Financials Credit Analyst

Hank Calenti, CFA

CreditContinuum

Credit

We move to Overweight <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-east-asia-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:341:1" rel="noopener">Bank of East Asia's (BNKEA)</a> capital inefficient securities, from Buy, as these securities have outperformed their peers since our recommendation. Investors have been well rewarded but remaining upside is less compelling.Bank of East Asia announced the retirement of it 5.5% coupon December first call US$- Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond last week. This bond was not capital efficient. We first recommended that investors overweight this security in mid-February within <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bank-of-east-asia-overweight-short-call-at1-on-refinancing-ability" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:36787" rel="noopener">Overweight Short-Call AT1 on Refinancing Ability</a> and recently re-iterated this call within <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bank-of-east-asia-buy-the-inefficient-capital-securities" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:42753" rel="noopener">Buy the Inefficient Capital Securities</a>. In retrospect, this was the most volatile AT1 security amongst those issued by Asian-headquartered banks and subject to first call in 2020, as we anticipated at the time of our first recommendation. Nonetheless, the courage of one’s convictions is what makes or breaks investment returns. We were fortunate to make the right call on this one. In fact, we have been told that we were the only research house making this recommendation based on the capital efficiency of the securities. Going forward, we see less upside in the AT1 capital curve of BNKEA as it trades more in-line with securities of other Hong Kong issuing banks. As such, we move to Overweight, from Buy, on BNKEA’s 5.625% coupon 2022 callable AT1.

We move to Overweight Bank of East Asia's (BNKEA) capital inefficient securities, from Buy, as these securities have outperformed their peers since our recommendation. Investors have been well rewarded but remaining upside is less compelling.Bank of East Asia announced the retirement of it 5.5% coupon December first call US$- Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond last week. This bond was not capital efficient. We first recommended that investors overweight this security in mid-February within Overweight Short-Call AT1 on Refinancing Ability and recently re-iterated this call within Buy the Inefficient Capital Securities. In retrospect, this was the most volatile AT1 security amongst those issued by Asian-headquartered banks and subject to first call in 2020, as we anticipated at the time of our first recommendation. Nonetheless, the courage of one’s convictions is what makes or breaks investment returns. We were fortunate to make the right call on this one. In fact, we have been told that we were the only research house making this recommendation based on the capital efficiency of the securities. Going forward, we see less upside in the AT1 capital curve of BNKEA as it trades more in-line with securities of other Hong Kong issuing banks. As such, we move to Overweight, from Buy, on BNKEA’s 5.625% coupon 2022 callable AT1.

Bank of East Asia: Move to Overweight the Capital Inefficient Securities from Buy

Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

There are few banks that compare to those in China on controlling costs. This will likely be the way forward for others in Asia and globally. Where some have seen costs/assets down considerably and to low levels in any context, others have more room to cut. Of the largest banks by assets, <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>,<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-merchants-bank-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:714:1" rel="noopener">China Merchants Bank A (600036 CH)</a>and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-bank-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:681:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Bank Co Ltd A (000001 CH)</a> have seen the least improvement in costs/assets over the past nine years – and where this ratio remains high compared with peers.

There are few banks that compare to those in China on controlling costs. This will likely be the way forward for others in Asia and globally. Where some have seen costs/assets down considerably and to low levels in any context, others have more room to cut. Of the largest banks by assets, Postal Savings Bank of China (1658 HK),China Merchants Bank A (600036 CH)and Ping An Bank Co Ltd A (000001 CH) have seen the least improvement in costs/assets over the past nine years – and where this ratio remains high compared with peers. 

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Group (6688 HK)</a> almost raised US$35bn in the largest IPO in history. While the IPO may eventually proceed, we are unsure of the valuations the company could demand the next time around.Following the suspension of listing on the STAR Market by the Shanghai Stock Exchange due to a 'major event', <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-financial-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Group (6688 HK)</a> announced the suspension of the H-share listing too. The company also said that the refund of the application monies will be made as soon as possible to Hong Kong retail investors.This 'major event' will have knock-on implications for a host of other trades/strategies as well. In this Insight, we take a look at some of them.

