Bank."
Strengths--
*International Finance.
Since HSBC is a multinational company itself, it is well-qualified to advise other companies on aspects of international business. With offices around the world, for the cosmopolitan client, HSBC often cannot be beaten in this area. HSBC knows how to succeed in M&A and organic and effective growth-- it was mostly an Asian bank until it took over a UK bank in 1992 and now has become the world's second-largest bank by profit.
*China.
HSBC is the "Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation" and it has 140 years of experience in China. Since China is the place to be nowadays for businesses and banks, HSBC benefits for being both an old Chinese company and trusted by the Chinese people. The best news for HSBC is that as other companies grow in China, it does, too, because it gains new clients and new global opportunities with each passing day. HSBC has the largest network of any foreign bank in China and deeply understands the Chinese market and customer. In a world that is increasingly going China's way, this is quite a boon to HSBC.
*Listed in London.
HSBC is primarily listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, which saves the company much grief in complying with new American
Sarbanes-Oxley laws. Many companies have chosen to list on foreign exchanges other than America because of the expensive new regulations.
*Record profits.
Last year, HSBC experienced the most profits ever for a UK high street bank, with profits of 11.5bn($20.97bn) for the whole year.
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Weaknesses-
*Branding.
While it is certainly a global company, HSBC came late to the game on deciding to perform an integrated marketing strategy and capitalize on its global brand. Because it had set up so many different banks in different countries at different times over a hundred year period, it