Bottom line: Sogou is unlikely to shed its position as a second-tier search engine anytime soon, despite its ties to Tencent ties, and its stock is also unlikely to be a strong performer over the next 2-3 years.

Sogou pops on debut, but will it hold?

After writing about up-and-coming hot new names like Qudian (NYSE: QD) and ZhongAn Insurance (HKEx: 6060) making blockbuster IPOs over these last few weeks, it feels a bit like going back to the future by writing today about...

Bottom line: A periodic window of IPOs that opens every 2-3 years is taking shape, with fintechs and other new categories like online literature likely to do well, while older concepts  like e-commerce could struggle for attention.

New window opens for Chinese IPOs

My long-predicted IPO floodgate has finally burst, with no less than four major offerings in the headlines as we go into the new week. The new offerings I'm referring to involve two in the US, one for fintech ...

Bottom line: Sohu's plan to list its Sogou search unit has a 50-50 chance of happening this year, while AirMedia's 2-year-old privatization plan is likely to close within that period.

Sohu talks IPO for Sogou -- again

Bottom line: The resignation of Xunlei's founder as CEO, even as he retains his chairman's title, could indicate a sale is coming soon, with the most likely buyer as Xiaomi.

Big shifts happening in Xunlei boardroom

The incredible shriveling online video company Xunlei (Nasdaq: XNET) is making a tiny splash in the headlines as we head toward the weekend, with word that its founder is relinquishing his position as CEO. The move seems potentially significant, since one of t...

Bottom line: Sohu could privatize and sell itself after its Changyou buyout, while LeEco's mass layoffs could presage a shuttering of all its newer operations as it reverts to its original online video business.

LeEco slashes jobs

Bottom line: A tussle that resulted in injuries to a Tencent worker by a Youku peer at an industry event reflects the big tensions that exist in China's online video sector due to years of stiff competition that shows no signs of easing.

Wine glass incident reflects tensions in online video

Bottom line: Sohu founder Charles Zhang should privatize his company in the next year and then sell off the pieces, or risk see his dwindling empire slowly become worthless.

Sohu's incredible shrinking empire

Bottom line: Sogou is unlikely to make an IPO this year, despite new talk of potential for such a plan from its CEO, and may ultimately never list due to its lackluster performance. 

Sogou floats another IPO plan

Online search engine Sogou is testing the market yet again for a potential IPO, hoping to spin a story of opportunity to grab market share from scandal-tainted industry leader Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU). That story may sound attractive to investors unfamiliar with thi...

Bottom line: Alibaba's Taobao marketplace is likely to be included on the annual US "notorious markets" for piracy list for the next 1-2 years, after its return to the list this year.

Alibaba's Taobao gets coal for Christmas

Christmas may be just around the corner, but the folks at e-commerce giant Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) won't be feeling much holiday cheer this year. That's because Alibaba's hugely popular Taobao C2C marketplace has just been included on the latest edition...