Ant Group (6688 HK) almost raised US$35bn in the largest IPO in history. While the IPO may eventually proceed, we are unsure of the valuations the company could demand the next time around.Following the suspension of listing on the STAR Market by the Shanghai Stock Exchange due to a 'major event', Ant Group (6688 HK) announced the suspension of the H-share listing too. The company also said that the refund of the application monies will be made as soon as possible to Hong Kong retail investors.This 'major event' will have knock-on implications for a host of other trades/strategies as well. In this Insight, we take a look at some of them.

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

*Don’t Be Misled By Better Numbers: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (1398.HK) [ICBC] reported stronger 3Q20 results than 2Q20, coming in at CNY 80.3 bn - increasing CNY 15.6 bn (24.1%) linked quarter. The linked quarter Improvement is largely attributed to three factors: a) net interest income improvement of CNY 4.0 bn (2.6%) on both a 1 bp NIM improvement to 1.92%, and 2.6% loan growth; b) a CNY 11.7 bn (17.7%) decline in loss provisioning despite marked credit weakness; and c) a 700 bp decline in ICBC’s tax rate to 15.2%; and *Credit Risk Rising: As ICBC is the benchmark name to which all mainland Chinese banks are measured, an increase of such magnitude is more than alarming – and intimates mainland Chinese bank credit risk is moving in oppositive directions to their counterparts in India. When one considers the current break in credit quality reserves would appear to be incredibly light – in the neighborhood of CNY 419 bn which amounts to over a year of pre-tax results at ICBC.

*Don’t Be Misled By Better Numbers: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (1398.HK) [ICBC] reported stronger 3Q20 results than 2Q20, coming in at CNY 80.3 bn - increasing CNY 15.6 bn (24.1%) linked quarter. The linked quarter Improvement is largely attributed to three factors: a) net interest income improvement of CNY 4.0 bn (2.6%) on both a 1 bp NIM improvement to 1.92%, and 2.6% loan growth; b) a CNY 11.7 bn (17.7%) decline in loss provisioning despite marked credit weakness; and c) a 700 bp decline in ICBC’s tax rate to 15.2%; and *Credit Risk Rising: As ICBC is the benchmark name to which all mainland Chinese banks are measured, an increase of such magnitude is more than alarming – and intimates mainland Chinese bank credit risk is moving in oppositive directions to their counterparts in India. When one considers the current break in credit quality reserves would appear to be incredibly light – in the neighborhood of CNY 419 bn which amounts to over a year of pre-tax results at ICBC.      

ICBC – Be Very Wary Of Worsening Credit

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Quantitative Analysis

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The H-Share/A-Share monitor is published every weekend for the data ending the last trading day of the previous week. It includes all H-Share/A-Share pairs where the H-Share has a 90-day average daily value-traded of US$1.0mm or more. It shows basic data per H/A spread stock by sector, with...
</div>
<div>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>H/A Discount,</li>
<li>movement in H/A Discount over 5 and 20 days,</li>
<li>a 52-week Z-score for the spread,</li>
<li>A chart showing evolution of the H/A spread over the last 20 days,</li>
<li>Southbound shares held (millions of shares), Net Change in Southbound (Shanghai and Shenzhen combined) shares held by millions of shares, and contribution of Net Southbound Volume to HK-traded volume over the past five days and 20 days, </li>
<li>There is also a chart showing the average sector spread and the individual spreads within each sector over the last three years. </li>
</ul>
On average, 
The first sector is Consumer, where H/A spreads widened on average 2.7% for the week, more than cancelling out the average 1.7% spread narrowing last week. With the exception of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hisense-home-appliances-group-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20107:1" rel="noopener">Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK)</a>, this happened as the H-shares rose strongly and the A-Shares rose even more strongly.  
Southbound investors through the Shenzhen-HK and Shanghai-HK Connect were significant net sellers during the week in both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsingtao-brewery-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1296:1" rel="noopener">Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hisense-home-appliances-group-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20107:1" rel="noopener">Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK)</a> where the net selling activity amounted to 15.5% and 22% of volume respectively. 
Hisense remains at the overbought end of the 52-week range. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/great-wall-motor-co-ltd-cb302af9-398c-4d2d-ba39-023e43287eef" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:128:1" rel="noopener">Great Wall Motor (2333 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-automobile-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11082:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK)</a> are now at 52-week wides. 
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Last week's recommendation was to take off Hisense and the H-share fell 7.3% while the spread widened 0.7%. It is still probably worth unwinding. At this point, Great Wall and Guangzhou are worth a buy on a spread basis.
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<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/167/062/original/Screenshot%202020-10-24%20at%202.45.56%20PM.png?1603521970" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="167062"></figure>
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For Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities, please read on.
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The H-Share/A-Share monitor is published every weekend for the data ending the last trading day of the previous week. It includes all H-Share/A-Share pairs where the H-Share has a 90-day average daily value-traded of US$1.0mm or more. It shows basic data per H/A spread stock by sector, with...



