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/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wuxi-apptec" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23679:1" rel="noopener">Wuxi Biologics (2269 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/haidilao-international-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27044:1" rel="noopener">Haidilao (6862 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yihai-int-l-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22803:1" rel="noopener">Yihai Int’L Holding (1579 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sunny-optical-tech" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13363:1" rel="noopener">Sunny Optical (2382 HK)</a> while there was short covering on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a>, <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/baidu-inc-a55ca720-5968-48f0-8194-ac94390d065c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32212:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (9888 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhongsheng-group-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10573:1" rel="noopener">Zhongsheng Group (881 HK)</a>. Shorts increased in the Consumer Discretionary, Health Care and Information Technology sectors, and decreased in the Communication Services and Financials sectors.</p></div><div><p>In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nexon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16032:1" rel="noopener">Nexon (3659 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/orix-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9936:1" rel="noopener">Orix Corp (8591 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hitachi-metals-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8561:1" rel="noopener">Hitachi Metals (5486 JP)</a> while shorts decreased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-company-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokai-carbon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9145:1" rel="noopener">Tokai Carbon (5301 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yaskawa-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2458:1" rel="noopener">Yaskawa Electric (6506 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon Inc (7751 JP)</a>. Shorts increased in the Financials and Communication Services sectors, and decreased in the Information Technology and Consumer Staples sectors.</p></div><div><p>In Korea, shorts decreased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-biologics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22932:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Biologics Co., (207940 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:191:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (005930 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/celltrion-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:991:1" rel="noopener">Celltrion Inc (068270 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-sdi-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:503:1" rel="noopener">Samsung SDI (006400 KS)</a> during the week.</p></div><div><p>Stocks in Taiwan that saw the highest increase in shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yageo-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13212:1" rel="noopener">Yageo Corporation (2327 TT)</a>, <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/evergreen-marine-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15428:1" rel="noopener">Evergreen Marine Corp (2603 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11230:1" rel="noopener">TSMC (2330 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fitipower-integrated-tech" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8712:1" rel="noopener">Fitipower Integrated Tech (4961 TT)</a> while shorts were covered on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/genius-electronic-optical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9632:1" rel="noopener">Genius Electronic Optical (3406 TT)</a>, <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>, <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/focaltech-systems-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11240:1" rel="noopener">Focaltech Systems (3545 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/winbond-electronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9177:1" rel="noopener">Winbond Electronics (2344 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 Meituan (3690 HK), Wuxi Biologics (2269 HK), Haidilao (6862 HK), Yihai Int’L Holding (1579 HK) and Sunny Optical (2382 HK) while there was short covering on Tencent Holdings (700 HK), Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK), Country Garden Services Holdings (6098 HK), Baidu (9888 HK) and Zhongsheng Group (881 HK). Shorts increased in the Consumer Discretionary, Health Care and Information Technology sectors, and decreased in the Communication Services and Financials sectors.In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were Nexon (3659 JP), Orix Corp (8591 JP), Toshiba Corp (6502 JP) and Hitachi Metals (5486 JP) while shorts decreased on Shiseido Company (4911 JP), Tokai Carbon (5301 JP), Yaskawa Electric (6506 JP) and Canon Inc (7751 JP). Shorts increased in the Financials and Communication Services sectors, and decreased in the Information Technology and Consumer Staples sectors.In Korea, shorts decreased on Samsung Biologics Co., (207940 KS), Samsung Electronics (005930 KS), Celltrion Inc (068270 KS) and Samsung SDI (006400 KS) during the week.Stocks in Taiwan that saw the highest increase in shorts were Yageo Corporation (2327 TT), Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT), Evergreen Marine Corp (2603 TT), TSMC (2330 TT) and Fitipower Integrated Tech (4961 TT) while shorts were covered on Genius Electronic Optical (3406 TT), Hannstar Display (6116 TT), Taiwan Cement (1101 TT), Focaltech Systems (3545 TT) and Winbond Electronics (2344 TT). 

Asia Short Interest: Meituan, WuxiBio, Tencent, Nexon, Orix, Toshiba, Shiseido, Samsung, Hannstar

Chief Economist

Diana Choyleva

Enodo Economics

Enodo Economics is an independent macroeconomic forecasting company that untangles complexity, challenges the consensus, and makes sense of the future. Our focus is on China – one of the most misunderstood economies in the world, but one of the most important to figure out.  Enodo’s chief economist, Diana Choyleva, has been analysing China for almost 20 years, while Enodo’s team boasts a combined 140 years’ experience covering China’s economy, politics and markets. 

