Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Event-Driven

In this edition of the Smartkarma North Asia Weekly, it summarizes some of the top insights on Smartkarma in the past week covering Japan, HK/China, and the Korean stock markets. The top topics are below:1) Alibaba: Antitrust Concerns2) Tencent Under Pressure From Antitrust Push3) POTUS Executive Order: New OFAC Clarification 4) China Logistics: Major Shareholders Seek to Exit 5) Kuaishou Technology IPO6) Yidu Tech IPO7) TOPIX Inclusion: ODK Solutions 8) New Horizon IPO9) Goldwin Bullish for Future Growth10) Yaoko: A Difficult 2021 Coming11) IQIYI Valuation12) Digital Currency: Still Remember Facebook Libra/​Diem?13) China Dental Care Industry14) ZTO Express &amp; BEST Inc15) Infrastructure Asset-Backed Securities: New Asset Class for Asia16) Japan Airport Terminal17) Will Biden Get Officially Inaugurated on 20 January?

In this edition of the Smartkarma North Asia Weekly, it summarizes some of the top insights on Smartkarma in the past week covering Japan, HK/China, and the Korean stock markets. The top topics are below:1) Alibaba: Antitrust Concerns2) Tencent Under Pressure From Antitrust Push3) POTUS Executive Order: New OFAC Clarification 4) China Logistics: Major Shareholders Seek to Exit 5) Kuaishou Technology IPO6) Yidu Tech IPO7) TOPIX Inclusion: ODK Solutions 8) New Horizon IPO9) Goldwin Bullish for Future Growth10) Yaoko: A Difficult 2021 Coming11) IQIYI Valuation12) Digital Currency: Still Remember Facebook Libra/​Diem?13) China Dental Care Industry14) ZTO Express &amp; BEST Inc15) Infrastructure Asset-Backed Securities: New Asset Class for Asia16) Japan Airport Terminal17) Will Biden Get Officially Inaugurated on 20 January? 

Smartkarma North Asia Weekly: Alibaba Antitrust, OFAC Clarification, China Logistics, & Kuaishou IPO

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

On the 12th of November, newly lame duck US president Donald Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-addressing-threat-securities-investments-finance-communist-chinese-military-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Executive Order</a>(Executive Order on Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies) banning investment and capital provision by "US persons" to companies in lists established by the US Department of Defense pursuant to Public Law 105-261, Section 1237 (Fiscal Year 1999 National Defense Authorization Act).The various global index providers immediately commenced consultations with their myriad investors and with OFAC (the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the US Treasury Department) and decided in early December for the most part to delete certain securities from their indices. New guidance from OFAC in the form of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions related to Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, "Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies":  <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">857</a>, <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/858" target="_blank" rel="noopener">858</a>, <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/859" target="_blank" rel="noopener">859</a>, <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/860" target="_blank" rel="noopener">860</a>, <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/861" target="_blank" rel="noopener">861</a>). This insight looks at the indirect holdings and subsidiaries.It is a BIG list (I have a list of 133 names, most of which appear to be 50+% controlled, which could be affected in portfolios).Investors would do well to understand how much of the float is for sale.

On the 12th of November, newly lame duck US president Donald Trump signed an Executive Order(Executive Order on Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies) banning investment and capital provision by "US persons" to companies in lists established by the US Department of Defense pursuant to Public Law 105-261, Section 1237 (Fiscal Year 1999 National Defense Authorization Act).The various global index providers immediately commenced consultations with their myriad investors and with OFAC (the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the US Treasury Department) and decided in early December for the most part to delete certain securities from their indices. New guidance from OFAC in the form of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions related to Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, "Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies":  857, 858, 859, 860, 861). This insight looks at the indirect holdings and subsidiaries.It is a BIG list (I have a list of 133 names, most of which appear to be 50+% controlled, which could be affected in portfolios).Investors would do well to understand how much of the float is for sale.

