HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We doubt if <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/petrochina-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:262:1" rel="noopener">PetroChina (857 HK)</a> can sustain good performance in 2024. On historical patterns, it has never sustained as one of HSI's best-performing stocks for two consecutive years. </li>
<li>Consensus growth forecasts of 4.4% and 4.3% for FY24-25 are likely wrong as this means FY25 will be the 5th straight year of growth. PetroChina does not behave like that. </li>
<li>Crude oil price has got back to the end-2022 level, but PetroChina's share price is still 50% higher. A return to their high correlation before 2023 will lead to underperformance. </li>
</ul>


We doubt if PetroChina (857 HK) can sustain good performance in 2024. On historical patterns, it has never sustained as one of HSI's best-performing stocks for two consecutive years. 
Consensus growth forecasts of 4.4% and 4.3% for FY24-25 are likely wrong as this means FY25 will be the 5th straight year of growth. PetroChina does not behave like that. 
Crude oil price has got back to the end-2022 level, but PetroChina's share price is still 50% higher. A return to their high correlation before 2023 will lead to underperformance. 


PetroChina (857 HK): An Interesting Contrarian View

Asia L/S Equity PM/Macro/Thematic Idea Generation

Rikki Malik

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>China’s economic data is continuing to surprise on the upside.</li>
<li>Investors are starting to take notice and good news is not being ignored – a sign of a change in sentiment.</li>
<li>Economically sensitive and commodity-related sectors a good hunting ground for absolute returns</li>
</ul>


China’s economic data is continuing to surprise on the upside.
Investors are starting to take notice and good news is not being ignored – a sign of a change in sentiment.
Economically sensitive and commodity-related sectors a good hunting ground for absolute returns


What's up with Hong Kong? Bull Market Dude!

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Industrials and Consumer Staples Remain Top Overweights, Though Sentiment Fragile for Both.</li>
<li>Energy sector shows signs of a turnaround from long-term decline, whilst Financials remain unloved by China investors.</li>
<li>Real Estate allocations have hit record lows, with average holdings at just 2.93%, while Consumer Discretionary sector approaches all-time highs.</li>
</ul>


Industrials and Consumer Staples Remain Top Overweights, Though Sentiment Fragile for Both.
Energy sector shows signs of a turnaround from long-term decline, whilst Financials remain unloved by China investors.
Real Estate allocations have hit record lows, with average holdings at just 2.93%, while Consumer Discretionary sector approaches all-time highs.


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>A better week for HK stocks as A-shares rebound on National Team buying, a PBOC RRR cut, and potentially other measures to boost the market. Foreigners stopped selling; that helped.</li>
<li>Southbound saw decent net buying on ETFs late in the week, but otherwise the week was pretty flat in single-stock land - net buying of SOEs, selling of tech.</li>
<li>Net SOUTHBOUND buying was HK$4.5bn on the week, mostly through Shanghai (interestingly, 90+% of the decent NORTHBOUND buy was also through Shanghai). </li>
</ul>


A better week for HK stocks as A-shares rebound on National Team buying, a PBOC RRR cut, and potentially other measures to boost the market. Foreigners stopped selling; that helped.
Southbound saw decent net buying on ETFs late in the week, but otherwise the week was pretty flat in single-stock land - net buying of SOEs, selling of tech.
Net SOUTHBOUND buying was HK$4.5bn on the week, mostly through Shanghai (interestingly, 90+% of the decent NORTHBOUND buy was also through Shanghai). 


HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 26 Jan 2024); ETFs and High Div SOEs Again BIG Buys, Tech Sold

<p>We touched base with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kunlun-energy-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10054:1" rel="noopener">Kunlun Energy (135 HK)</a> to seek answers on five questions that we think are of significant interests to investors. These include topics on the impact of the rally in LNG price, mechanism for retail gas price adjustment, outlook for dollar margin, impact on the terminal and processing segment, gas volume availability and the future of the E&amp;P segment. These questions are all well answered by Kunlun's management.</p><p>Overall, based on our discussions, the impact of higher LNG price on Kunlun's profitability and dollar margin should be manageable. It has secured enough gas sources and there should not be worries on shortage. We also anticipate the earnings volatility caused by the upstream E&amp;P business will be sharply lower in two to three years' time; and with better earnings stability and quality, Kunlun should continue to see re-rating.</p>

We touched base with Kunlun Energy (135 HK) to seek answers on five questions that we think are of significant interests to investors. These include topics on the impact of the rally in LNG price, mechanism for retail gas price adjustment, outlook for dollar margin, impact on the terminal and processing segment, gas volume availability and the future of the E&amp;P segment. These questions are all well answered by Kunlun's management.Overall, based on our discussions, the impact of higher LNG price on Kunlun's profitability and dollar margin should be manageable. It has secured enough gas sources and there should not be worries on shortage. We also anticipate the earnings volatility caused by the upstream E&amp;P business will be sharply lower in two to three years' time; and with better earnings stability and quality, Kunlun should continue to see re-rating.

Kunlun Energy (135 HK): Five Questions to Management Get Answered

China

PetroChina Company Limited explores, develops, and produces crude oil and natural gas.  The Company also refines, transports, and distributes crude oil and petroleum products, produces and sells chemicals, and transmits, markets and sells natural gas.

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PetroChina (857 HK)