The journey starts from the Titanic

In his previous life, Situ Nan often carried his American Express card to fly around the world, so he was no stranger to this company.

In Stuart’s previous life, American Express was not only the world’s largest travel service and comprehensive financial, financial investment and information processing global company, but also the only service company among the 30 Dow Jones Industrial Index companies in the US economy!

Well, another awesome character!

Situ Nan thought.

But still in 1917, there is no mobile phone network, no bank card teller machine, or the desert of the electronic information age. It is impossible to "one card in hand, I have the world" like the previous life.

The main business of Express Company is cargo and mail transportation, but the business in tourism finance has already been carried out, and the effect is not bad.

Speaking of American Express’s traveler’s checks, I have to mention Dennis Fargo’s old son James Fargo. The former President of American Express used to travel to Europe on a whim sometime in 18890.

Well, the rich in the United States prefer to go to Europe when there is nothing to do. At that time, Europe was the financial, economic, political and cultural center of the world. After these new world's nouveau riche became famous, they would naturally go to Europe to open their eyes. Same as ink.Today, the wealthy people in mainland China have money and time to travel to Malaysia, Thailand or the United States, Japan and Europe.

James Fargo rushed to Europe, only to find a situation that made him painful: Although he was the president of American Express and carried a traditional letter of credit, he found that except in major cities , It is very difficult to get cash.

This made James Fargo very angry. After he ran back to the United States in frustration, he invented the American Express Traveller's Check with Marcyrus Flamming Berry, and in 1891 it was denominations of 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars issued.

It was the American Express traveler's cheques made by James Fargo that made the company famous and diversified its business from traditional transportation and express delivery services to travel financial services.

In addition to the arms dealers, American Express was also the one that delighted the United States during the war in Europe.After the war broke out, Europeans continued to run to the United States. They came from different countries and regions and held letters of credit issued to them by different banks, but most financial institutions refused to provide any assistance.

For example, it is normal for someone to withdraw money from a bank in the United States that does not do business with Germany with a credit issued by a German bank.

This reflects the value of American Express. It acts as an intermediary. It unites many other banks in the European office to provide guarantees for the letters of credit in the hands of these travelers, so that Europeans come to the United States to hold American Express. Traveler's checks made by Yu are naturally unimpeded in the United States, and American Express travellers' checks have become popular across the country.

In view of this, in 1915, the Express Company separated all tourism-related services and established a special tourism department.

The first travel agency was opened soon, and Amex is currently planning to launch global travel financial services in the United States and Europe.

"Your father, Mr. James Fargo is really a great man. The traveler's check he invented has benefited countless people. Under his leadership, American Express has achieved remarkable results."

Situ Nan said to Dennis Fargo.

"Thank you. Dad has always been a role model for me, and he taught me a lot." Dennis Fargo said with emotion.

What makes him a pity is that the family's business focus shifted westward. After the death of his father James Fargo, the Fargo family temporarily withdrew from the management of American Express. It was a bit reluctant to think about it.

But when I think of his father and the Fargo family, Dennis Fargo feels a sense of mission. He has to shoulder the important task of bringing the Fargo family to glory.

...

Situ Nan has always liked huge and magnificent undertakings, and has a taste for things that he cannot control.

Although he controls a lot of American Express's stocks and knows the company's prospects, he doesn't take them too seriously. He just thinks that Express's travel finance business is good.

In his view, the railroad transportation industry in the United States is monopolized by the railroad companies controlled by the Morgan Consortium. The company's main business now focuses on transportation and express delivery. It is estimated that no matter how powerful it is, it will not achieve the kind of hope in its lifetime. height.

In the ten or twenty years after the First World War or the First World War, although rail transportation in the United States was still the main mode of transportation, Situ Nan, who was here late, understood that if he wanted to invest in the transportation industry, his goal could only be new cars. , Air transport and international shipping.

It is best to target the increasingly important Panama Canal and the Pacific route.And definitely not American Railroad!

First, American railroads are mainly in the hands of the Morgan consortium in the east, and they are not competitive, and railroads have less favorable investment prospects than new roads and air transport.

Isn't it?Now even California’s railroad king, Stanford, has passed away. The railroads in the United States have been repaired, and there is no need to repair railroads. There is no such thing as a near-robbery such as "railroad companies can obtain free access to both sides of the railways they built? Kilometers of land." Provisions.

The main reason is actually that Situ Nan has no money.In the past six months, Situ Nan has successively won Kodak, Guben Energy, Bethlehem Steel, and other big names. At the same time, he is also flexing his muscles in the aircraft manufacturing and automobile manufacturing industries. He has gained a lot, but he has paid a lot.

Some transactions are completed by means of share swaps, and some transactions involve large sums of funds. The stalls spread out one after the other, one spread larger than the other, and the funds are poured out like flowing water. Not a year or a half, these investments Don't expect to pay off.

If it weren’t for this special period, selling war supplies to the British and French, and selling the US Treasury bonds from the British to farmers in the west, small merchants and citizens, the money would be more profitable, even if Situ Nan had a bigger one. Don't dare to dig pits and throw money everywhere.

