New Zealand Professional Investment Services Firm, Forsyth Barr

Forsyth Barr

New Zealand Professional Investment Services Firm

We are proud to be a New Zealand owned firm, with 21 offices throughout the country and over 300 employees. We assist personal, institutional and corporate clients providing a full range of investment services.

Forsyth Barr is a foundation New Zealand Exchange firm (NZX) and accredited market participant. We have been confirmed by the Financial Markets Authority as a Qualifying Financial Entity (QFE).

Research is the cornerstone of our advice. We have one of New Zealand's leading teams of analysts. Our global affiliations ensure comprehensive research coverage of all major investment markets.

Equity Bottom-Up

Meridian Energy Ltd. operates as a state-owned electricity generator. The Company produces hydro-electric power and supplies electricity to residential, business, and rural customers. Meridian Energy provides services throughout New Zealand.

<ul><li>March 2025 saw dry conditions with declining hydro levels and rising electricity prices, but short-dated futures prices fell, indicating effective dry year mitigations.</li><li>Gas production volumes are decreasing, posing challenges for winter 2026, although the sector has increased reliance on coal and added new generation capacity.</li><li>Electricity stocks offer good value and attractive yields, with MCY and MEL rated OUTPERFORM, while CEN, GNE, and MNW are rated NEUTRAL.</li></ul>

March 2025 saw dry conditions with declining hydro levels and rising electricity prices, but short-dated futures prices fell, indicating effective dry year mitigations.Gas production volumes are decreasing, posing challenges for winter 2026, although the sector has increased reliance on coal and added new generation capacity.Electricity stocks offer good value and attractive yields, with MCY and MEL rated OUTPERFORM, while CEN, GNE, and MNW are rated NEUTRAL.

Power Points Keep Calm and Power On—April 2025

Chief Executive Officer, Emmer Capital Partners Limited

Manishi Raychaudhuri

Chief Executive Officer

Emmer Capital Partners Limited

Emmer Capital Partners is an Asia Pacific focused financial advisory firm engaging in strategic financial asset allocation advice, bespoke thematic research and advising early-stage companies and connecting them to investors. Emmer Capital provides macro-economic and multi-asset investment strategy inputs to institutions, family offices, private wealth managers, private equity, and corporate boards directly and through independent research platforms. Emmer Capital also advises a wide range of startup companies on fund raising and business strategy. Emmer Capital's active engagement with the print and electronic media reaches a broad spectrum of investors across the globe.

Korea Electric Power (KEPCO) / Equity Bottom-Up

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to South Korea for a variety of uses. The Company also builds and operates hydro-power, thermal-power, and nuclear power units in South Korea.

<ul>
<li>Tariff turmoil crashed S&amp;P500 by 18% and MSCI Asia ex Japan by 13% over the past couple of weeks. But even amid this carnage, a handful of stocks have appreciated.</li>
<li>These "genuine defensives" are predominantly from utilities, telecommunications and consumer staples. HK/China and Korea dominate with one entry from Singapore. They have cheap valuations, stable earnings estimates and revenue visibility.</li>
<li>In addition to eleven defensives we highlight, there are other stocks that have appreciated - notably few HK pharmaceutical stocks HK and 18 Indian stocks. They are not cheap, however.</li>
</ul>


Tariff turmoil crashed S&amp;P500 by 18% and MSCI Asia ex Japan by 13% over the past couple of weeks. But even amid this carnage, a handful of stocks have appreciated.
These "genuine defensives" are predominantly from utilities, telecommunications and consumer staples. HK/China and Korea dominate with one entry from Singapore. They have cheap valuations, stable earnings estimates and revenue visibility.
In addition to eleven defensives we highlight, there are other stocks that have appreciated - notably few HK pharmaceutical stocks HK and 18 Indian stocks. They are not cheap, however.


Asian Equities: A Few Genuine Defensives in This Bloodbath

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas, CrossASEAN Research

Henry Soediarko

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The logic behind the tariff is not just a slap in the face for a lot of other nations but also net imports over exports. </li>
<li>Companies benefitting from the globalization will suffer, and the ones with domestic-centric businesses with real assets in proximity may be less hurt. </li>
<li>This could accelerate the forming of new trading bloc that may change the current world order. </li>
</ul>


The logic behind the tariff is not just a slap in the face for a lot of other nations but also net imports over exports. 
Companies benefitting from the globalization will suffer, and the ones with domestic-centric businesses with real assets in proximity may be less hurt. 
This could accelerate the forming of new trading bloc that may change the current world order. 


HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

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>
<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>'s share price should pick up as its portfolio of non-US infrastructure assets will become increasingly attractive.</li>
<li>Its assets will benefit from re-pricing as global inflation rates trend higher. Meanwhile, it will gain from the translation of foreign earnings back to HK$.</li>
<li>The secured 5.7% and 6.2% dividend yield for FY25F and FY26F makes CKI appealing, especially given a track record of 28 consecutive years of dividend hike.</li>
</ul>



CK Infrastructure Holdings (1038 HK)'s share price should pick up as its portfolio of non-US infrastructure assets will become increasingly attractive.
Its assets will benefit from re-pricing as global inflation rates trend higher. Meanwhile, it will gain from the translation of foreign earnings back to HK$.
The secured 5.7% and 6.2% dividend yield for FY25F and FY26F makes CKI appealing, especially given a track record of 28 consecutive years of dividend hike.


External broker reports(aggregated public sources), Canaccord Genuity

Canaccord Genuity

External broker reports(aggregated public sources)

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is a leading independent investment bank with operations in North America, UK & Europe and Asia-Pacific. Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is a leading independent, full-service financial services firm. Content available is external broker reports authored by a third party outside the Smartkarma network and has been aggregated by an online aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed by Smartkarma in this format for user's convenience and general informational purposes only. Content does not constitute investment or financial advice and Smartkarma makes no representation or warranty regarding its accuracy or contents. Original third party author retains all copyright and other proprietary rights in the content. Access or use of third party links not controlled by Smartkarma are at the user's own risk.

LGI Limited of Australia provides renewable energy and carbon abatement solutions. The Company designs, operates, and maintains landfill gas extraction and combustion systems. LGI specializes in beneficial use of biogas, for greenhouse gas abatement, renewable energy generation, and biogas infrastructure and management.

<div><div><div><div><ul><li>LGI is a well-established operator in the landfill gas (LFG) sector, generating renewable energy from the biomethane emitted as waste products decompose.</li><li>The business is currently producing power on only a fraction of its contracted capacity, which we model to be built out over the next five years, generating material revenue and earnings growth.</li><li>We initiate coverage with a BUY rating and $3.50 price target.</li></ul></div></div></div></div><p><em>Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.</em></p>

LGI is a well-established operator in the landfill gas (LFG) sector, generating renewable energy from the biomethane emitted as waste products decompose.The business is currently producing power on only a fraction of its contracted capacity, which we model to be built out over the next five years, generating material revenue and earnings growth.We initiate coverage with a BUY rating and $3.50 price target.Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.

LGI Limited - Renewable Energy Generator with Strong Cash Flows