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

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aristocrat-leisure-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10303:1" rel="noopener">Aristocrat Leisure (ALL AU)</a> aims to raise around US$1bn (A$1.3bn) via a renounceable entitlement offer to partly fund its acquisition of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/playtech-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22099:1" rel="noopener">Playtech Plc (PTEC LN)</a> for a total enterprise value of around A$5bn.Past deals undertaken by Aristocrat have generally done well and the stock has a good track record. In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Aristocrat Leisure (ALL AU) aims to raise around US$1bn (A$1.3bn) via a renounceable entitlement offer to partly fund its acquisition of Playtech Plc (PTEC LN) for a total enterprise value of around A$5bn.Past deals undertaken by Aristocrat have generally done well and the stock has a good track record. In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Aristocrat Leisure's Playtech Acquisition, Entitlement and Shortfall

Forensic Analyst

Jason Yap, CFA

Forensic Accounting

Macau's top gaming stocks <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/macau-casinos-see-188-billion-wipeout-as-china-tightens-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> a record USD18 billion in combined market value on 15 September 2021 after the Macau administration <a href="https://www.ggrasia.com/public-consultation-re-gaming-law-review-from-sept-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a><a href="https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-may-end-casino-sub-concessions-directly-monitor-ops/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a> a 45 day public consultation period to discuss revisions to Gaming Laws, which comes as the June 2022 expiration deadline for existing gaming concessions loomed. Amongst others, the abolishment of the sub-concession framework (which could reduce current 6 operators to 3 operators), restriction on distribution of dividend, and Macau government's direct supervision of casino operations drew the most consternation from investors and analysts. The sweeping revisions compound the woes of Macau's casino operators, such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wynn-macau-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:473:1" rel="noopener">Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK) </a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sands-china-ltd-088dbd12-a0e9-4516-a68f-6a3cf8aa065d" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28515:1" rel="noopener">Sands China Ltd (SCHYY US)</a>, which had already been badly affected by pandemic driven travel restrictions, and which obliterated their gaming revenues.While there were some improvements due to easing of travel restrictions for Mainland travelers in September 2020, gross gaming revenues (GGR) remain a shadow of its past.  The daily average of visitors to Macau during October's Golden Week was <a href="https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-oct-golden-week-daily-average-visits-dip-93pct-y-o-y/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">down 93.7%</a> on daily average in 2020. The decline coincided with new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Macau around the same period. Amongst its peers, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wynn-macau-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:473:1" rel="noopener">Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK)</a>  is the most highly levered and had already dodged a bullet by securing covenant waivers in April 2020 at the peak of the pandemic.In this Insight, we discuss the impact of the proposed revisions and subdued GGR recovery on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wynn-macau-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:473:1" rel="noopener">Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK)</a>'s cash reserves, debt servicing ability, and whether there may be potential breaches of its financial covenants.

Macau's top gaming stocks lost a record USD18 billion in combined market value on 15 September 2021 after the Macau administration announced a 45 day public consultation period to discuss revisions to Gaming Laws, which comes as the June 2022 expiration deadline for existing gaming concessions loomed. Amongst others, the abolishment of the sub-concession framework (which could reduce current 6 operators to 3 operators), restriction on distribution of dividend, and Macau government's direct supervision of casino operations drew the most consternation from investors and analysts. The sweeping revisions compound the woes of Macau's casino operators, such as Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK)  and Sands China Ltd (SCHYY US), which had already been badly affected by pandemic driven travel restrictions, and which obliterated their gaming revenues.While there were some improvements due to easing of travel restrictions for Mainland travelers in September 2020, gross gaming revenues (GGR) remain a shadow of its past.  The daily average of visitors to Macau during October's Golden Week was down 93.7% on daily average in 2020. The decline coincided with new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Macau around the same period. Amongst its peers, Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK)  is the most highly levered and had already dodged a bullet by securing covenant waivers in April 2020 at the peak of the pandemic.In this Insight, we discuss the impact of the proposed revisions and subdued GGR recovery on Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK)'s cash reserves, debt servicing ability, and whether there may be potential breaches of its financial covenants.

Wynn Macau (1128 HK) - Gaming Law Revisions and Impact on Financial Covenants

Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Leonard Law, CFA

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Credit

In this month’s "In-Focus" section, we discuss the Indonesian real estate market, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns on the residential, commercial and industrial property markets. We also provide an overview of recent bond defaults. The Asia Monthly focuses on providing updates on recent events, information on new issues and spread movements, as well as summarising our top picks, and discussing specific areas of interest in the "In-Focus" section. The Asia Monthly is intended to broaden investors' understanding of the Asian USD high-yield market.

  In this month’s "In-Focus" section, we discuss the Indonesian real estate market, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns on the residential, commercial and industrial property markets. We also provide an overview of recent bond defaults.   The Asia Monthly focuses on providing updates on recent events, information on new issues and spread movements, as well as summarising our top picks, and discussing specific areas of interest in the "In-Focus" section. The Asia Monthly is intended to broaden investors' understanding of the Asian USD high-yield market. 

