Founder & Managing Director, AIR Control Tower, AIR Control Tower

Neil Glynn

Founder & Managing Director, AIR Control Tower

AIR Control Tower

AIR Control Tower is an independent research and analysis platform. Its mission is to provide impactful insight and analysis across the global airline industry at a company and market level via detailed financial models to aid decision making for key stake holders at a time when risks have seldom, if ever, been higher and the global sector grapples with the imperative of funding de-carbonisation. Unique analysis forecasting global carrier-level earnings/cash flows, and restructuring/de-leveraging prospects, is designed to dynamically assess the health of the industry, predict surprises and identify potential requirements for third party support.

Insights on the global airline industry

Equity Bottom-Up

Ryanair Holdings plc provides low fare passenger airline services to destinations in Europe.

<ul>
<li>Ryanair issued a stark warning on summer pricing today with 1Q25 results and we cut our FY25 net income 31% accordingly.</li>
<li>Our forecasts represent a re-set of unitary economics to pre-pandemic levels and it is difficult to plot improvement unless consolidation benefits or winter surgery help FY26.</li>
<li>Ryanair's cost advantage has widened markedly against peers, justifying a strategy of continued market share focus as competitors face greater challenges.</li>
</ul>


Ryanair issued a stark warning on summer pricing today with 1Q25 results and we cut our FY25 net income 31% accordingly.
Our forecasts represent a re-set of unitary economics to pre-pandemic levels and it is difficult to plot improvement unless consolidation benefits or winter surgery help FY26.
Ryanair's cost advantage has widened markedly against peers, justifying a strategy of continued market share focus as competitors face greater challenges.


Ryanair – FY25 Weakness Suggests a “normalization” and Prompts Structural Industry Questions

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>All three Chinese airlines trimmed their losses in 1H24, suggesting a pick-up in sector fundamentals. However, their 2Q24 bottom line displayed different trends.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)</a> is performing the best, with QoQ improvement in both reported and recurring losses (reduction by 41.7% and 7.4%, respectively).</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)</a>, however, dipped back into red in 2Q24 after making a profit in 1Q24. With Air China underperforming YTD, there is room to revenge in 2H24.</li>
</ul>


All three Chinese airlines trimmed their losses in 1H24, suggesting a pick-up in sector fundamentals. However, their 2Q24 bottom line displayed different trends.

Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) is performing the best, with QoQ improvement in both reported and recurring losses (reduction by 41.7% and 7.4%, respectively).

China Southern Airlines (1055 HK), however, dipped back into red in 2Q24 after making a profit in 1Q24. With Air China underperforming YTD, there is room to revenge in 2H24.


IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

China Traditional Chinese Medicine / Event-Driven

China Traditional Chinese Medicine Co. Limited, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells medicine and pharmaceutical products in China.

China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK)

<ul>
<li>We summarise the latest spreads and newsflow of merger arb situations we cover across Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Chinese ADRs.</li>
<li>Highest spreads: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yichang-hec-changjiang-pharmaceutical" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21040:1" rel="noopener">Yichang HEC Changjiang Pharma (1558 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-traditional-chinese-medicine" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:351:1" rel="noopener">China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/asia-cement-china-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3374:1" rel="noopener">Asia Cement China (743 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canvest-environmental-protection-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:100:1" rel="noopener">Canvest Environmental Protection Group (1381 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/greatview-aseptic-packaging" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10802:1" rel="noopener">Greatview Aseptic Packaging (468 HK)</a>.
</li>
<li>Lowest spreads: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tatsuta-electric-wire-cable-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12509:1" rel="noopener">Tatsuta Electric Wire &amp; Cable (5809 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alumina-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:939:1" rel="noopener">Alumina Ltd (AWC AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fancl-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15862:1" rel="noopener">Fancl Corp (4921 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mimasu-semiconductor-industry-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5531:1" rel="noopener">Mimasu Semiconductor Industry (8155 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/infocom-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8412:1" rel="noopener">Infocom Corp (4348 JP)</a>, Hollysys.
</li>
</ul>


We summarise the latest spreads and newsflow of merger arb situations we cover across Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Chinese ADRs.
Highest spreads: Yichang HEC Changjiang Pharma (1558 HK), China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK), Asia Cement China (743 HK), Canvest Environmental Protection Group (1381 HK), Greatview Aseptic Packaging (468 HK).

Lowest spreads: Tatsuta Electric Wire &amp; Cable (5809 JP), Alumina Ltd (AWC AU), Fancl Corp (4921 JP), Mimasu Semiconductor Industry (8155 JP), Infocom Corp (4348 JP), Hollysys.



Merger Arb Mondays (22 Jul) - China TCM, GA Pack, Huafa, Samson, CPMC, Fancl, Tatsuta, Capitol

Asian Hedge Fund Manager, Long Short Equity, Macro

David Mudd

CK Infrastructure Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

CK Infrastructure Holdings Limited (CKI) operates as a real assets investment company. The Company invests in energy, transportation, water, and electricity generation sectors. CKI serves customers worldwide.

