Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Event-Driven

<p>On 11 May, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15002:1" rel="noopener">Kakao Corp (035720 KS)</a> announced that its affiliate Kakao Entertainment Corp was acquiring US based Tapas and Radish for $510 million and $440 million, respectively. Kakao Entertainment is one of the largest providers of webtoons in Korea and Japan. Tapas provides an online comic app. Radish is a storytelling fiction app. Radish previously received Series A funding from investors including SoftBank Group's venture arm and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15002:1" rel="noopener">Kakao Corp (035720 KS)</a>.</p><p>The acquisition of Tapas and Radish is likely to accelerate the IPO of Kakao Entertainment which could occur in 2022. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/skoreas-kakao-entertainment-acquire-serial-fiction-app-radish-440-mln-2021-05-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kakao Entertainment</a> plans to capitalize on these acquisitions to further expand in the North American market. These purchases of US content companies follow recent acquisitions of US based Ithaca Holdings by HYBE (Big Hit Entertainment) for $1.05 billion and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/naver-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16029:1" rel="noopener">Naver Corp (035420 KS)</a>'s acquisition of Canada based Wattpad for $600 million. </p><p>Despite these acquisitions, there are some concerns about Kakao Entertainment potentially overpaying for them. While we believe that these acquisitions are likely to have long-term positive impact on Kakao Entertainment and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15002:1" rel="noopener">Kakao Corp (035720 KS)</a>, we are concerned about the valuations of Kakao Corp which is currently trading at 66x P/E (2021), close to the high end of the historical valuation multiples in the past five years.  </p>

On 11 May, Kakao Corp (035720 KS) announced that its affiliate Kakao Entertainment Corp was acquiring US based Tapas and Radish for $510 million and $440 million, respectively. Kakao Entertainment is one of the largest providers of webtoons in Korea and Japan. Tapas provides an online comic app. Radish is a storytelling fiction app. Radish previously received Series A funding from investors including SoftBank Group's venture arm and Kakao Corp (035720 KS).The acquisition of Tapas and Radish is likely to accelerate the IPO of Kakao Entertainment which could occur in 2022. Kakao Entertainment plans to capitalize on these acquisitions to further expand in the North American market. These purchases of US content companies follow recent acquisitions of US based Ithaca Holdings by HYBE (Big Hit Entertainment) for $1.05 billion and Naver Corp (035420 KS)'s acquisition of Canada based Wattpad for $600 million. Despite these acquisitions, there are some concerns about Kakao Entertainment potentially overpaying for them. While we believe that these acquisitions are likely to have long-term positive impact on Kakao Entertainment and Kakao Corp (035720 KS), we are concerned about the valuations of Kakao Corp which is currently trading at 66x P/E (2021), close to the high end of the historical valuation multiples in the past five years.  

Kakao Entertainment - Buys US Based Tapas & Radish to Get Ready for an IPO in 2022

