last time Linkage Software Co., Ltd.'s stock price exceeded 21 yuan per share was in April 2021.

Industry insiders have stated that the decision by the listed company to actively raise the maximum share buyback price is a reflection of improved market conditions and enhanced investment confidence. At the same time, it helps to stabilize market expectations and further boost stock prices.

In terms of performance, Linkage Software Co., Ltd. experienced rapid revenue and profit growth in the first three quarters, achieving profitability in the third quarter. The third quarterly report shows that they achieved revenue of 0.81 billion yuan in the first three quarters, a year-on-year increase of 64.4%; and a net income attributable to shareholders of 0.12 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 178.3%. In the third quarter alone, the company achieved revenue of 0.28 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 77.0%; the net income attributable to shareholders was 0.11 billion yuan, compared to -4.305 million yuan in the same period last year, turning a loss into a profit.

Linkage Software Co., Ltd. stated that the significant revenue growth was mainly due to the acquisition of 100% equity in Japan Zhimi and Zhiming Software Holdings (BVI) in November 2023, resulting in an expansion of business scale. Nomura Research Institute has committed to providing at least 8.34 billion yen in orders to Japan Zhimi and BVI annually until March 2026, effectively ensuring the company's performance certainty.

As of the close on December 9, Linkage Software Co., Ltd.'s stock price dropped by 1.43%, closing at 14.48 yuan/share, with a latest market cap of 5.792 billion yuan.

Recently, share buybacks by listed companies have intensified. Data shows that as of 19:00 on December 2, a total of 173 listed companies in A-shares had issued announcements related to share buybacks and increased shareholding through additional loans. Meanwhile, some listed companies have raised the maximum share price planned for the original buyback scheme. Since October, at least 20 A-share listed companies have proactively raised their buyback prices due to rising stock prices.

According to announcements released by several companies, there are two main reasons for adjusting the maximum buyback price: first, due to the market recovery, the company's stock price is approaching or exceeding the maximum price set in the buyback plan; second, based on confidence in the company's future stable growth and recognition of its intrinsic value.