HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

While <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> (CSA) is still showing the best traffic performance in absolute level, the Nov traffic showed that <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> has started to pick up its momentum. We believe the three important things to note are: 1.) Air China recording the least retreat in passenger traffic momentum MoM, 2.) Air China has the least drop in passenger load factor MoM, and 3.) Air China gathering cargo momentum.Since Nov, Air China has outperformed CSA by 10pp, and we see good possibility for this trend to continue into 2021, hence our <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/2021-high-conviction-pair-trade-long-air-china-753-hk-short-china-southern-1055-hk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45584" rel="noopener">2021 High Conviction: Pair Trade - Long Air China (753 HK), Short China Southern (1055 HK)</a>. Another positive note is that share price of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)</a> has surged by 63.6% from the rights issue price of HK$4.68, and this has added some HK$2.2bn to Air China's value on the additional holdings in CX from the rights.

While China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) (CSA) is still showing the best traffic performance in absolute level, the Nov traffic showed that Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) has started to pick up its momentum. We believe the three important things to note are: 1.) Air China recording the least retreat in passenger traffic momentum MoM, 2.) Air China has the least drop in passenger load factor MoM, and 3.) Air China gathering cargo momentum.Since Nov, Air China has outperformed CSA by 10pp, and we see good possibility for this trend to continue into 2021, hence our 2021 High Conviction: Pair Trade - Long Air China (753 HK), Short China Southern (1055 HK). Another positive note is that share price of Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) has surged by 63.6% from the rights issue price of HK$4.68, and this has added some HK$2.2bn to Air China's value on the additional holdings in CX from the rights.

Air China (753 HK): Quietly Catching up Against Peers, Well Set to Outperform in 2021

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) / Equity Bottom-Up

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA)

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-capital-international-airport-bcia" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10626:1" rel="noopener">Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)</a> staged a 45% relief rally since Nov on several piece of good news and more optimistic expectations, but we see such move as excessive. Its 12-month forward P/B multiple has hence moved back to 1.03x, about the level before the pandemic. This is clearly difficult to justify given the challenges it will face in the next two years.The traffic diversion to Beijing Daxing International Airport, slow recovery of international traffic and heavy reliance of duty free on international routes will make BCIA difficult to return to its FY19 profit level in FY22, but the share price is now reflecting this scenario. We find this unrealistic and believe there is significant downside risk. It is also interesting to note that average short volume in Dec has picked up to 23%, compared with just 10% in Nov.

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK) staged a 45% relief rally since Nov on several piece of good news and more optimistic expectations, but we see such move as excessive. Its 12-month forward P/B multiple has hence moved back to 1.03x, about the level before the pandemic. This is clearly difficult to justify given the challenges it will face in the next two years.The traffic diversion to Beijing Daxing International Airport, slow recovery of international traffic and heavy reliance of duty free on international routes will make BCIA difficult to return to its FY19 profit level in FY22, but the share price is now reflecting this scenario. We find this unrealistic and believe there is significant downside risk. It is also interesting to note that average short volume in Dec has picked up to 23%, compared with just 10% in Nov.

Beijing Cap Intl Airport (694 HK): Don't Get Too Excited, The Relief Rally Is Excessive

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-baiyun-international-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10819:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH)</a> (GBIA) has another solid month in Nov, continuing the promising trend in Oct and logging a massive 20.2% YoY surge in domestic aircraft movement and a 4.8% leap in domestic passenger traffic. Moreover, the decline in cargo and mail throughput has narrowed to 1.3% YoY only, the best in the last 5 months. We believe this set of traffic performance signals that there is no abatement in its growth paces.Despite the positive trend, GBIA has underperformed <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-international-airport-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6511:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH)</a> (SIAC) by a significant 16.4pp YTD. It is true that the construction of a new Guangzhou airport and the closer co-operation between the Hong Kong airport and Zhuhai airport are challenges in the future. However, with a favourable base for YoY comparison in 1Q21 and the sustained strength in domestic traffic in the next few months, we believe there is room for GBIA to narrow its performance gap against SIAC in the near term.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH) (GBIA) has another solid month in Nov, continuing the promising trend in Oct and logging a massive 20.2% YoY surge in domestic aircraft movement and a 4.8% leap in domestic passenger traffic. Moreover, the decline in cargo and mail throughput has narrowed to 1.3% YoY only, the best in the last 5 months. We believe this set of traffic performance signals that there is no abatement in its growth paces.Despite the positive trend, GBIA has underperformed Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH) (SIAC) by a significant 16.4pp YTD. It is true that the construction of a new Guangzhou airport and the closer co-operation between the Hong Kong airport and Zhuhai airport are challenges in the future. However, with a favourable base for YoY comparison in 1Q21 and the sustained strength in domestic traffic in the next few months, we believe there is room for GBIA to narrow its performance gap against SIAC in the near term.

