Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

Equity Bottom-Up

The last three quarters have largely been defined by the potential for Vision Fund portfolio companies to go public but a new theme is emerging as Softbank starts to take money off the table. There was much less discussion of liquidity events but more on asset sales including partial sales of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/uber-technologies-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:430:1" rel="noopener">Uber (UBER US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ke-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29213:1" rel="noopener">KE Holdings Inc (BEKE US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/doordash-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28881:1" rel="noopener">DoorDash Inc (DASH US)</a> , Guardant Health and Northstar public equities in the quarter. With a further sale of Uber shares this month, that theme probably picks up steam as the quarter goes on, particularly if <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/coupang" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28425:1" rel="noopener">Coupang (CPNG US)</a>  can hold its value into September when lockups expire.Proceeds from these sales will be used to fund Vision Fund 2 commitments, which will get a further boost from Masa/management investing their own money alongside. That would seem to flag corporate governance concerns but as Masa already has an economic stake in Northstar and earlier plans for a management investment in VF1 passed board muster, this probably does not impact sentiment very much.There is some modest dissonance in the results as Softbank said that it was not announcing a buyback because it was not selling assets like it did last year. Apparently that definition excludes investments like the ones above although Masa did tease that they thought about share buybacks every day because of the depth of the holding company discount. That could just be noise as there is no upside in ruling out buybacks entirely but there is precedent as management has been incentivized to act in the past when discounts reached extreme levels. That used to be around 50% (we are at c. 46% now) but last year’s 67%+ discount may have reset the bar on where shares are too cheap.

The last three quarters have largely been defined by the potential for Vision Fund portfolio companies to go public but a new theme is emerging as Softbank starts to take money off the table. There was much less discussion of liquidity events but more on asset sales including partial sales of Uber (UBER US) , KE Holdings Inc (BEKE US) , DoorDash Inc (DASH US) , Guardant Health and Northstar public equities in the quarter. With a further sale of Uber shares this month, that theme probably picks up steam as the quarter goes on, particularly if Coupang (CPNG US)  can hold its value into September when lockups expire.Proceeds from these sales will be used to fund Vision Fund 2 commitments, which will get a further boost from Masa/management investing their own money alongside. That would seem to flag corporate governance concerns but as Masa already has an economic stake in Northstar and earlier plans for a management investment in VF1 passed board muster, this probably does not impact sentiment very much.There is some modest dissonance in the results as Softbank said that it was not announcing a buyback because it was not selling assets like it did last year. Apparently that definition excludes investments like the ones above although Masa did tease that they thought about share buybacks every day because of the depth of the holding company discount. That could just be noise as there is no upside in ruling out buybacks entirely but there is precedent as management has been incentivized to act in the past when discounts reached extreme levels. That used to be around 50% (we are at c. 46% now) but last year’s 67%+ discount may have reset the bar on where shares are too cheap.

Softbank Group - Q1 21 Results Reaction: A Slow Shift in Focus

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.

Event-Driven

<div>
Coupang, one of the largest e-commerce players in Korea, was listed on 11th Mar 2021 when it raised around US$4.5bn via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its US IPO.
In this note, we'll talk about the upcoming lock-up expiry.
We've covered various aspects of the deal in our earlier insights: 
</div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-pre-ipo-the-positives-fast-growth-sticky-customers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang Pre-IPO - The Positives - Fast Growth, Sticky Customers</a>, </li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-pre-ipo-the-negatives-horrendous-data-disclosures-including-no-mention-of-ott-launch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Horrendous Data Disclosures, Including No Mention of OTT Launch</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-pre-ipo-fair-bit-of-competition-but-it-s-doing-better-than-most-local-peers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang Pre-IPO - Fair Bit of Competition but It’s Doing Better than Most Local Peers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-pre-ipo-earnings-forecast-and-valuation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang Pre-IPO - Earnings Forecast and Valuation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-ipo-momentum-play-unequal-lock-up-index-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang IPO - Momentum Play, Unequal Lock-Up, Index Inclusion</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-ipo-quick-note-peers-move-down-range-moves-up-ripe-for-trading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang IPO - Quick Note - Peers Move Down, Range Moves Up. Ripe for Trading.</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-ipo-trading-most-hit-near-term-peak-on-the-first-day-key-trading-lock-up-dates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang IPO Trading - Most Hit near Term Peak on the First Day - Key Trading/​Lock-Up Dates</a></li>
</ul></div>