Macroeconomics

<h2>China News That Matters</h2><ul>
<li>China posts fastest GDP growth on record</li>
<li>One month to comply, Beijing tells big tech</li>
<li>You can even spend DCEP deep in the South China Sea</li>
<li>Climate talks for veteran envoys </li>
<li>Debt trap? Montenegro’s road to nowhere</li>
</ul><div class="content-remarks"><p>In my weekly digest China News That Matters, I will give you selected summaries, sourced from a variety of local Chinese-language and international news outlets, and highlight why I think the news is significant. These posts are meant to neither be bullish nor bearish, but help you separate the signal from the noise.</p></div>

China News That Matters
China posts fastest GDP growth on record
One month to comply, Beijing tells big tech
You can even spend DCEP deep in the South China Sea
Climate talks for veteran envoys 
Debt trap? Montenegro’s road to nowhere
In my weekly digest China News That Matters, I will give you selected summaries, sourced from a variety of local Chinese-language and international news outlets, and highlight why I think the news is significant. These posts are meant to neither be bullish nor bearish, but help you separate the signal from the noise.

CEO, A. Stotz Investment Research

Dr. Andrew Stotz, CFA

Quantamental Investing to beat Benchmarks

A. Stotz Investment Research

We pick stocks. We construct portfolios. All our effort is focused on how to better pick stocks and construct portfolios. We serve fund management companies, family offices, and high net worth individuals.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>We highlight 14 stocks in Asia that look interesting to us based upon our FVMR Methodology. Our research team constantly reviews the Asian markets to try to find interesting ideas based on Fundamentals or Valuation or Momentum or Risk or some combination thereof.</p>

We highlight 14 stocks in Asia that look interesting to us based upon our FVMR Methodology. Our research team constantly reviews the Asian markets to try to find interesting ideas based on Fundamentals or Valuation or Momentum or Risk or some combination thereof.

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.

Event-Driven

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grabtaxi-holdings-pte-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab (0967655D SP)</a> is Southeast Asia’s leading super-app and the largest online delivery platform, ride-hailing platform and digital wallet payments platform in Southeast Asia, according to Euromonitor. Grab intends to go public in the US through a SPAC merger with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/altimeter-growth-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33007:1" rel="noopener">Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US)</a>.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/grab-spac-deal-delivering-the-goods" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:50305" rel="noopener">Grab SPAC Deal: Delivering the Goods</a>, we looked at Grab's fundamentals and management forecasts. We noted that Grab is using its super-app status to deliver high-growth with declining loss margin and cash burn. While certain management forecasts seem bullish, the overall forecasts are not outlandish.  </p><p>In this note, we look at the valuation. As a reminder, the deal values Grab at a post-money market cap of $39.6 billion and post-money EV of $31.3 billion. The deal implies 9.6x 2022 EV/Sales based on Grab’s forecasted adjusted net revenue.</p><div class="content-highlight">
<p>At first glance, Grab's implied multiples are eye-watering in comparison to global peers related to its delivery and mobility businesses. However, we think that judging Grab's multiples based on such peers is missing the point. Grab's key competitive advantage and investor pitch is that it can be credibly billed as a super-app rather than just a leading app in a narrow market category.</p>
<p>Super-apps tend to be rare and investors are starved of publicly listed opportunities. With the regulatory heat turned up on the Chinese super-apps, alternative super-app plays in Asia are likely to be in demand. When judged against global super-apps, Grab's implied multiples seems more justifiable for its forecast growth.  </p>
</div>

Grab (0967655D SP) is Southeast Asia’s leading super-app and the largest online delivery platform, ride-hailing platform and digital wallet payments platform in Southeast Asia, according to Euromonitor. Grab intends to go public in the US through a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US).In Grab SPAC Deal: Delivering the Goods, we looked at Grab's fundamentals and management forecasts. We noted that Grab is using its super-app status to deliver high-growth with declining loss margin and cash burn. While certain management forecasts seem bullish, the overall forecasts are not outlandish.  In this note, we look at the valuation. As a reminder, the deal values Grab at a post-money market cap of $39.6 billion and post-money EV of $31.3 billion. The deal implies 9.6x 2022 EV/Sales based on Grab’s forecasted adjusted net revenue.
At first glance, Grab's implied multiples are eye-watering in comparison to global peers related to its delivery and mobility businesses. However, we think that judging Grab's multiples based on such peers is missing the point. Grab's key competitive advantage and investor pitch is that it can be credibly billed as a super-app rather than just a leading app in a narrow market category.
Super-apps tend to be rare and investors are starved of publicly listed opportunities. With the regulatory heat turned up on the Chinese super-apps, alternative super-app plays in Asia are likely to be in demand. When judged against global super-apps, Grab's implied multiples seems more justifiable for its forecast growth.  