OFAC Makes a Longer List of Trump Names of China Military Cos

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Quantitative Analysis

Our "Buy the Worst" strategy intended to beat the Hang Seng Index in 2020, as laid out in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/buy-the-worst-a-simple-strategy-to-beat-the-hang-seng-index-in-2020-and-the-years-to-come" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:35427" rel="noopener">"Buy the Worst" - A Simple Strategy to Beat the Hang Seng Index in 2020 and the Years to Come?</a>, did not work out well. The portfolio of the five worst performing Index constituents in 2019 registered an average of 26.1% plunge in share price YTD, sharply underperformed the 5.8% decline in HSI. In our view, this is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic which hit the old economy stocks (which all five are) hardest. As for this year, as of 29 Dec, the five worst-performing HSI stocks YTD are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/citic-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20590:1" rel="noopener">Citic Ltd (267 HK)</a> (again!), <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-overseas-land-invest" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:419:1" rel="noopener">China Overseas Land &amp; Investment Ltd (688 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aac-technologies-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6544:1" rel="noopener">AAC Technologies Holdings (2018 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-unicom-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1016:1" rel="noopener">China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK)</a>. While they do not look likely to outperform the Index in next year from their business exposure, we highlight that a rotation into old economy stocks as COVID-19 vaccines help to open up global economic recovery is a potential wild card.

Our "Buy the Worst" strategy intended to beat the Hang Seng Index in 2020, as laid out in "Buy the Worst" - A Simple Strategy to Beat the Hang Seng Index in 2020 and the Years to Come?, did not work out well. The portfolio of the five worst performing Index constituents in 2019 registered an average of 26.1% plunge in share price YTD, sharply underperformed the 5.8% decline in HSI. In our view, this is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic which hit the old economy stocks (which all five are) hardest. As for this year, as of 29 Dec, the five worst-performing HSI stocks YTD are Citic Ltd (267 HK) (again!), China Overseas Land &amp; Investment Ltd (688 HK), CNOOC Ltd (883 HK), AAC Technologies Holdings (2018 HK) and China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK). While they do not look likely to outperform the Index in next year from their business exposure, we highlight that a rotation into old economy stocks as COVID-19 vaccines help to open up global economic recovery is a potential wild card.  

A Review Of "Buy the Worst" Strategy in 2020 and Can It Beat the Hang Seng Index in 2021?

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

In 1998, before the US and China entered into Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China in 2000, the US Congress enacted a law requiring the Clinton Administration to publish a list of Chinese companies in the US which did business with the People's Liberation Army (Public Law 105-261, Section 1237), and a "Communist Chinese military company" was defined in that law as any company named in to Defense Intelligence Agency documents from 1990 and 1995 and "any other entity owned or controlled by the PLA and engaged in providing commercial services, manufacturing, or exporting."That law basically lay dormant until last year when the Pentagon launched a review of such companies following the Trump White House's labelling of China (and Russia) a "revisionist" power in its first National Security Strategy <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> in 2017. The goal was to investigate and warn about supply-chain vulnerabilities. The Department of Defense published a list in June 2020 of 20 companies which were "Qualified Entities". It updated the list in late August 2020. The former Secretary of Defense was ousted several days ago and the new Secretary of Defense is now responsible for the list. There is, as of last night, an Executive Order by the White House blocking US 'persons' investment in any of the names mentioned - a list now 31 names long.More below on the impact.

In 1998, before the US and China entered into Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China in 2000, the US Congress enacted a law requiring the Clinton Administration to publish a list of Chinese companies in the US which did business with the People's Liberation Army (Public Law 105-261, Section 1237), and a "Communist Chinese military company" was defined in that law as any company named in to Defense Intelligence Agency documents from 1990 and 1995 and "any other entity owned or controlled by the PLA and engaged in providing commercial services, manufacturing, or exporting."That law basically lay dormant until last year when the Pentagon launched a review of such companies following the Trump White House's labelling of China (and Russia) a "revisionist" power in its first National Security Strategy report in 2017. The goal was to investigate and warn about supply-chain vulnerabilities. The Department of Defense published a list in June 2020 of 20 companies which were "Qualified Entities". It updated the list in late August 2020. The former Secretary of Defense was ousted several days ago and the new Secretary of Defense is now responsible for the list. There is, as of last night, an Executive Order by the White House blocking US 'persons' investment in any of the names mentioned - a list now 31 names long.More below on the impact.