Coupang, one of the largest e-commerce players in Korea, was listed on 11th Mar 2021 when it raised around US$4.5bn via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its US IPO.
In this note, we'll talk about the upcoming lock-up expiry.
We've covered various aspects of the deal in our earlier insights: 


Coupang Pre-IPO - The Positives - Fast Growth, Sticky Customers, 
Coupang Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Horrendous Data Disclosures, Including No Mention of OTT Launch
Coupang Pre-IPO - Fair Bit of Competition but It’s Doing Better than Most Local Peers
Coupang Pre-IPO - Earnings Forecast and Valuation
Coupang IPO - Momentum Play, Unequal Lock-Up, Index Inclusion
Coupang IPO - Quick Note - Peers Move Down, Range Moves Up. Ripe for Trading.
Coupang IPO Trading - Most Hit near Term Peak on the First Day - Key Trading/​Lock-Up Dates


Coupang Lock-Up Expiry - Failed to Meet Multiple Lock-Up Exits; Now Hitting the US$7bn Expiry

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

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/policybazaar-insurance-web-aggregator" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33470:1" rel="noopener">Policybazaar Insurance Web Aggregator (1569999D IN)</a>/PB Fintech operates the Policybazaar and Paisabazaar platforms in India. Policybazaar is India’s largest digital insurance marketplace with a 93.4% market share based on the number of policies sold in FY20, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. Paisabazaar is India’s largest digital consumer credit marketplace with a 51.4% market share, based on disbursals in FY20, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. PB Fintech’s shareholders include SoftBank Vision Fund, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a>, Tiger Global and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/info-edge-india-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14461:1" rel="noopener">Info Edge India (INFOE IN)</a>.   PB Fintech is looking to raise Rs60.2 billion ($809 million) at an $5 billion valuation, according to press reports. The IPO comprises a primary raise of Rs37.5 billion and a secondary raise of Rs22.7 million. PB Fintech is also considering a pre-IPO placement of Rs7.5 billion in new shares. The pre-IPO placement amount will be deducted from the primary portion of the raise. India has a highly underpenetrated insurance market due to financial illiteracy, lack of awareness of insurance, low household disposable income, complex products and inefficiencies in distribution system. Insurance penetration (premium as % of GDP) is at 3.8% in India as compared to the global average of 7.2%. However, online distribution channels are changing the insurance distribution landscape in India. A key enabler of online distribution are digital insurance marketplaces which account for 54% of the total online insurance market in FY20, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. Policybazaar, which is India’s largest digital consumer credit marketplace, is a direct play on the rising insurance penetration rates in India. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paytm-mobile-solutions-pvt-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26149:1" rel="noopener">Paytm (PAYTM IN)</a>, which also has an insurance marketplace amongst its various offerings, offers an alternative but less direct exposure to the Indian insurance market. We discussed the Paytm IPO in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/paytm-ipo-initiation-a-payments-led-super-app" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:54983" rel="noopener">Paytm IPO Initiation: A Payments-Led Super-App</a>. <div class="content-highlight">PB Fintech operates an asset-light capital model and does not underwrite any insurance or retain any credit risk on loans. Due to its market-leading platforms, the business is well positioned to benefit from the post-COVID-19 recovery in insurance policies sales and loan disbursals by its partners. In July 2021, PB Fintech obtained an insurance brokerage license will allow Policybazaar to broaden its consumer reach through the offline channel. Helped by strong brand recognition and retention rates, the favourable unit economics also suggest that profitability is within reach. Overall, we think that PB Fintech has attractive fundamentals.</div>