Grab SPAC Deal: A Sensible Super-App Valuation?

Financials Credit Analyst

Hank Calenti, CFA

CreditContinuum

Credit

<p>Uncertainty at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-huarong-asset-manageme" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28089:1" rel="noopener">China Huarong Asset Management (HUAZ CH)</a>, China’s largest distressed debt manager is causing ripples throughout Asia’s credit markets. More broadly, China’s <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a> cancelled a US$4 billion bond sale due to market conditions. Specifically, Huarong contagion steepened the credit curve of China’s other asset management companies (AMCs).</p>
<p>At issue here are the Keepwell provisions which enable China’s banks, and non-bank finance companies to access foreign currency financing in the global bond markets. Essentially, a Keepwell provision is a pledge, not a guaranty, to keep an offshore subsidiary which issues the bonds solvent in the event of distress.</p>
<p>The immediate risk is that Huarong’s offshore issuance vehicles are not supported in any restructuring. Orphaning the Keepwell provisions would destroy an important component of AMC funding. The damage here would extend beyond AMCs to other non-bank finance companies, including leasing companies and other entities owned by China’s banks. Not supporting these securities could all but eliminate China Inc.’s access to the global bond markets.</p>
<p>Concurrently, price action in the bond market suggests concern with the long-term viability of the AMC model rather than jump to default risk. We are not convinced this is appropriate and recommend Overweighting other AMC bonds.</p>
<p>Although the former top executive was put to death, Huarong bondholders need not be. Nonetheless, the walk to the gallows can be harrowing and uncertainty is high. There is likely more than meets the eye in this story. It is conceivable that we never see a 2020 year-end report for this state-owned enterprise. Therefore, having a strong conviction on Huarong means undertaking a leap of faith. As such, we suggest a way to trade Huarong  such that downside is limited; however, our preference is to trade the contagion.</p>

Uncertainty at China Huarong Asset Management (HUAZ CH), China’s largest distressed debt manager is causing ripples throughout Asia’s credit markets. More broadly, China’s Tencent Holdings (700 HK) cancelled a US$4 billion bond sale due to market conditions. Specifically, Huarong contagion steepened the credit curve of China’s other asset management companies (AMCs).
At issue here are the Keepwell provisions which enable China’s banks, and non-bank finance companies to access foreign currency financing in the global bond markets. Essentially, a Keepwell provision is a pledge, not a guaranty, to keep an offshore subsidiary which issues the bonds solvent in the event of distress.
The immediate risk is that Huarong’s offshore issuance vehicles are not supported in any restructuring. Orphaning the Keepwell provisions would destroy an important component of AMC funding. The damage here would extend beyond AMCs to other non-bank finance companies, including leasing companies and other entities owned by China’s banks. Not supporting these securities could all but eliminate China Inc.’s access to the global bond markets.
Concurrently, price action in the bond market suggests concern with the long-term viability of the AMC model rather than jump to default risk. We are not convinced this is appropriate and recommend Overweighting other AMC bonds.
Although the former top executive was put to death, Huarong bondholders need not be. Nonetheless, the walk to the gallows can be harrowing and uncertainty is high. There is likely more than meets the eye in this story. It is conceivable that we never see a 2020 year-end report for this state-owned enterprise. Therefore, having a strong conviction on Huarong means undertaking a leap of faith. As such, we suggest a way to trade Huarong  such that downside is limited; however, our preference is to trade the contagion.

China Huarong: Contagion Creates Opportunity

China

Tencent Holdings Limited operates as an investment holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides Internet and mobile value-added services (VAS), online advertising, and e-commerce transactions. Tencent Holdings offers services to users worldwide.

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Tencent (700 HK)

Asia Short Interest: Meituan, WuxiBio, Tencent, Nexon, Orix, Toshiba, Shiseido, Samsung, Hannstar

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

GDP, SAMR, DCEP, USA-PRC and BRI

In my weekly digest, I will give you selected summaries, sourced from a variety of local Chinese-language and international news outlets, and...

Diana Choyleva

The Stocks to Own in Asia – Vol. 32

Our research team constantly reviews the Asian markets to try to find interesting ideas based on Fundamentals or Valuation or Momentum or Risk or...

A. Stotz Investment Research

Grab SPAC Deal: A Sensible Super-App Valuation?

Grab's implied multiples are eye-watering in comparison to global peers related to its businesses. When judged against other global super-apps,...

Arun George

China Huarong: Contagion Creates Opportunity

Trade the contagion from China Huarong uncertainty. Although the former top executive was put to death, bondholders need not be. However, having a...

Hank Calenti, CFA

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