India Equity Analyst - Fundamental & Thematic, Beat the Street

Sudarshan Bhandari

India Equity Analyst - Fundamental & Thematic

Beat the Street

Beat The Street was founded by Nimish Maheshwari and Sudarshan Bhandari, both of whom are Chartered Accountants by Profession, known for their expert analysis in the fields of Business, Sectoral analysis, and Corporate governance.

With a strong social media presence of 45,000+ Subscribers across various platforms, they are considered trusted voices in the industry. Their insights and analysis have been featured in some of India’s most prominent publications, including the Economic Times, Dalal Street Investment Journal, The Morning Context, and The Ken.

Their analysis on Bankrupt & Insolvent companies has been instrumental in saving investors from significant losses. They have a keen eye for identifying red flags and has identified exclusive redflags earlier in Vedanta, Nykaa, Dhani Services, Adani and many more.

Read Business Not Stock Prices

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Big Tech companies are already generating significant revenue from AI. Microsoft expects to reach $10 billion in AI revenue by the next quarter, making it their fastest-growing area.</li>
<li>In the third quarter of 2024 alone Microsoft, Google, and Meta collectively spent over $42 billion on AI infrastructure, primarily on building data centers and purchasing computing equipment.</li>
<li>Companies are projecting continued high spending on AI into 2025 to meet growing demand. However, challenges remain, including supply constraints for AI chips</li>
</ul>


Big Tech companies are already generating significant revenue from AI. Microsoft expects to reach $10 billion in AI revenue by the next quarter, making it their fastest-growing area.
In the third quarter of 2024 alone Microsoft, Google, and Meta collectively spent over $42 billion on AI infrastructure, primarily on building data centers and purchasing computing equipment.
Companies are projecting continued high spending on AI into 2025 to meet growing demand. However, challenges remain, including supply constraints for AI chips


Thematic Report: AI Wave- Big Tech's Spending Spree

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Clarence Chu

APAC IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

Cuscal Limited provides payment solutions. The Company offers payment platform, cards, digital payments, automated teller machine (ATMs) solutions, and other related services. Cuscal serves customers in Australia.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cuscal-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40209:1" rel="noopener">Cuscal (1229Z AU)</a> raised around A$337m (US$218m) in its Australia IPO.</li>
<li>Cuscal is an authorized deposit-taking institution (ADI) in Australia that primarily provides financial infrastructure and payment services in Australia.</li>
<li>We have looked at the company’s performance and valuation in our past notes. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.</li>
</ul>



Cuscal (1229Z AU) raised around A$337m (US$218m) in its Australia IPO.
Cuscal is an authorized deposit-taking institution (ADI) in Australia that primarily provides financial infrastructure and payment services in Australia.
We have looked at the company’s performance and valuation in our past notes. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.


Cuscal IPO Trading - Valuation Appears Reasonable

Market & Forensics Analyst, Beat the Street

Nimish Maheshwari

Market & Forensics Analyst

<ul>
<li>India is experiencing a slowdown in capital expenditure (capex), both in the government and private sectors. This slowdown, largely attributed to the general elections in the Q1 of FY25.</li>
<li>The central government has set an ambitious target of 50.5% capex growth in the second half of FY25 to compensate for the sluggish first half.</li>
<li>The capex slowdown has resulted in reduced investment in crucial infrastructure projects, impacting key sectors such as defense, roads, and railways.</li>
</ul>


India is experiencing a slowdown in capital expenditure (capex), both in the government and private sectors. This slowdown, largely attributed to the general elections in the Q1 of FY25.
The central government has set an ambitious target of 50.5% capex growth in the second half of FY25 to compensate for the sluggish first half.
The capex slowdown has resulted in reduced investment in crucial infrastructure projects, impacting key sectors such as defense, roads, and railways.


Thematic Report: India's Capex Growth Ambitions Vs. Reality

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Back on the 9th October, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rio-tinto-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13:1" rel="noopener">Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO AU)</a> reached an agreement to buy <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/arcadium-lithium-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40438:1" rel="noopener">Arcadium Lithium (LTM AU/ALTM US)</a> for US$5.85/share (~A$8.70/share), a ~90% premium to undisturbed.</li>
<li>The proxy statement is now out, with a Scheme Meeting scheduled for 23 December. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025. The long stop is the 9th October 2025.</li>
<li>Trading wide-ish at a gross spread of 11.9%, reflecting the timing to secure regulatory approvals - notably from China - as opposed the Offer Price being viewed as opportunistic.</li>
</ul>


Back on the 9th October, Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO AU) reached an agreement to buy Arcadium Lithium (LTM AU/ALTM US) for US$5.85/share (~A$8.70/share), a ~90% premium to undisturbed.
The proxy statement is now out, with a Scheme Meeting scheduled for 23 December. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025. The long stop is the 9th October 2025.
Trading wide-ish at a gross spread of 11.9%, reflecting the timing to secure regulatory approvals - notably from China - as opposed the Offer Price being viewed as opportunistic.


