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 Capital Markets

Avianca Holdings Sa / Equity Capital Markets

Avianca Holdings SA owns and operates airlines.  The Company offers scheduled air passenger transportation services within Colombia and to Central America, North America, South America, and Europe.

<ul>
<li>Avianca reached $1,200m EBITDAR in 2023, ahead of our forecast of $1,162m, already exceeding its 2024 target.</li>
<li>The company does not provide guidance on 2024 profitability but we publish our quarterly bridge analysis and map prospects versus LATAM Group guidance.</li>
<li>We forecast 10% yoy EBITDAR growth in 2024 on 20% capacity growth, which compares to our forecast of 15% EBITDAR growth at LATAM, which is growing less aggressively.</li>
</ul>


Avianca reached $1,200m EBITDAR in 2023, ahead of our forecast of $1,162m, already exceeding its 2024 target.
The company does not provide guidance on 2024 profitability but we publish our quarterly bridge analysis and map prospects versus LATAM Group guidance.
We forecast 10% yoy EBITDAR growth in 2024 on 20% capacity growth, which compares to our forecast of 15% EBITDAR growth at LATAM, which is growing less aggressively.


Avianca – Bridging 2024 Prospects with a Little Help from LATAM

Equity Bottom-Up

Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft provides passenger and cargo air transportation services worldwide. The Company offers flight and connection programs in North America, Scandinavia, and Asia. Deutsche Lufthansa also provides travel agency, catering, and aircraft maintenance services.

<ul>
<li>Forward looking fare data suggests pricing further weakening for the European flag carriers on long haul in particular.</li>
<li>We expect Lufthansa to miss EBIT guidance by 30% in 2024 while we also cut Air France-KLM 2024 EBIT by 15%.</li>
<li>IAG stands out as most resilient, with BA seemingly outperforming peer pricing on the Transatlantic.</li>
</ul>


Forward looking fare data suggests pricing further weakening for the European flag carriers on long haul in particular.
We expect Lufthansa to miss EBIT guidance by 30% in 2024 while we also cut Air France-KLM 2024 EBIT by 15%.
IAG stands out as most resilient, with BA seemingly outperforming peer pricing on the Transatlantic.


European Airlines - Fare Softening Suggests Elevated Earnings Risk with Self-Help Stories Crucial

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

Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc develops and produces drugs. The Company develops and produces monoclonal antibody biosimilar drugs, bio betters, novel monoclonal antibodys, and other drugs. Shanghai Henlius Biotech throughout China.

<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/hollysys-automation-technologies" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26078:1" rel="noopener">Hollysys Automation Technologies (HOLI US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ansarada-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:30718:1" rel="noopener">Ansarada Group Ltd (AND AU)</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>. 
</li>
<li>Lowest spreads: <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/great-eastern-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13993:1" rel="noopener">Great Eastern Holdings (GE SP)</a>, <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/infocom-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8412:1" rel="noopener">Infocom Corp (4348 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kfc-holdings-japan-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12358:1" rel="noopener">Kfc Holdings Japan (9873 JP)</a>.
</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), Hollysys Automation Technologies (HOLI US), Ansarada Group Ltd (AND AU), Asia Cement China (743 HK). 

Lowest spreads: Fancl Corp (4921 JP), Great Eastern Holdings (GE SP), Tatsuta Electric Wire &amp; Cable (5809 JP), Infocom Corp (4348 JP), Kfc Holdings Japan (9873 JP).



Merger Arb Mondays (01 Jul) - Henlius, China TCM, GA Pack, CPMC, Asia Cement, Great Eastern

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

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>I tally 49 - mostly firm, mostly Asia-Pac - transactions currently being discussed and analysed on Smartkarma. Inside is a timetable of upcoming key events for each deal.</li>
<li>One. new deal was discussed this week: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-henlius-biotech-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27888:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696 HK)</a>'s cash/scrip Offer. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/midea-real-estate-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27450:1" rel="noopener">Midea Real Estate Holding (3990 HK)</a> also fielded a "Partial Scheme".</li>
<li>Key updates took place on: <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/malaysia-airports-holdings-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:117:1" rel="noopener">Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB MK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-line-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8076:1" rel="noopener">S Line Co Ltd (9078 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/best-world-international-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4600:1" rel="noopener">Best World International (BEST SP)</a> .</li>
</ul>


I tally 49 - mostly firm, mostly Asia-Pac - transactions currently being discussed and analysed on Smartkarma. Inside is a timetable of upcoming key events for each deal.
One. new deal was discussed this week: Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696 HK)'s cash/scrip Offer. Midea Real Estate Holding (3990 HK) also fielded a "Partial Scheme".
Key updates took place on: China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK), Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB MK), S Line Co Ltd (9078 JP), Best World International (BEST SP) .


(Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: TCM, Henlius Bio, Mideal Real Estate, Malaysia Airports, S Line, Best World

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Ethan Aw

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.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cirrus-aircraft" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39858:1" rel="noopener">Cirrus Aircraft (0153126D US)</a> seeks to raise up to US$100m in its upcoming HK IPO, after downsizing from an earlier reported float of US$200m. </li>
<li>Cirrus Aircraft designs, develops, manufactures, and sells premium aircrafts. Its two aircraft product lines, the SR2X Series and the Vision Jet, are currently certified and validated in over 60 countries.</li>
<li>We had covered the company’s performance and PHIP updates in our earlier notes. In this note, we talk about its refiled PHIP updates.</li>
</ul>



Cirrus Aircraft (0153126D US) seeks to raise up to US$100m in its upcoming HK IPO, after downsizing from an earlier reported float of US$200m. 
Cirrus Aircraft designs, develops, manufactures, and sells premium aircrafts. Its two aircraft product lines, the SR2X Series and the Vision Jet, are currently certified and validated in over 60 countries.
We had covered the company’s performance and PHIP updates in our earlier notes. In this note, we talk about its refiled PHIP updates.


Cirrus Aircraft Pre-IPO - Refiled PHIP Updates - Customer Demand Remains Strong