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.

Equity Capital Markets

Zhihu Technology / Equity Capital Markets

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<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhihu-technology-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32185:1" rel="noopener">Zhihu Technology (ZH US)</a> is the largest Q&amp;A-inspired online community and one of the top five comprehensive online content communities in China, both in terms of average mobile MAUs and revenue in 2020, according to CIC. Zhihu is acknowledged as the first choice among all online content communities in China where people look for information to make decisions or find answers, according to CIC. Zhihu is backed by <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/beijing-kuaishou-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29725:1" rel="noopener">Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a>.</p>
<div class="content-highlight"><p>Zhihu is pre-marketing an NYSE IPO to raise proceeds of $1 billion, according to press reports. <span>In </span><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/zhihu-ipo-initiation-question-time" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:48928" rel="noopener">Zhihu IPO Initiation: Question Time</a><span>, we opined that as the largest Q&amp;A-inspired online community, Zhihu is well-positioned to benefit from favourable industry trends. We concluded that Zhihu’s fundamentals are attractive. In this note, we present our forecasts and take the first look at Zhihu's potential valuation. </span></p></div>
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Zhihu Technology (ZH US) is the largest Q&amp;A-inspired online community and one of the top five comprehensive online content communities in China, both in terms of average mobile MAUs and revenue in 2020, according to CIC. Zhihu is acknowledged as the first choice among all online content communities in China where people look for information to make decisions or find answers, according to CIC. Zhihu is backed by Tencent Holdings (700 HK), Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK) and Baidu (BIDU US).
Zhihu is pre-marketing an NYSE IPO to raise proceeds of $1 billion, according to press reports. In Zhihu IPO Initiation: Question Time, we opined that as the largest Q&amp;A-inspired online community, Zhihu is well-positioned to benefit from favourable industry trends. We concluded that Zhihu’s fundamentals are attractive. In this note, we present our forecasts and take the first look at Zhihu's potential valuation. 


Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>eSports offer intriguing investment possibilities to investors given very large projected TAMs, high growth rates and links to a variety of other fast growing industries including games, streaming, animation, tech hardware and social media. This makes eSports important to understand and below we examine key themes that investors should be aware of, before delving into a full primer on the space, companies with exposure to eSports, Asian eSports franchises and key eSports games to be aware of.</p>

eSports offer intriguing investment possibilities to investors given very large projected TAMs, high growth rates and links to a variety of other fast growing industries including games, streaming, animation, tech hardware and social media. This makes eSports important to understand and below we examine key themes that investors should be aware of, before delving into a full primer on the space, companies with exposure to eSports, Asian eSports franchises and key eSports games to be aware of.

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

<div><p>Bairong, an independent AI-powered technology platform in China serving the financial services industry, plans to raise around US$300m in its Hong Kong IPO. According to F&amp;S, it was the largest independent financial big data analytics solutions provider in China by revenue in 2019, with a market share of 8.7%.</p></div><div>
<p>Over 2017-19, Bairong’s revenue expanded by 3.56x or at 88.8% CAGR. While its data analytics revenue increased by 66% over the period, its precision marketing services revenue grew 22.6x, and insurance distribution grew 54.5x. Over the same time, gross profit grew 3.99x and adjusted EBITDA, PAT and OCF all turned positive during that period.</p>
<p>I've covered the positive aspects of the deal in my earlier note, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bairong-pre-ipo-the-positives-largest-independent-big-data-analytics-provider" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bairong Pre-IPO - The Positives - Largest Independent Big-Data Analytics Provider</a>.</p>
</div><div><p>In this insight, I'll talk about the not so pleasant aspects.</p></div>

Bairong, an independent AI-powered technology platform in China serving the financial services industry, plans to raise around US$300m in its Hong Kong IPO. According to F&amp;S, it was the largest independent financial big data analytics solutions provider in China by revenue in 2019, with a market share of 8.7%.
Over 2017-19, Bairong’s revenue expanded by 3.56x or at 88.8% CAGR. While its data analytics revenue increased by 66% over the period, its precision marketing services revenue grew 22.6x, and insurance distribution grew 54.5x. Over the same time, gross profit grew 3.99x and adjusted EBITDA, PAT and OCF all turned positive during that period.
I've covered the positive aspects of the deal in my earlier note, Bairong Pre-IPO - The Positives - Largest Independent Big-Data Analytics Provider.
In this insight, I'll talk about the not so pleasant aspects.