Policybazaar Insurance Web Aggregator (1569999D IN)/PB Fintech operates the Policybazaar and Paisabazaar platforms in India. Policybazaar is India’s largest digital insurance marketplace with a 93.4% market share based on the number of policies sold in FY20, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. Paisabazaar is India’s largest digital consumer credit marketplace with a 51.4% market share, based on disbursals in FY20, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. PB Fintech’s shareholders include SoftBank Vision Fund, Tencent (700 HK), Tiger Global and Info Edge India (INFOE IN).   PB Fintech is looking to raise Rs60.2 billion ($809 million) at an $5 billion valuation, according to press reports. The IPO comprises a primary raise of Rs37.5 billion and a secondary raise of Rs22.7 million. PB Fintech is also considering a pre-IPO placement of Rs7.5 billion in new shares. The pre-IPO placement amount will be deducted from the primary portion of the raise. India has a highly underpenetrated insurance market due to financial illiteracy, lack of awareness of insurance, low household disposable income, complex products and inefficiencies in distribution system. Insurance penetration (premium as % of GDP) is at 3.8% in India as compared to the global average of 7.2%. However, online distribution channels are changing the insurance distribution landscape in India. A key enabler of online distribution are digital insurance marketplaces which account for 54% of the total online insurance market in FY20, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. Policybazaar, which is India’s largest digital consumer credit marketplace, is a direct play on the rising insurance penetration rates in India. Paytm (PAYTM IN), which also has an insurance marketplace amongst its various offerings, offers an alternative but less direct exposure to the Indian insurance market. We discussed the Paytm IPO in Paytm IPO Initiation: A Payments-Led Super-App. PB Fintech operates an asset-light capital model and does not underwrite any insurance or retain any credit risk on loans. Due to its market-leading platforms, the business is well positioned to benefit from the post-COVID-19 recovery in insurance policies sales and loan disbursals by its partners. In July 2021, PB Fintech obtained an insurance brokerage license will allow Policybazaar to broaden its consumer reach through the offline channel. Helped by strong brand recognition and retention rates, the favourable unit economics also suggest that profitability is within reach. Overall, we think that PB Fintech has attractive fundamentals.

PB Fintech (Policybazaar) IPO Initiation: Insurance Policy

Founder & CEO Bond Angle, LLC, Bond Angle, LLC

Vicki Bryan

Founder & CEO Bond Angle, LLC

Bond Angle, LLC

Insightful commentary and analysis on bond markets and market movers, including financial, economic, and industry catalysts and management shenanigans. 

High yield market investment research

Credit

Bloomberg reported that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikola-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29029:1" rel="noopener">Nikola Corp (NKLA US)</a> ex CEO Trevor Milton has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-06/nikola-s-milton-turns-to-lawyers-who-defended-tesla-s-musk?sref=Q1XEaVVD" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hired the s</a><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-06/nikola-s-milton-turns-to-lawyers-who-defended-tesla-s-musk?sref=Q1XEaVVD" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ame lawyers</a> who defended <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tesla-motors-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20279:1" rel="noopener">Tesla Motors (TSLA US)</a> CEO Elon Musk in his securities fraud conviction in 2018.He might also consider Jay Clayton.Few lawyers have been more helpful to Elon Musk than ex SEC chair Jay Clayton, given his astonishing leniency with Elon over his fake buyout of Tesla which cost investors $20 billion in evaporated market cap.

Bloomberg reported that Nikola Corp (NKLA US) ex CEO Trevor Milton has hired the same lawyers who defended Tesla Motors (TSLA US) CEO Elon Musk in his securities fraud conviction in 2018.He might also consider Jay Clayton.Few lawyers have been more helpful to Elon Musk than ex SEC chair Jay Clayton, given his astonishing leniency with Elon over his fake buyout of Tesla which cost investors $20 billion in evaporated market cap.