Rio Tinto/Arcadium: Trading Wide Ahead Of 23rd Dec Vote

Pacific Smiles Group Limited owns and operates dental centers. The Company's centers provide preventative care, diagnosis and treatment for patients with a broad range of dental care requirements.

<ul>
<li>MA Financial (13.43% of shares out) and Alison Hughes (9.94%) said they will reject Genesis A$1.8675/share offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pacific-smiles-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2891:1" rel="noopener">Pacific Smiles (PSQ AU)</a>; therefore the 90% acceptance condition cannot be met.</li>
<li>Separately, PSQ's board also rejected terms, as Genesis Offer is below NDC's A$2.05/share Offer; plus terms are "opportunistic" as they do not account for PSQ's recent strong financial improvement. </li>
<li>What now? Genesis has the flexibility to bump. Expect that to occur. They won't fold their tent in response to this latest development.</li>
</ul>


MA Financial (13.43% of shares out) and Alison Hughes (9.94%) said they will reject Genesis A$1.8675/share offer for Pacific Smiles (PSQ AU); therefore the 90% acceptance condition cannot be met.
Separately, PSQ's board also rejected terms, as Genesis Offer is below NDC's A$2.05/share Offer; plus terms are "opportunistic" as they do not account for PSQ's recent strong financial improvement. 
What now? Genesis has the flexibility to bump. Expect that to occur. They won't fold their tent in response to this latest development.


Pacific Smiles: Key Shareholders Reject Genesis' Terms

Australia
Insights on Australia

Thematic Report: AI Wave- Big Tech's Spending Spree

Big Tech companies like Microsoft are seeing massive revenue growth from AI, with projections of $10 billion in AI revenue by next quarter.

Sudarshan Bhandari

Cuscal IPO Trading - Valuation Appears Reasonable

Cuscal (1229Z AU) raised around A$337m (US$218m) in its Australia IPO. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.

Clarence Chu

Thematic Report: India's Capex Growth Ambitions Vs. Reality

India's capital expenditure is slowing down due to elections, prompting the government to aim for 50.5% growth in the second half of FY25 to make...

Nimish Maheshwari

Rio Tinto/Arcadium: Trading Wide Ahead Of 23rd Dec Vote

This looks done. Trading at a 11.9%/20.5% gross/annualised return, assuming mid 2025 completion. That looks attractive. The key risk is one of...

David Blennerhassett

Pacific Smiles: Key Shareholders Reject Genesis' Terms

Pacific Smiles (PSQ AU)'s board caves and now recommends shareholders accept the Offer. Genesis Bidco now holds 32.93%, which the board reckons is...

David Blennerhassett

Thematic Report: AI Wave- Big Tech's Spending Spree

​Big Tech companies like Microsoft are seeing massive revenue growth from AI, with projections of $10 billion in AI revenue by next quarter.

Sudarshan Bhandari

Cuscal IPO Trading - Valuation Appears Reasonable

Cuscal (1229Z AU) raised around A$337m (US$218m) in its Australia IPO. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.

Clarence Chu

Thematic Report: India's Capex Growth Ambitions Vs. Reality

​India's capital expenditure is slowing down due to elections, prompting the government to aim for 50.5% growth in the second half of FY25 to make...

Nimish Maheshwari

Rio Tinto/Arcadium: Trading Wide Ahead Of 23rd Dec Vote

This looks done. Trading at a 11.9%/20.5% gross/annualised return, assuming mid 2025 completion. That looks attractive. The key risk is one of...

David Blennerhassett

Pacific Smiles: Key Shareholders Reject Genesis' Terms

Pacific Smiles (PSQ AU)'s board caves and now recommends shareholders accept the Offer. Genesis Bidco now holds 32.93%, which the board reckons is...

David Blennerhassett

Big Tech companies like Microsoft are seeing massive revenue growth from AI, with projections of $10 billion in AI revenue by next quarter.

India's capital expenditure is slowing down due to elections, prompting the government to aim for 50.5% growth in the second half of FY25 to make...