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Quantitative Analysis

<div><p>The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.</p></div><div><p>Hong Kong saw shorts rise on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aia-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14895:1" rel="noopener">AIA Group Ltd (1299 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-electronic-international-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1927:1" rel="noopener">BYD Electronics (285 HK)</a> while there was short covering on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/country-garden-services-holdings-company-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27343:1" rel="noopener">Country Garden Services Holdings (6098 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/postal-savings-bank-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22848:1" rel="noopener">Postal Savings Bank of China (1658 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/citic-securities-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:463:1" rel="noopener">Citic Securities (H) (6030 HK)</a>. Shorts increased in the Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, Health Care and Communication Services sectors, and decreased in the Financials and Industrials sectors.</p></div><div><p>In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosmos-pharmaceutical-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3797:1" rel="noopener">Cosmos Pharmaceutical (3349 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakus-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29200:1" rel="noopener">Rakus Co Ltd (3923 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daito-trust-construct-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10503:1" rel="noopener">Daito Trust Construct (1878 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aeon-financial-service-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5887:1" rel="noopener">Aeon Financial (8570 JP)</a> while shorts decreased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ryohin-keikaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2765:1" rel="noopener">Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aeon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3:1" rel="noopener">Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lasertec-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4126:1" rel="noopener">Lasertec Corp (6920 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/isetan-mitsukoshi-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18871:1" rel="noopener">Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd (3099 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsui-mining-smelting-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15998:1" rel="noopener">Mitsui Mining &amp; Smelting Co (5706 JP)</a>. Shorts increased in the Industrials and Financials sectors, and decreased in the Consumer Discretionary sector.</p></div><div>
<p>Short selling finally resumed in Korea this week. Shorts increased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/celltrion-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:991:1" rel="noopener">Celltrion Inc (068270 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-display-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7145:1" rel="noopener">LG Display (034220 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-hynix-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16955:1" rel="noopener">SK Hynix (000660 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netmarble-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22839:1" rel="noopener">Netmarble Corporation (251270 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/naver-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16029:1" rel="noopener">Naver Corp (035420 KS)</a>. The largest percentage increase in shorts was seen on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hyundai-rotem-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1554:1" rel="noopener">Hyundai Rotem Company (064350 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-chemicals-co-ltd-new" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26190:1" rel="noopener">Sk Chemicals Co Ltd/New (285130 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daewoo-shipbuilding-marine-engineering" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12531:1" rel="noopener">Daewoo Shipbuilding &amp; Marine Engineering (042660 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/e-mart-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6993:1" rel="noopener">E Mart Inc (139480 KS)</a>.</p>
<p>In Taiwan, shorts increased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/novatek-microelectronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10904:1" rel="noopener">Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yang-ming-marine-transport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8502:1" rel="noopener">Yang Ming Marine Transport (2609 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-cement" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19736:1" rel="noopener">Taiwan Cement (1101 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/au-optronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6704:1" rel="noopener">AU Optronics (2409 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mediatek-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:772:1" rel="noopener">Mediatek Inc (2454 TT)</a>, while shorts covered on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wisdom-marine-lines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10001:1" rel="noopener">Wisdom Marine Lines (2637 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wiwynn-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27838:1" rel="noopener">Wiwynn Corp (6669 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/richwave-technology-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18629:1" rel="noopener">Richwave Technology (4968 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hon-hai-precision-industry-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:745:1" rel="noopener">Hon Hai Precision Industry (2317 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hannstar-display-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13922:1" rel="noopener">Hannstar Display (6116 TT)</a>. </p>
</div>

The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.Hong Kong saw shorts rise on Alibaba Group (9988 HK), BYD (1211 HK), AIA Group Ltd (1299 HK), Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK) and BYD Electronics (285 HK) while there was short covering on Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK), Country Garden Services Holdings (6098 HK), Meituan (3690 HK), Postal Savings Bank of China (1658 HK) and Citic Securities (H) (6030 HK). Shorts increased in the Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, Health Care and Communication Services sectors, and decreased in the Financials and Industrials sectors.In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were Toshiba Corp (6502 JP), Cosmos Pharmaceutical (3349 JP), Rakus Co Ltd (3923 JP), Daito Trust Construct (1878 JP) and Aeon Financial (8570 JP) while shorts decreased on Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP), Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP), Lasertec Corp (6920 JP), Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd (3099 JP) and Mitsui Mining &amp; Smelting Co (5706 JP). Shorts increased in the Industrials and Financials sectors, and decreased in the Consumer Discretionary sector.
Short selling finally resumed in Korea this week. Shorts increased on Celltrion Inc (068270 KS), LG Display (034220 KS), SK Hynix (000660 KS), Netmarble Corporation (251270 KS) and Naver Corp (035420 KS). The largest percentage increase in shorts was seen on Hyundai Rotem Company (064350 KS), Sk Chemicals Co Ltd/New (285130 KS), Daewoo Shipbuilding &amp; Marine Engineering (042660 KS) and E Mart Inc (139480 KS).
In Taiwan, shorts increased on Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT), Yang Ming Marine Transport (2609 TT), Taiwan Cement (1101 TT), AU Optronics (2409 TT) and Mediatek Inc (2454 TT), while shorts covered on Wisdom Marine Lines (2637 TT), Wiwynn Corp (6669 TT), Richwave Technology (4968 TT), Hon Hai Precision Industry (2317 TT) and Hannstar Display (6116 TT). 


Asia Shorts: BYD, Ping An, Toshiba, Rakus, Aeon, Celltrion, LG Display, SK Chem, Novatek, Yang Ming

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>Traditionally, telecom companies in mature markets are "easy."  Infrastructure is basically built, but there is always maintenance and capex to upgrade throughput. Churn is low. Customers occasionally add on new services. They are generally cash machines. </p><p>Comparing telcos is often reasonably easy. Mostly it comes down to how aggressively the company prices to customers, how it seeks non-standard revenue off its infrastructure and sales base, or how it returns capital to shareholders. </p><div class="content-highlight"><p>Every now and then, a telecom company gets complicated. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp (9434 JP)</a> is now one of those companies.</p></div><p>The issue is now significant enough that one should avoid using EBIT or EBITDA (or EBITDA less capex) for Softbank Corp as a comparative tool to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-telegraph-telephone-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:623:1" rel="noopener">NTT (Nippon Telegraph &amp; Telephone) (9432 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kddi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:639:1" rel="noopener">KDDI Corp (9433 JP)</a> without more clarity. </p><p>There is recently a new kicker involved too, which means one should probably consider Softbank Corp differently than the other two for OTHER reasons too. </p>