Nikola's Milton Just Hired Elon's Lawyers

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Private Capital Markets

<div class="content-highlight">
In this insight, we provide further details of Yanolja which has become the second largest investment for Softbank in Korea, after Coupang. In July 2021, Softbank Group Corp's Vision Fund II agreed to invest $1.7 billion in <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-15/softbank-invests-1-7-billion-in-korea-s-yanolja-ahead-of-ipo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yanolja, </a>which is getting ready for an IPO in 2H 2021/2022.
Established in 2005, Yanolja is considered to be the second largest property management software provider in the world after Oracle. Yanolja plans to use the investment to expand overseas and further invest in improving its technologies. Softbank's investment in Yanolja valued the company at about <a href="https://www.edaily.co.kr/news/read?newsId=01095526629143384&amp;mediaCodeNo=257&amp;OutLnkChk=Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9 trillion won</a> ($8 billion). Currently, Yanolja has about 1,500 employees, including about 1,000 employees in Korea and 500 employees overseas. 
<a href="http://www.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20190612000473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yanolja</a> became a unicorn in June 2019 when it received a $180 million Series D round investment valuing the company at more than $1 billion. It is astounding how this company's valuation has jumped nearly 8x in the past two years. In addition to Softbank, other investors in Yanolja include GIC, Booking Holdings, Skylake Investments, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sbi-investment-korea-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17244:1" rel="noopener">Sbi Investment Korea (019550 KS)</a>, and Aju IB Investments.
Softbank's recent investment in Yanolja would suggest a P/S multiple of 31x, which is very high. In November 2020, Yanolja selected <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/006800:KS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mirae Asset Daewoo Co.</a> as a lead arranger along with <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/016360:KS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung Securities Co.</a> as a co-underwriter. The company has yet to determine whether it would list in the U.S. or in Korea.
</div>


In this insight, we provide further details of Yanolja which has become the second largest investment for Softbank in Korea, after Coupang. In July 2021, Softbank Group Corp's Vision Fund II agreed to invest $1.7 billion in Yanolja, which is getting ready for an IPO in 2H 2021/2022.
Established in 2005, Yanolja is considered to be the second largest property management software provider in the world after Oracle. Yanolja plans to use the investment to expand overseas and further invest in improving its technologies. Softbank's investment in Yanolja valued the company at about 9 trillion won ($8 billion). Currently, Yanolja has about 1,500 employees, including about 1,000 employees in Korea and 500 employees overseas. 
Yanolja became a unicorn in June 2019 when it received a $180 million Series D round investment valuing the company at more than $1 billion. It is astounding how this company's valuation has jumped nearly 8x in the past two years. In addition to Softbank, other investors in Yanolja include GIC, Booking Holdings, Skylake Investments, Sbi Investment Korea (019550 KS), and Aju IB Investments.
Softbank's recent investment in Yanolja would suggest a P/S multiple of 31x, which is very high. In November 2020, Yanolja selected Mirae Asset Daewoo Co. as a lead arranger along with Samsung Securities Co. as a co-underwriter. The company has yet to determine whether it would list in the U.S. or in Korea.


Why Did Softbank Invest $1.7 Billion in Yanolja in Korea?

Japan

SoftBank Group Corp. provides telecommunication services. The Company also operates ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and fiber optic high-speed Internet connection, e-Commerce businesses, and Internet based advertising and auction businesses.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Softbank Group (9984 JP)

Softbank Group - Q1 21 Results Reaction: A Slow Shift in Focus

The messaging is changing at Softbank as the IPO flywheel (20+ liquidity events) gives way to investment sales and realized gains. There are no...

Kirk Boodry

Coupang Lock-Up Expiry - Failed to Meet Multiple Lock-Up Exits; Now Hitting the US$7bn Expiry

Coupang was listed on 11th Mar 2021 when it raised around US$4.5bn via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its US IPO. In this note,...

Sumeet Singh

PB Fintech (Policybazaar) IPO Initiation: Insurance Policy

PB Fintech (operates Policybazaar and Paisabazaar platforms) is looking to raise Rs60.2 billion ($809 million) through an IPO in India. Overall, we...

Arun George

Nikola's Milton Just Hired Elon's Lawyers

Nikola's Trevor Milton has hired the same lawyers who defended Elon Musk in his securities fraud conviction in 2018. He might also consider ex SEC...

Vicki Bryan

Why Did Softbank Invest $1.7 Billion in Yanolja in Korea?

We provide further details of Yanolja which has become the second largest investment for Softbank in Korea. In July 2021, Softbank Group Corp's...

Douglas Kim

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)