Trump's Executive Order on Chinese Military Companies

David Blennerhassett

Equity Bottom-Up

China Unicom Hong Kong / Equity Bottom-Up

Last Wednesday (12 August), after the close of trading, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-unicom-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1016:1" rel="noopener">China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK)</a> announced its <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2020/0812/2020081200403.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1H20</a> results, in which revenues increased 3.8% yoy to RMB150.4bn, and net profit increased by 10.1% yoy to RMB7.6bn. A decent set of numbers all round. Yet shares closed the next day up 25.6%, on 10x the normal volume. 
Operational stats released on the <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2020/0720/2020072000520.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 July</a>, returned positive net adds for mobile ops in June, yet net adds are still down YTD. 
For a quick comparative check. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> announced its 1H20 results on the <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2020/0813/2020081300209.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 August</a> (at lunchtime), with top-line growing 0.1% yoy to RMB38.9bn, and profit down 0.5% to RMB55.8bn. Share closed up 3.6% on the fourth-highest volume this year.
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-united-network-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12620:1" rel="noopener">China United Network A (600050 CH)</a>, Unicom's largest shareholder, is not Unicom's domestic A-share twin. Yet for all intent and purpose, it is a pseudo-A to Unicom's H as there are no parent/stub assets of consequence. 
Despite the significant share price gain, Unicom looks inexpensive with respect to its parent and to peers.

Last Wednesday (12 August), after the close of trading, China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK) announced its 1H20 results, in which revenues increased 3.8% yoy to RMB150.4bn, and net profit increased by 10.1% yoy to RMB7.6bn. A decent set of numbers all round. Yet shares closed the next day up 25.6%, on 10x the normal volume. 
Operational stats released on the 20 July, returned positive net adds for mobile ops in June, yet net adds are still down YTD. 
For a quick comparative check. China Mobile (941 HK) announced its 1H20 results on the 13 August (at lunchtime), with top-line growing 0.1% yoy to RMB38.9bn, and profit down 0.5% to RMB55.8bn. Share closed up 3.6% on the fourth-highest volume this year.
China United Network A (600050 CH), Unicom's largest shareholder, is not Unicom's domestic A-share twin. Yet for all intent and purpose, it is a pseudo-A to Unicom's H as there are no parent/stub assets of consequence. 
Despite the significant share price gain, Unicom looks inexpensive with respect to its parent and to peers.

Hong Kong

China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in the People's Republic of China.  The Company's services include cellular, paging, long distance, data, and Internet services.

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China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK)

Smartkarma North Asia Weekly: Alibaba Antitrust, OFAC Clarification, China Logistics, & Kuaishou IPO

In this edition of the Smartkarma North Asia Weekly, it summarizes some of the top insights on Smartkarma in the past week covering Japan, HK...

Douglas Kim

OFAC Makes a Longer List of Trump Names of China Military Cos

There are a LOT of names which could be affected by the Trump Executive Order on China Military Companies. It behooves investors to have a list....

Travis Lundy

A Review Of "Buy the Worst" Strategy in 2020 and Can It Beat the Hang Seng Index in 2021?

While our "Buy the Worst" strategy underperformed the HSI sharply YTD, we see extending the strategy into 2021 may catch up as the rotation back to...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Trump's Executive Order on Chinese Military Companies

The White House announced an Executive Order prohibiting "US persons" from "providing capital" to a list of "China Military Cos" which has been...

Travis Lundy

China Unicom (762 HK): The "Hs" Have It

Last Wednesday (12 August), after the close of trading, China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK) announced its 1H20 results, in which revenues increased...

David Blennerhassett

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