Guangzhou Baiyun Intl Airport (600004 CH): No Abatement in Growth Paces

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

In this new monthly research product we introduce three Long / Short pair trade ideas in Chinese travel, Chinese express and logistics, and global container shipping. 
These pair trade ideas are based mainly on expected fundamental change in each segment over the next 6-12 months. We'll focus on Asia, but occasionally we may place non-Asian names on either side of our pair ideas. Besides examining key secular and cyclical trends in each segment, we will consider relative valuations, and we'll strive to identify key catalysts and risks for each stock. 
Broadly, the idea behind this new product is to identify and own companies we expect to profitably gain share or to reap outsized benefits from important secular and cyclical trends, then short names in the same segment that stand to lose the most to the 'winners' we select. 
We'll be back in about a month with our first updates on these three proposed pairs!

In this new monthly research product we introduce three Long / Short pair trade ideas in Chinese travel, Chinese express and logistics, and global container shipping. 
These pair trade ideas are based mainly on expected fundamental change in each segment over the next 6-12 months. We'll focus on Asia, but occasionally we may place non-Asian names on either side of our pair ideas. Besides examining key secular and cyclical trends in each segment, we will consider relative valuations, and we'll strive to identify key catalysts and risks for each stock. 
Broadly, the idea behind this new product is to identify and own companies we expect to profitably gain share or to reap outsized benefits from important secular and cyclical trends, then short names in the same segment that stand to lose the most to the 'winners' we select. 
We'll be back in about a month with our first updates on these three proposed pairs!

TRACKING TRAFFIC/Three Suggested Pair Trades in Travel, Express & Shipping

On Tuesday after the US market close, China's leading online travel agency <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trip-com-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:180:1" rel="noopener">Trip.com (TCOM US)</a> reported Q320 results. Net Revenue declined 48% YoY, and Adjusted Operating Income fell 50%.Trip.com's results were largely in-line with guidance and expectations, but we believe the pace of the company's recovery is lagging that of some peers and the industry as a whole, even after adjusting for Trip.com's relatively high exposure to outbound travel, which has collapsed. Trip.com's revenue guidance for Q420 also suggests the pace of its recovery will continue to disappoint in the near-term. We don't see anything to get excited about in Trip.com's Q320 results and Q420 guidance.

On Tuesday after the US market close, China's leading online travel agency Trip.com (TCOM US) reported Q320 results. Net Revenue declined 48% YoY, and Adjusted Operating Income fell 50%.Trip.com's results were largely in-line with guidance and expectations, but we believe the pace of the company's recovery is lagging that of some peers and the industry as a whole, even after adjusting for Trip.com's relatively high exposure to outbound travel, which has collapsed. Trip.com's revenue guidance for Q420 also suggests the pace of its recovery will continue to disappoint in the near-term. We don't see anything to get excited about in Trip.com's Q320 results and Q420 guidance. 

Trip.com Q320 Results Met Guidance, But Q420 Guidance Suggests Very Slow Recovery

China

China Southern Airlines Company Limited provides commercial airline services throughout China, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.  The Company also provides other airline related services including aircraft maintenance and air catering.

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China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)

Air China (753 HK): Quietly Catching up Against Peers, Well Set to Outperform in 2021

Air China narrowed its gap against CSA on traffic and load performance in Nov, and this sets the stage for its outperformance in 2021. The surge in...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Beijing Cap Intl Airport (694 HK): Don't Get Too Excited, The Relief Rally Is Excessive

BCIA's 45% relief rally in less than 2 months is excessive, as P/B already returned to pre-pandemic level. Share price is expecting profit to...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Guangzhou Baiyun Intl Airport (600004 CH): No Abatement in Growth Paces

No sign of slowing traffic growth and decline for cargo throughput have further moderated in Nov. Having underperformed SIAC significantly YTD,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

TRACKING TRAFFIC/Three Suggested Pair Trades in Travel, Express & Shipping

We're introducing a monthly pair trade idea product to go along with our monthly products covering Chinese travel and tourism, Chinese express, and...

Tracking Traffic

Trip.com Q320 Results Met Guidance, But Q420 Guidance Suggests Very Slow Recovery

Trip.com met Q320 net revenue guidance but offered guidance for Q420 that assumes only modest progress toward recovery in the current period.

Tracking Traffic

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