Meanwhile, a detractor was Focus Media Information Technology (SZSE:002027), one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in China. Focus Media's advertising capabilities include digital screens in the elevators of commercial buildings, as well as traditional billboards and outdoor poster boards. With access to hundreds of thousands of billboards and digital screens, Focus Media can easily deploy large-scale ad campaigns in China. Owing to softness in the general economy, however, advertising spending has slowed, hurting recent earnings and sending the stock price lower during the reporting period. Despite short-term weakness in its stock price, we continue to like the company's long-term prospects. We believe it enjoys a strong competitive and dominant position and remains well-positioned for future growth.
From Matthews China Fund (Trades, Portfolio)'s second-quarter 2019 shareholder letter.