H/A Discount,
movement in H/A Discount over 5 and 20 days,
a 52-week Z-score for the spread,
A chart showing evolution of the H/A spread over the last 20 days,
Southbound shares held (millions of shares), Net Change in Southbound (Shanghai and Shenzhen combined) shares held by millions of shares, and contribution of Net Southbound Volume to HK-traded volume over the past five days and 20 days, 
There is also a chart showing the average sector spread and the individual spreads within each sector over the last three years. 

On average, 
The first sector is Consumer, where H/A spreads widened on average 2.7% for the week, more than cancelling out the average 1.7% spread narrowing last week. With the exception of Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK), this happened as the H-shares rose strongly and the A-Shares rose even more strongly.  
Southbound investors through the Shenzhen-HK and Shanghai-HK Connect were significant net sellers during the week in both Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK) and Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK) where the net selling activity amounted to 15.5% and 22% of volume respectively. 
Hisense remains at the overbought end of the 52-week range. Great Wall Motor (2333 HK) and Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK) are now at 52-week wides. 

Last week's recommendation was to take off Hisense and the H-share fell 7.3% while the spread widened 0.7%. It is still probably worth unwinding. At this point, Great Wall and Guangzhou are worth a buy on a spread basis.





For Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities, please read on.


Quiddity Weekly H/​A: Share Spread Monitor 23 Oct 2020

China

Postal Savings Bank of China Co., Ltd. provides banking services. The Company offers deposits, loans, fund settlement, and other services. Postal Savings Bank of China provides its services to individuals, enterprises, and other clients.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Postal Savings Bank of China C (1658 HK)

Bank of East Asia: Move to Overweight the Capital Inefficient Securities from Buy

We move to Overweight Bank of East Asia’s capital inefficient securities as these securities have outperformed their peers since our Buy...

Hank Calenti, CFA

China Banks – Controlling Costs

China banks are ahead on controlling costs. This will likely be the way for others in Asia and globally. PSBC, CMB and Ping An Bank have seen the...

Daniel Tabbush

Ant Group: IPO Suspension Implications

With Ant Group suspending the H-share listing following SSE's suspension of the A-share listing, there will be multiple implications for trades and...

Brian Freitas

ICBC – Be Very Wary Of Worsening Credit

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA: Don't Believe The Hype. Numbers Manufactured, and Credit Risk Suggests Long Winter For ICBC and Mainland...

Thomas J. Monaco

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Bank of East Asia: Move to Overweight the Capital Inefficient Securities from Buy

We move to Overweight Bank of East Asia’s capital inefficient securities as these securities have outperformed their peers since our Buy...

Hank Calenti, CFA

China Banks – Controlling Costs

China banks are ahead on controlling costs. This will likely be the way for others in Asia and globally. PSBC, CMB and Ping An Bank have seen the...

Daniel Tabbush

Ant Group: IPO Suspension Implications

With Ant Group suspending the H-share listing following SSE's suspension of the A-share listing, there will be multiple implications for trades and...

Brian Freitas

ICBC – Be Very Wary Of Worsening Credit

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA: Don't Believe The Hype. Numbers Manufactured, and Credit Risk Suggests Long Winter For ICBC and Mainland...

Thomas J. Monaco

Quiddity Weekly H/​A: Share Spread Monitor 23 Oct 2020

Quiddity H/A Spread Monitor for the week ending 23 October 2020. Spreads widened in Consumer, narrowed in every other sector. Southbound were...

Travis Lundy

Quiddity Weekly H/A: Share Spread Monitor 23 Oct 2020