Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<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> dangles bonuses for pilots and first officers amid Hong Kong's stringent crew quarantine requirements. </li>
<li>Preceding my comments on Cathay - and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/swire-pacific-ltd-cl-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10433:1" rel="noopener">Swire Pacific (A) (19 HK)</a>- are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos. </li>
<li>These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.</li>
</ul>



Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) dangles bonuses for pilots and first officers amid Hong Kong's stringent crew quarantine requirements. 
Preceding my comments on Cathay - and Swire Pacific (A) (19 HK)- are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos. 
These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.


StubWorld: Cathay Pacific - Still Grounded

<ul>
<li>Shortly after <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/keppel-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12:1" rel="noopener">Keppel (KEP SP)</a> revised their Offer to ~S$2.35 and FINAL, Cuscaden has come over the top. This complicates things because of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/singapore-press-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9952:1" rel="noopener">Singapore Press (SPH SP)</a>/Keppel Agreement timing.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/swire-pacific-ltd-cl-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10433:1" rel="noopener">Swire Pacific (19 HK)</a>'s discount to NAV of ~50% is bang in line with its 12-month average, as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific (293 HK)</a> is close to operating cash breakeven.</li>
<li>Blackstone and affiliates are offering shareholders of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/crown-resorts-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:808:1" rel="noopener">Crown Resorts (CWN AU)</a> A$12.50/share in cash, a 26.2% premium to last close.</li>
</ul>


Shortly after Keppel (KEP SP) revised their Offer to ~S$2.35 and FINAL, Cuscaden has come over the top. This complicates things because of the Singapore Press (SPH SP)/Keppel Agreement timing.

Swire Pacific (19 HK)'s discount to NAV of ~50% is bang in line with its 12-month average, as Cathay Pacific (293 HK) is close to operating cash breakeven.
Blackstone and affiliates are offering shareholders of Crown Resorts (CWN AU) A$12.50/share in cash, a 26.2% premium to last close.


Last Week in Event SPACE: Singapore Press, Swire, Crown Resorts, Royal Dutch, Toshiba, Hollysys

<ul>
<li>In its latest traffic figure <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/1117/2021111700289.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">release</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific (293 HK)</a> said it's been able to achieve close to operating cash breakeven for the four-month period from July to October 2021.</li>
<li>Cathay carried a total of 76,430 passengers in October, an increase of 98.3% compared to October 2020, but a 97.2% decrease compared to the pre-pandemic level in October 2019.</li>
<li>Separately, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/swire-pacific-ltd-cl-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10433:1" rel="noopener">Swire Pacific (A) (19 HK)</a>'s discount to NAV of ~50% is bang in line with its 12-month average.</li>
</ul>


In its latest traffic figure release, Cathay Pacific (293 HK) said it's been able to achieve close to operating cash breakeven for the four-month period from July to October 2021.
Cathay carried a total of 76,430 passengers in October, an increase of 98.3% compared to October 2020, but a 97.2% decrease compared to the pre-pandemic level in October 2019.
Separately, Swire Pacific (A) (19 HK)'s discount to NAV of ~50% is bang in line with its 12-month average.


Swire Pac (19 HK): Cathay's Operating Cash (Almost) Breaking Even

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

We think that share price of <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 yet to reflect the prospects of recovering international passenger traffic in FY22, despite its 15pp outperformance against the HSCEI YTD. There are news lately on plans to reopen borders by many overseas countries including the US and Australia. It is also speculated that China will do so as well in early 2022 after its vaccination rate hit 85%, vs. 78% currently.Its passenger traffic in Sep has recovered MoM when compared with the local case impacted Aug. Meanwhile, cargo stayed resilient and it will also benefit from the strength in airfreight rate. We think Air China should be appreciated for its capacity management as it has not aggressively expanded capacity despite YoY traffic rebound. This is evidenced by a flat passenger load factor and a 2.7pp expansion in cargo load factor for 9M21.

We think that share price of Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) has yet to reflect the prospects of recovering international passenger traffic in FY22, despite its 15pp outperformance against the HSCEI YTD. There are news lately on plans to reopen borders by many overseas countries including the US and Australia. It is also speculated that China will do so as well in early 2022 after its vaccination rate hit 85%, vs. 78% currently.Its passenger traffic in Sep has recovered MoM when compared with the local case impacted Aug. Meanwhile, cargo stayed resilient and it will also benefit from the strength in airfreight rate. We think Air China should be appreciated for its capacity management as it has not aggressively expanded capacity despite YoY traffic rebound. This is evidenced by a flat passenger load factor and a 2.7pp expansion in cargo load factor for 9M21.  

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Chinese airlines are expected to face sustained turbulence given the adverse impact of scattered outbreak of local COVID-19 cases, with the most recent ones being Fujian. We see risks for this round of spread to negatively affect the cross-province travel appetite during the mid-Autumn mini-break and potentially the all-important National Day Golden Week in Oct. With poor Aug traffic figures out (over 50% YoY drop in domestic passenger traffic for both <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> and <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>), Sep is also unlikely to be an easy month.We expect 3Q21 results to be under pressure, and we maintain that a long <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>, short <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> trade can position well amid the current environment. We see too much positive expectations have been built in CSA; meanwhile, Air China will have an easier base for comparison in 4Q21 and the reduction in losses at <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> will continue to help its bottom line in 2H21.

Chinese airlines are expected to face sustained turbulence given the adverse impact of scattered outbreak of local COVID-19 cases, with the most recent ones being Fujian. We see risks for this round of spread to negatively affect the cross-province travel appetite during the mid-Autumn mini-break and potentially the all-important National Day Golden Week in Oct. With poor Aug traffic figures out (over 50% YoY drop in domestic passenger traffic for both China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) and Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)), Sep is also unlikely to be an easy month.We expect 3Q21 results to be under pressure, and we maintain that a long Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK), short China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) trade can position well amid the current environment. We see too much positive expectations have been built in CSA; meanwhile, Air China will have an easier base for comparison in 4Q21 and the reduction in losses at Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) will continue to help its bottom line in 2H21.

Chinese Airlines: Cruising Within Sustained Turbulence

Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited operates scheduled airline services. The Company also provides related services, including airline catering, aircraft handling, and engineering.

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Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)

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David Blennerhassett

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David Blennerhassett

Air China (753 HK): Come Fly with Me

Air China is well positioned to gain from increase in overseas border openings. Also, China's possible removal of quarantine requirements for...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Chinese Airlines: Cruising Within Sustained Turbulence

After a devastating Aug, Sep will still be clouded by recent cases in Fujian. We think Long Air China, short CSA strategy should capture CSA's...

Osbert Tang, CFA

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