<ul>
<li>Equity ETF flows in China continued to lead Asia as the "National Team" in China supports market levels during the 3rd Plenum.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ck-infrastructure-holdings-l" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:163:1" rel="noopener">CK Infrastructure Holdings (1038 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/genscript-biotech-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21041:1" rel="noopener">Genscript Biotech (1548 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/boc-aviation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22689:1" rel="noopener">BOC Aviation (2588 HK)</a> saw positive news sentiment and share price movements for the week.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jiumaojiu-international-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28293:1" rel="noopener">Jiumaojiu (9922 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aluminum-corporation-of-china-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6884:1" rel="noopener">Aluminum Corporation Of China (2600 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-hongqiao-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1909:1" rel="noopener">China Hongqiao (1378 HK)</a> saw negative news sentiment and share price drops for the week.</li>
</ul>


Equity ETF flows in China continued to lead Asia as the "National Team" in China supports market levels during the 3rd Plenum.

CK Infrastructure Holdings (1038 HK) , Genscript Biotech (1548 HK) and BOC Aviation (2588 HK) saw positive news sentiment and share price movements for the week.

Jiumaojiu (9922 HK) , Aluminum Corporation Of China (2600 HK) and China Hongqiao (1378 HK) saw negative news sentiment and share price drops for the week.


The Heat Is On: News Flow and Sentiment in CHINA / HONG KONG (July 19)

<ul>
<li>Latest fare data suggests an incrementally more concerning trend for Ryanair pricing from June.</li>
<li>Concerns over pricing continue to increase in Europe, following Lufthansa's profit warning last week.</li>
<li>We cut our FY25 net income by 9% to €2,289m albeit remain above consensus of €2,170m.</li>
</ul>


Latest fare data suggests an incrementally more concerning trend for Ryanair pricing from June.
Concerns over pricing continue to increase in Europe, following Lufthansa's profit warning last week.
We cut our FY25 net income by 9% to €2,289m albeit remain above consensus of €2,170m.


Ryanair - Pricing Appears to Be Softening; Re-Setting Profitability Expectations

Aviation and Airlines
Aviation and Airlines Industry

Ryanair – FY25 Weakness Suggests a “normalization” and Prompts Structural Industry Questions

We publish detailed analysis on Ryanair's pessimistic outlook, highlighting that FY25's performance simply reflects a normalization, and...

Neil Glynn

Chinese Airlines: Diverging Performance

Chinese airlines show signs of improvement in 1H24, but 2Q24 results vary: Air China leads with reduced losses, while China Southern slips back...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Merger Arb Mondays (22 Jul) - China TCM, GA Pack, Huafa, Samson, CPMC, Fancl, Tatsuta, Capitol

This week, the highest gross spreads are HEC Pharma (122.5%), China TCM (31.8%), Asia Cement (12.6%), Canvest (11.1%), GA Pack (10.9%), Malaysia...

Arun George

The Heat Is On: News Flow and Sentiment in CHINA / HONG KONG (July 19)

Equity ETF flows in China benefited from National Team buying this week. CK Infrastructure, Genscript Bio and BOC Aviation saw positive news...

David Mudd

Ryanair - Pricing Appears to Be Softening; Re-Setting Profitability Expectations

Reflection of latest fare data in our Ryanair forecasts, with market pricing apparently softening further from June. We cut FY25 net income by 9%...

Neil Glynn

Ryanair – FY25 Weakness Suggests a “normalization” and Prompts Structural Industry Questions

We publish detailed analysis on Ryanair's pessimistic outlook, highlighting that FY25's performance simply reflects a normalization, and...

Neil Glynn

Chinese Airlines: Diverging Performance

​Chinese airlines show signs of improvement in 1H24, but 2Q24 results vary: Air China leads with reduced losses, while China Southern slips back...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Merger Arb Mondays (22 Jul) - China TCM, GA Pack, Huafa, Samson, CPMC, Fancl, Tatsuta, Capitol

This week, the highest gross spreads are HEC Pharma (122.5%), China TCM (31.8%), Asia Cement (12.6%), Canvest (11.1%), GA Pack (10.9%), Malaysia...

Arun George

The Heat Is On: News Flow and Sentiment in CHINA / HONG KONG (July 19)

Equity ETF flows in China benefited from National Team buying this week. CK Infrastructure, Genscript Bio and BOC Aviation saw positive news...

David Mudd

Ryanair - Pricing Appears to Be Softening; Re-Setting Profitability Expectations

Reflection of latest fare data in our Ryanair forecasts, with market pricing apparently softening further from June. We cut FY25 net income by 9%...

Neil Glynn

Chinese airlines show signs of improvement in 1H24, but 2Q24 results vary: Air China leads with reduced losses, while China Southern slips back...