Take it when you see it!Stop irritating those people in the east!As for the American Express, it is still in the safe for decades, and when it issues popular credit cards all over the world, let’s jump out and share the profits!

Really tasteless!Although it's a bit delicious, but only if you live long enough!

Situ Nan thought to himself.

He understands that his actions during this period have fallen into the eyes of many people.If you continue to reach out into other people's homes through American Express, it is estimated that you will not be able to do well. Those consortia that have been offended may give up part of their business with the British and turn their heads to give themselves a punch. It will be hard to say then.

Thinking of Situ Nan here, I miss California a bit, and miss the sun, beach, waves and beauty there!

Chapter 134 The Prospect of the Rich Country and William Financial Holdings

Speaking of doing it, in order to achieve his own holding of Wells Fargo Bank, Stuart was not satisfied with becoming the largest shareholder of Wells Fargo Bank (25%). Then he invested 5000 in Occidental Petroleum, Robles Securities and Bethlehem United Steel. Ten-thousand-dollar Wells Fargo Bank has achieved the goal of doubling Wells Fargo's assets.

Adding the 25% of Wells Fargo's shares that Situ Nan originally held personally was converted into 12.5% ​​of the shares of New Wells Fargo after the capital injection, which adds up to 62.5%, and finally took full control of this bank that he coveted.

Although Dennis Fargo had been mentally prepared for a long time, he was helpless. The former Domination of Wells Fargo has now become the younger brother following Situ Nan. (The shareholding has been reduced from 31% to 10%.) That's too much to lose. Not real anymore.

Although the shares of the Fargo family have been diluted, their assets have not shrunk, but have grown, which comforts him.

He didn't have time to feel it, so he rushed to Jinshan on the 1st non-stop to start a new round of busyness.

According to his and Situ Nan’s plan, in the next two years, Wells Fargo wants to achieve full expansion in California. In addition to consolidating the market at the headquarters on the 1st, the most important thing is to concentrate on entering the Los Angeles banking market and strive to expand On the 1st, Jinshan and Los Angeles, two central cities in the north and south of California, became the core fortresses of Wells Fargo Bank.

Then it will expand to the whole state through the two centers of Jinshan and Los Angeles, the north and south, on the 1st. Finally, the flag of Wells Fargo will be planted in cities the size of California.

It is not easy to achieve this goal. Historically, Wells Fargo did not complete its full expansion in California until World War II. Then, after a century of intensive cultivation in California, it became the first-class commercial bank in the United States.

However, due to Situ Nan’s reasons, history has always changed a bit. Now that Wells Fargo has more resources, its strength has become stronger, and its business strategy is more aggressive and decisive than in history. The expansion in California was completed within a period of time.

Mergers are the most effective way to expand, and Wells Fargo is no exception.The United States is a capitalist society, and it has been pursuing liberal economic policies since its inception. The banking industry is very developed. In addition to Wall Street's giant alligators, there are countless small and medium-sized banks located in Beizhou.

This is no exception in California. Now these small and medium banks have become the hunting targets of the new Wells Fargo Bank.

Fortunately, Wells Fargo has not encountered a strong opponent in California for the time being. It is thriving. Its expansion has not received strong resistance and is invincible.

Through share swaps or cash acquisitions, a group of small banks in Jinshan and the cities around Los Angeles have become branches of Wells Fargo Bank.They are like the nodes of a spider web, snare the entire California in.

And the historical rival of the rich countries Bank of America has not yet been formed!While Italian Giannini was still bargaining with the farmers of Jinshan on the 1st, Wells Fargo Bank had already begun to invest heavily in California's booming manufacturing industry.

The difference between the two was immediately opened. If history does not bring Situ Nan back to the heart, it is estimated that Wells Fargo will not have to be held down by Bank of America for hundreds of years as in history.

Of course, the Italian Giannini is actually the target of Situ Nan to clean up. Situ Nan has some prejudices against Giannini, who is known as the "American Model Banker".

Although he appreciates Giannini's talent, he also thinks that this person is too unruly and difficult to tame, and he doesn't have much energy to "train" that stubborn guy.

why?

Giannini himself is very opposed to the involvement of consortia in banks. Historically, he has always wanted to make Bank of America a bank for the general public. Therefore, in the banks he runs, major shareholders cannot control too many shares.

Not only that, he also persuaded the bank's shareholders to diversify their shares and let the general public become shareholders of the bank.For this reason, he also fought a world-renowned banking war with the Morgan Consortium!

Such a person, Situ Nan, naturally felt a bit tasteless.If you can't be the major shareholder of the bank, and you can't control the bank in your own hands, what use does Situ Nan want such a bank?

Although the Bank of America has not yet been formed, Janini has not yet reached the historical height, but this person’s ideas and concepts have been formed and fixed. Situ Nan, who knows this person’s experience, does not think that his arrogance can help Jani Nepalese clothes, so he fell in with Wells Fargo at a glance.