Traditionally, telecom companies in mature markets are "easy."  Infrastructure is basically built, but there is always maintenance and capex to upgrade throughput. Churn is low. Customers occasionally add on new services. They are generally cash machines. Comparing telcos is often reasonably easy. Mostly it comes down to how aggressively the company prices to customers, how it seeks non-standard revenue off its infrastructure and sales base, or how it returns capital to shareholders. Every now and then, a telecom company gets complicated. Softbank Corp (9434 JP) is now one of those companies.The issue is now significant enough that one should avoid using EBIT or EBITDA (or EBITDA less capex) for Softbank Corp as a comparative tool to NTT (Nippon Telegraph &amp; Telephone) (9432 JP) and KDDI Corp (9433 JP) without more clarity. There is recently a new kicker involved too, which means one should probably consider Softbank Corp differently than the other two for OTHER reasons too. 

Softbank Corp - Accounting for The Accounting Is Complicated

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/z-holdings-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19603:1" rel="noopener">Z Holdings (4689 JP)</a>' merger with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/line-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22772:1" rel="noopener">LINE Corp (3938 JP)</a> will create a business with 300 million domestic users and 15 million corporate accounts with vast potential to synergise data across browsing, media, chat, shopping, banking and mobile.</p><p>The combined business has huge reach: in news alone, the usage rate of the Yahoo and LINE news services reaches 60% to 75% of those who use news distribution services in Japan.</p><p>The first step is a new gift and group shopping experience for LINE users but Z Holdings has Rakuten in its sights, with plans to go after Rakuten's strengths, particularly loyalty points and e-commerce.</p>

Z Holdings (4689 JP)' merger with LINE Corp (3938 JP) will create a business with 300 million domestic users and 15 million corporate accounts with vast potential to synergise data across browsing, media, chat, shopping, banking and mobile.The combined business has huge reach: in news alone, the usage rate of the Yahoo and LINE news services reaches 60% to 75% of those who use news distribution services in Japan.The first step is a new gift and group shopping experience for LINE users but Z Holdings has Rakuten in its sights, with plans to go after Rakuten's strengths, particularly loyalty points and e-commerce.

Founder/CEO of ROK Advisory, ROK Advisory LLC

Ken S. Kim

Founder/CEO of ROK Advisory

ROK Advisory LLC

ROK is an independent research advisory firm. We guide you to minimize the information gap between foreign and local investors in Northeast Asia with a focus in Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Independent Research Advisory Firm

<p>In Korea the safest way to invest is to align your interest as a minority shareholder with those of the family?  Usually the key asset of the chaebol is apparent but what about SK Group? It seems we have an opportunity to hone in what the key asset is.</p>

In Korea the safest way to invest is to align your interest as a minority shareholder with those of the family?  Usually the key asset of the chaebol is apparent but what about SK Group? It seems we have an opportunity to hone in what the key asset is.

The Chaebol Dilemma - What's the Family Jewel(S)?

South Korea

Naver Corp. provides Internet site with web portal services, such as search engine, online game and content development.  The Company also offers marketing service through text and banner advertisement.

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Naver Corp (035420 KS)

Kakao Entertainment - Buys US Based Tapas & Radish to Get Ready for an IPO in 2022

On 11 May, Kakao Corp (035720 KS) announced that its affiliate Kakao Entertainment Corp was acquiring US based Tapas and Radish for $510 million...

Douglas Kim

Asia Shorts: BYD, Ping An, Toshiba, Rakus, Aeon, Celltrion, LG Display, SK Chem, Novatek, Yang Ming

The Insight looks at large short interest movements across HK, Japan, Korea and Taiwan stocks and highlights large increases/decreases in shorts to...

Brian Freitas

Softbank Corp - Accounting for The Accounting Is Complicated

Softbank Corporation is more expensive than it appears when one uses traditional telco metrics such as EV/EBITDA or EV/OP multiples. It's all in...

Travis Lundy

Z Holdings Begins LINE Leverage

Z Holding's is beginning to lay out its plans for exploiting LINE's potential. ZHD/LINE has massive reach which will help it tackle previous weak...

Michael Causton

The Chaebol Dilemma - What's the Family Jewel(S)?

What is the key asset of the SK Group and how should we play this over the course of time ? Here's at least what we should consider

Ken S. Kim

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