Bairong Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Playing with Its Own Data

Kuaishou Technology / Equity Capital Markets

<div><p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-kuaishou-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29725:1" rel="noopener">Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK)</a> is the second-largest short video platform by average DAUs (daily active users) in 9M20, according to iResearch. Kuaishou will commence trading on Friday, 05 February. Kuaishou priced its IPO at HK$115 and <a href="http://www.aastocks.com/en/stocks/news/aafn-con/NOW.1074361/ipo-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opened 1x higher</a> at HK$230 in the grey market and last stood at HK$278.</p></div><div><p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kuaishou-ipo-initiation-dancing-to-its-own-tune" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45032" rel="noopener">Kuaishou IPO Initiation: Dancing to Its Own Tune</a>, we stated that while Kuaishou’s performance over the track record period is distorted due to various factors, we believe that the underlying fundamentals are attractive. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kuaishou-ipo-thrill-seekers" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:47104" rel="noopener">Kuaishou IPO: Thrill Seekers</a>, we noted that the PHIP which discloses 9M20 results and key operating data for 11M20 reinforces our view that Kuaishou is worth a look. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kuaishou-ipo-valuation-insights" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:47381" rel="noopener">Kuaishou IPO: Valuation Insights</a>, we noted that the IPO price range is attractive.</p></div><div><div><div class="content-highlight"><p>Updating for the final IPO net raise, our base-case DCF derived price target of HK$137.42 per share. As DCF-based target prices are subject to a wide range of variability, we present a sensitivity table to help investors gauge where target prices could head. Our DCF sensitivity analysis shows that the IPO price is attractive but the grey market price is fully priced. </p></div></div></div>

Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK) is the second-largest short video platform by average DAUs (daily active users) in 9M20, according to iResearch. Kuaishou will commence trading on Friday, 05 February. Kuaishou priced its IPO at HK$115 and opened 1x higher at HK$230 in the grey market and last stood at HK$278.In Kuaishou IPO Initiation: Dancing to Its Own Tune, we stated that while Kuaishou’s performance over the track record period is distorted due to various factors, we believe that the underlying fundamentals are attractive. In Kuaishou IPO: Thrill Seekers, we noted that the PHIP which discloses 9M20 results and key operating data for 11M20 reinforces our view that Kuaishou is worth a look. In Kuaishou IPO: Valuation Insights, we noted that the IPO price range is attractive.Updating for the final IPO net raise, our base-case DCF derived price target of HK$137.42 per share. As DCF-based target prices are subject to a wide range of variability, we present a sensitivity table to help investors gauge where target prices could head. Our DCF sensitivity analysis shows that the IPO price is attractive but the grey market price is fully priced. 

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-kuaishou-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29725:1" rel="noopener">Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK)</a> is the second-largest short video platform by average DAUs (daily active users) in 9M20, according to iResearch. Helped by a strong reception by both institutional and retail investors, Kuaishou is likely to price at the top-end of the IPO price range of HK$105-115 per share, according to press reports. The shares will start trading on 5 February.</p><div class="content-highlight"><p>The stage seems set for Kuaishou to follow the strong post-listing performance of recent tech listings in Hong Kong and the US. Early indications suggest that Kuaishou's grey market price has hit HK$250 per share, slightly more than twice the rumoured IPO price, <a href="http://www.aastocks.com/en/stocks/news/aafn-con/NOW.1073287/ipo-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Chinese media</a>. Our analysis suggests that a valuation of 2x the rumoured IPO price of HK$115 per share can be justified on stretched but plausible assumptions.</p></div>

Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK) is the second-largest short video platform by average DAUs (daily active users) in 9M20, according to iResearch. Helped by a strong reception by both institutional and retail investors, Kuaishou is likely to price at the top-end of the IPO price range of HK$105-115 per share, according to press reports. The shares will start trading on 5 February.The stage seems set for Kuaishou to follow the strong post-listing performance of recent tech listings in Hong Kong and the US. Early indications suggest that Kuaishou's grey market price has hit HK$250 per share, slightly more than twice the rumoured IPO price, according to Chinese media. Our analysis suggests that a valuation of 2x the rumoured IPO price of HK$115 per share can be justified on stretched but plausible assumptions.

Kuaishou IPO: Is It Worth Twice the IPO Price?

United States

HUYA Inc. operates as a game live streaming platform. The Company offers interactive video broadcast services including e-sports, music, reality show, entertainment genres, talent shows, and anime and outdoor activities. HUYA serves customers in China.

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HUYA (HUYA US)

Zhihu IPO: Valuation First Look

Zhihu is pre-marketing an NYSE IPO to raise proceeds of $1 billion, according to press reports. In this note, we present our forecasts and take the...

Arun George

ESports – Entering the Third Innings

In this Smartkarma Original we examine the state of eSports in Asia, examining differences with traditional sports and the games, teams and...

Mio Kato

Bairong Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Playing with Its Own Data

Bairong, an independent AI-powered technology platform in China serving the financial services industry, plans to raise around US$300m in its Hong...

Sumeet Singh

Kuaishou IPO: Trading Debut

Kuaishou priced its IPO at HK$115 and the grey market price last stood at HK$278. Our DCF sensitivity analysis shows that the grey market price is...

Arun George

Kuaishou IPO: Is It Worth Twice the IPO Price?

Kuaishou's grey market price has hit HK$250 per share, slightly more than 2x the IPO price of HK$115. Our analysis suggests that this valuation can...

Arun George

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