Asia HY Monthly - Indonesian Real Estate Market Update - Lucror Analytics

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Equity Bottom-Up

Lotte Tour Development Co, Ltd. / Equity Bottom-Up

The sharp government crackdown on the Macau casinos is a boon on the Korean casinos. Because the government crackdown on the Macau casinos could last longer (next 6-12 months, for example), we believe that this is likely to lead to benefit the major casino operators of other major Asian countries such as in Korea, including companies such as Paradise and Lotte Tour Development. At this point, the great unknown regarding the Macau casino industry is how aggressively the Chinese government will try to impose on how the major casinos in Macau operate. We highlighted four major factors that the CCP could aggressively intrude on them including dividends, BOD representation, ownership, and expansion of non-casino businesses. Although there have been some increased regulatory scrutiny by the CCP on the Macau casinos in the past, this new crackdown in the past two weeks is probably one of the most restrictive and problematic ever. What is different this time around is timing. Unlike the previous crackdowns, this crackdown has involved not just the gambling sector but also other major sectors including education, technology, and entertainment.<ul>
<li>At its core, it deals with the fundamental issue of capitalism vs. communism, the details of which is beyond this article.</li>
<li>For the investor that actively trade the Asian casinos, it is very difficult to "buy the dip" since if indeed the CCP becomes major shareholders of these Macau casinos (including BOD representation), these companies would not be acting in the best interests of their shareholders and would not be maximizing their capital efficiency.</li>
<li>Rather, they would take directives from the CCP and minority shareholders would be screwed. </li>
</ul>

The sharp government crackdown on the Macau casinos is a boon on the Korean casinos. Because the government crackdown on the Macau casinos could last longer (next 6-12 months, for example), we believe that this is likely to lead to benefit the major casino operators of other major Asian countries such as in Korea, including companies such as Paradise and Lotte Tour Development. At this point, the great unknown regarding the Macau casino industry is how aggressively the Chinese government will try to impose on how the major casinos in Macau operate. We highlighted four major factors that the CCP could aggressively intrude on them including dividends, BOD representation, ownership, and expansion of non-casino businesses. Although there have been some increased regulatory scrutiny by the CCP on the Macau casinos in the past, this new crackdown in the past two weeks is probably one of the most restrictive and problematic ever. What is different this time around is timing. Unlike the previous crackdowns, this crackdown has involved not just the gambling sector but also other major sectors including education, technology, and entertainment.
At its core, it deals with the fundamental issue of capitalism vs. communism, the details of which is beyond this article.
For the investor that actively trade the Asian casinos, it is very difficult to "buy the dip" since if indeed the CCP becomes major shareholders of these Macau casinos (including BOD representation), these companies would not be acting in the best interests of their shareholders and would not be maximizing their capital efficiency.
Rather, they would take directives from the CCP and minority shareholders would be screwed. 


A Crackdown on the Macau Casinos Is a Boon on the Korean Casinos

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

*Gaming Caught In The Crosshairs: Mainland China indicated that changes are afoot to gaming regulations, including the appointment of government officials to supervise the companies - just as Macau's lucrative gaming licenses come up for re-bidding in 2022; and*Financials Likely Next: There appears to be a genuine timeline for each sector in mainland China to be taken out to the woodshed. Now that the gaming industry is now being placed under firm control, it would appear to only be a matter of time when the financial sector will be re-configured to suit mainland China’s vision – likely ahead of the national elections in 2022.

*Gaming Caught In The Crosshairs: Mainland China indicated that changes are afoot to gaming regulations, including the appointment of government officials to supervise the companies - just as Macau's lucrative gaming licenses come up for re-bidding in 2022; and*Financials Likely Next: There appears to be a genuine timeline for each sector in mainland China to be taken out to the woodshed. Now that the gaming industry is now being placed under firm control, it would appear to only be a matter of time when the financial sector will be re-configured to suit mainland China’s vision – likely ahead of the national elections in 2022.

Mainland China – Here Comes The Rein Again

Hong Kong

Wynn Macau, Limited owns and operates Wynn Macau, a destination casino resort currently featuring hotel rooms and suites, a casino, casual and fine dining restaurants, retail space and leisure amenities.

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Wynn Macau Ltd (1128 HK)

Aristocrat Leisure's Playtech Acquisition, Entitlement and Shortfall

Aristocrat Leisure (ALL AU) aims to raise around US$1bn via a renounceable entitlement offer to partly fund its acquisition of Playtech Plc (PTEC...

Sumeet Singh

Wynn Macau (1128 HK) - Gaming Law Revisions and Impact on Financial Covenants

Macau's gaming stocks lost USD18 billion in market value after the Macau administration announced proposed revisions to Gaming Laws. We discuss the...

Jason Yap, CFA

Asia HY Monthly - Indonesian Real Estate Market Update - Lucror Analytics

In this month’s "In-Focus" section, we discuss the Indonesian real estate market, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related...

Lucror Analytics

A Crackdown on the Macau Casinos Is a Boon on the Korean Casinos

The sharp government crackdown on the Macau casinos is a boon on the Korean casinos. Because the government crackdown on the Macau casinos could...

Douglas Kim

Mainland China – Here Comes The Rein Again

FINANCIALS IN CROSSHAIRS: Mainland China is appointing government officials to supervise the gaming companies. There appears to be a genuine...

Thomas J. Monaco

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