Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Trung Nguyen

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Debt Capital Markets

Biocon Ltd., is an integrated biotechnology enterprise with a presence in biopharmaceuticals, enzymes, custom research and clinical research. The Company's pharmaceutical products include statins, immunosuppressants and anti-diabetic drugs. Biocon also manufactures specialty enzymes and new enzyme applications besides providing clinical and custom research services.

Biocon Biologics launched a roadshow last week to market its USD 5NC2 144A/RegS notes offering. The expected issue rating is BB/BB by S&P/Fitch. The proceeds will be used to refinance an outstanding syndicated loan facility obtained for the acquisition of Viatris' global biosimilars business for USD 3.335 bn in May 2022. We see fair value for the proposed 5NC2 bonds at 7%.

  Biocon Biologics launched a roadshow last week to market its USD 5NC2 144A/RegS notes offering. The expected issue rating is BB/BB by S&P/Fitch. The proceeds will be used to refinance an outstanding syndicated loan facility obtained for the acquisition of Viatris' global biosimilars business for USD 3.335 bn in May 2022.   We see fair value for the proposed 5NC2 bonds at 7%. 

Biocon Biologics - New Issue Assessment - Lucror Analytics

Senior Credit Analyst - Emerging Markets, EM Spreads

Leandro Gubler

Senior Credit Analyst - Emerging Markets

EM Spreads

Cemex SAB de CV ADR / Debt Capital Markets

Cemex SAB de CV is a building products company. The Company produces, distributes, and markets cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, and related building materials. Cemex operates throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

<ul>
<li>We maintain our Outperform recommendation on Cemex. The company benefits from favorable market trends in key markets, a strong commitment to further strengthening its credit profile, and credit-positive strategic priorities.</li>
<li>Despite challenging conditions, Cemex's top line for 2Q24 remained relatively flat yoy, missing analyst estimates, while adjusted EBITDA aligned with expectations, rising by 1.5% yoy.</li>
<li>Cemex ended the quarter with $10.1 billion of total debt, down $357.0 million sequentially. Gross and net leverage declined by one tick sequentially to 3.0x and 2.8x, respectively. </li>
</ul>


We maintain our Outperform recommendation on Cemex. The company benefits from favorable market trends in key markets, a strong commitment to further strengthening its credit profile, and credit-positive strategic priorities.
Despite challenging conditions, Cemex's top line for 2Q24 remained relatively flat yoy, missing analyst estimates, while adjusted EBITDA aligned with expectations, rising by 1.5% yoy.
Cemex ended the quarter with $10.1 billion of total debt, down $357.0 million sequentially. Gross and net leverage declined by one tick sequentially to 3.0x and 2.8x, respectively. 


Cemex 2Q24: Solid Performance in Mexico Offsets Softness in the US

Independent Asian Credit Research, Bondcritic

Warut Promboon

Independent Asian Credit Research

Asian Fixed Income/Frontier Market Research

Bondcritic

Bondcritic, established in 2009, is designed to be an independent credit research voice that helps investors gain insights and unbiased analyses on Asian fixed income market. Our mission is to discover deep-value Asian high-yield and distressed bonds with a bottom-up approach, together with the help of our proprietary ESG (Environmental, Social Development, and Governance) model. At the same time, we focus on bringing investment cases of unrated and unloved issuers to the general public.

Asia High Yield Bond Index / Debt Capital Markets

iShares Barclays USD Asia High Yield Bond Index ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in Singapore. The Fund seeks to track the performance of the Bloomberg Barclays Capital USD Asia High Yield Bond Index.

<ul>
<li>As we are entering the second half of 2024, inflation has remained sticky as expected.</li>
<li>The lingering fear of a global recession has been mitigating rising shipping and production costs and, as a result, kept inflation in check.</li>
<li>We see more opportunities in selected Chinese bonds in industries away from property and local government financing vehicle (LGFV) sectors and believe non-Asia emerging bonds offer better value.</li>
</ul>


As we are entering the second half of 2024, inflation has remained sticky as expected.
The lingering fear of a global recession has been mitigating rising shipping and production costs and, as a result, kept inflation in check.
We see more opportunities in selected Chinese bonds in industries away from property and local government financing vehicle (LGFV) sectors and believe non-Asia emerging bonds offer better value.


<ul>
<li>We have been of the opinion that tokenized real world assets (RWAs), especially tokenized debt will represent a more understandable underlying value of tokens or cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin.</li>
<li>We are positive on tokens backed by risk-free assets such as US Treasuries or even investment-grade bonds as rates products for crypto funds and fractional investments for retail investors.</li>
<li>Private debt could be the next in line to enjoy mass adoption if the legal elements and credit protection have been put in place to gain trust of institutional investors.</li>
</ul>


We have been of the opinion that tokenized real world assets (RWAs), especially tokenized debt will represent a more understandable underlying value of tokens or cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin.
We are positive on tokens backed by risk-free assets such as US Treasuries or even investment-grade bonds as rates products for crypto funds and fractional investments for retail investors.
Private debt could be the next in line to enjoy mass adoption if the legal elements and credit protection have been put in place to gain trust of institutional investors.


Security Token Journal: Private Debt Tokens

Podcast On the Business of Semiconductors, The Circuit

The Circuit

Podcast On the Business of Semiconductors

A Podcast On the Business of Semiconductors. With Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin

NVIDIA Corporation designs, develops, and markets three dimensional (3D) graphics processors and related software.  The Company's products provide interactive 3D graphics to the mainstream personal computer market.

<ul><li>Nvidia emerges as a strong challenger in the semiconductor industry, while intel remains the dominant player</li><li>Intel makes significant strides in its foundry business, showcasing a clear focus on advanced nodes like 18A and 14A</li><li>Intel positions itself as a serious player in the foundry market, attracting key customers like Microsoft and building a strong ecosystem around its offerings</li></ul>This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

Nvidia emerges as a strong challenger in the semiconductor industry, while intel remains the dominant playerIntel makes significant strides in its foundry business, showcasing a clear focus on advanced nodes like 18A and 14AIntel positions itself as a serious player in the foundry market, attracting key customers like Microsoft and building a strong ecosystem around its offeringsThis content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

IFS Connect Takeaways | Nvidia Earnings as the New Semiconductor King