Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Back on the 11 April, Chinese internet data center services provider <strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21-vianet-group-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8489:1" rel="noopener">VNET (VNET US)</a></strong> <a href="https://ir.vnet.com/news-releases/news-release-details/vnet-receives-unsolicited-preliminary-non-binding-proposal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a non-binding proposal from Hina Group and Shanghai's Industrial Bank at an utterly underwhelming US$8.00/ADS.</li>
<li>Then crickets. A reported tilt from MBK Partners failed to materialise.</li>
<li>VNET has now announced a preliminary non-binding proposal from founder Josh Sheng Chen, at a similarly underwhelming price of US$8.20/ADS. </li>
</ul>


Back on the 11 April, Chinese internet data center services provider VNET (VNET US) announced a non-binding proposal from Hina Group and Shanghai's Industrial Bank at an utterly underwhelming US$8.00/ADS.
Then crickets. A reported tilt from MBK Partners failed to materialise.
VNET has now announced a preliminary non-binding proposal from founder Josh Sheng Chen, at a similarly underwhelming price of US$8.20/ADS. 


VNET: Management's Low-Balled Non-Binding Proposal

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21-vianet-group-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8489:1" rel="noopener">21Vianet Group (VNET US)</a> disclosed a privatisation proposal from the founder at US$8.20 per ADS, a 2.5% premium to The Hina Group/Industrial Bank’s offer of US$8.00 (disclosed on 11 April).</li>
<li>The data centre industry continues to be a hotbed for M&amp;A. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-27/mbk-partners-is-said-to-weigh-rival-bid-for-chinese-data-center-firm-vnet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg reported</a> on 27 July that MBK Partners is mulling an offer for VNET. </li>
<li>The offer is unattractive, and Mr Cheng, with 28.79% of voting rights, will need the support of other substantial shareholders. This latest offer underlines the current mispricing of the shares</li>
</ul>



21Vianet Group (VNET US) disclosed a privatisation proposal from the founder at US$8.20 per ADS, a 2.5% premium to The Hina Group/Industrial Bank’s offer of US$8.00 (disclosed on 11 April).
The data centre industry continues to be a hotbed for M&amp;A. Bloomberg reported on 27 July that MBK Partners is mulling an offer for VNET. 
The offer is unattractive, and Mr Cheng, with 28.79% of voting rights, will need the support of other substantial shareholders. This latest offer underlines the current mispricing of the shares


VNET’s Opportunistic US$8.20 Bid from the Founder

<ul>
<li>We summarise the latest spreads and newsflow of merger arb situations covered by us across Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Chinese ADRs.</li>
<li>The highest spreads are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21-vianet-group-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8489:1" rel="noopener">21Vianet Group (VNET US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alliance-aviation-services-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20401:1" rel="noopener">Alliance Aviation Services (AQZ AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/narhex-life-sciences-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9728:1" rel="noopener">Resapp Health (RAP AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ramsay-health-care-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:673:1" rel="noopener">Ramsay Health Care (RHC AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yashili-international-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3397:1" rel="noopener">Yashili International Holdings (1230 HK)</a>, Link Admin. </li>
<li>Lowest gross spreads are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hwa-hong-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6648:1" rel="noopener">Hwa Hong Corp (HWAH SP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/excelpoint-technology-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1774:1" rel="noopener">Excelpoint Technology (EXLP SP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/giordano-international-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13899:1" rel="noopener">Giordano International (709 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mydeal-com-au-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:30939:1" rel="noopener">MyDeal.com.au Ltd (MYD AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cocoaland-holdings-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:493:1" rel="noopener">Cocoaland Holdings (COLA MK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/maca-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11390:1" rel="noopener">MACA Ltd (MLD AU)</a>. </li>
</ul>


We summarise the latest spreads and newsflow of merger arb situations covered by us across Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Chinese ADRs.
The highest spreads are 21Vianet Group (VNET US), Alliance Aviation Services (AQZ AU), Resapp Health (RAP AU), Ramsay Health Care (RHC AU), Yashili International Holdings (1230 HK), Link Admin. 
Lowest gross spreads are Hwa Hong Corp (HWAH SP), Excelpoint Technology (EXLP SP), Giordano International (709 HK), MyDeal.com.au Ltd (MYD AU), Cocoaland Holdings (COLA MK), MACA Ltd (MLD AU). 


Merger Arb Mondays (01 Aug) - Genex, Yashili, Link Admin, VNET, Ramsay, Alliance Aviation

<ul>
<li>For the month of July, only 4 new deals (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of just ~US$1bn.</li>
<li>The average premium for the new deals announced (or first discussed) in July was ~42%, and a year-to-date average of 38%.</li>
<li>This compares to the average premium for all deals in 2021 (165 deals), 2020 (158 deals), and 2019 (145 deals) of 33%, 31%, and 31.5% respectively.</li>
</ul>


For the month of July, only 4 new deals (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of just ~US$1bn.
The average premium for the new deals announced (or first discussed) in July was ~42%, and a year-to-date average of 38%.
This compares to the average premium for all deals in 2021 (165 deals), 2020 (158 deals), and 2019 (145 deals) of 33%, 31%, and 31.5% respectively.


<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-27/mbk-partners-is-said-to-weigh-rival-bid-for-chinese-data-center-firm-vnet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg reported</a> that MBK Partners is in talks to team up with a partner on a joint offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21-vianet-group-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8489:1" rel="noopener">21Vianet Group (VNET US)</a>. Considerations are at a preliminary stage.</li>
<li>A potential bid would compete against The Hina Group and Industrial Bank’s $8.00 per ADS offer. The Board has not provided an update on its stance on this offer.   </li>
<li>Takeover interest is unsurprisingly due to VNET’s depressed share price, unchanged FY22 guidance and ongoing data centre M&amp;A activity.     </li>
</ul>



Bloomberg reported that MBK Partners is in talks to team up with a partner on a joint offer for 21Vianet Group (VNET US). Considerations are at a preliminary stage.
A potential bid would compete against The Hina Group and Industrial Bank’s $8.00 per ADS offer. The Board has not provided an update on its stance on this offer.   
Takeover interest is unsurprisingly due to VNET’s depressed share price, unchanged FY22 guidance and ongoing data centre M&amp;A activity.     


China

21Vianet Group, Inc. provides carrier-neutral Internet data center services. The Company hosts its customers' servers and networking equipment, as well as provides interconnectivity and managed network services to enable customers to deliver data across the Internet. 21Vianet conducts business in Beijing, China.

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21Vianet Group (VNET US)

VNET: Management's Low-Balled Non-Binding Proposal

Trading at a ~45% gross spread to terms is illustrative of the proposal's non-binding nature. It's an opportunistic approach. Only for the brave at...

David Blennerhassett

VNET’s Opportunistic US$8.20 Bid from the Founder

The offer is unattractive. Nevertheless, with the data centre M&A activity levels remaining elevated, the current mispricing of the shares will...

Arun George

Merger Arb Mondays (01 Aug) - Genex, Yashili, Link Admin, VNET, Ramsay, Alliance Aviation

This week, the highest gross spreads are VNET (55.0%), Alliance Aviation (47.5%), ResApp (27.0%), Ramsay (24.7%), Yashili (10.1%), Link Admin...

Arun George

(Mostly) Asia M&A: July 2022 Roundup

For the month of July, only 4 new deals were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of just ~US$1bn. The average premium for...

David Blennerhassett

VNET Draws the Interest of MBK Partners

Takeover interest is unsurprisingly due to VNET’s depressed share price, unchanged FY22 guidance and ongoing data centre M&A activity. Buy some...

Arun George

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