Founder/CEO of ROK Advisory, ROK Advisory LLC

Ken S. Kim

Founder/CEO of ROK Advisory

ROK Advisory LLC

ROK is an independent research advisory firm. We guide you to minimize the information gap between foreign and local investors in Northeast Asia with a focus in Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Independent Research Advisory Firm

Equity Bottom-Up

In Korea the safest way to invest is to align your interest as a minority shareholder with those of the family?  Usually the key asset of the chaebol is apparent but what about SK Group? It seems we have an opportunity to hone in what the key asset is.

In Korea the safest way to invest is to align your interest as a minority shareholder with those of the family?  Usually the key asset of the chaebol is apparent but what about SK Group? It seems we have an opportunity to hone in what the key asset is.

The Chaebol Dilemma - What's the Family Jewel(S)?

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

*A Poor Set Of Results: AIA Group (1299.HK) (AIA) reported 4Q20 Value of New Business (VONB) of USD 2.8 bn -  down 33% YOY, and net profit of USD 5.8 bn – down 3% over the period. 4Q20 VONB amounted to USD 639 mn, down 31% YOY.  The VONB decline can be attributed largely to weaker volumes and margins caused by mainland China’s new withholding tax, expense overruns in Hong Kong, along with product/mix shifts resultant of pandemic restrictions; and *No Hong Kong Rebound In Sight: The focus should remain Hong Kong, where a 66% YOY decline in VONB occurred as its border with mainland China continued to remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. This should continue to weigh on results over the next few quarters as well.

*A Poor Set Of Results: AIA Group (1299.HK) (AIA) reported 4Q20 Value of New Business (VONB) of USD 2.8 bn -  down 33% YOY, and net profit of USD 5.8 bn – down 3% over the period. 4Q20 VONB amounted to USD 639 mn, down 31% YOY.  The VONB decline can be attributed largely to weaker volumes and margins caused by mainland China’s new withholding tax, expense overruns in Hong Kong, along with product/mix shifts resultant of pandemic restrictions; and *No Hong Kong Rebound In Sight: The focus should remain Hong Kong, where a 66% YOY decline in VONB occurred as its border with mainland China continued to remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. This should continue to weigh on results over the next few quarters as well.   

*Another Poor Set Of Results Expected: Pre-market on March 12, 2021, AIA Group (1299.HK) [AIA] is set to release its 4Q20/full year  results. By our calculation, AIA’s overall Value of New Business (VONB) is expected to decline 33% YOY on a constant exchange rate basis – declining on a linked quarter basis, due largely to weaker volumes and margins.AIA’s product mix remains sub-optimal with the single premium product remaining the focus due to the COVID-19 impact on face-to-face agency sales;  and *No Hong Kong Rebound In Sight: The focus should remain Hong Kong, where a 60% plus YOY decline in VONB would not be out of the question as its border with mainland China continued to remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. This should continue to weigh on results over the next few quarters as well.

*Another Poor Set Of Results Expected: Pre-market on March 12, 2021, AIA Group (1299.HK) [AIA] is set to release its 4Q20/full year  results. By our calculation, AIA’s overall Value of New Business (VONB) is expected to decline 33% YOY on a constant exchange rate basis – declining on a linked quarter basis, due largely to weaker volumes and margins.AIA’s product mix remains sub-optimal with the single premium product remaining the focus due to the COVID-19 impact on face-to-face agency sales;  and *No Hong Kong Rebound In Sight: The focus should remain Hong Kong, where a 60% plus YOY decline in VONB would not be out of the question as its border with mainland China continued to remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. This should continue to weigh on results over the next few quarters as well. 

AIA Group – 4Q Results Likely To Remain Very Challenging

Event-Driven

The result of the guilty verdict was expected by the local media but what does this mean for the future of the Samsung Group? 5 key takeaways on what to expect and impact on the Samsung Group and its affiliates.

The result of the guilty verdict was expected by the local media but what does this mean for the future of the Samsung Group? 5 key takeaways on what to expect and impact on the Samsung Group and its affiliates. 

JY Lee & The Ides of March.....and What It Means for You

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

MSCI Emerging Markets Index / Technical Analysis

As we highlighted in last week’s Int’l Compass, the weight of the evidence suggests commodities are in the early stages of a new secular bull market. Global Materials remains a favorite Sector overweight and we believe outperformance is likely to continue considering the Sector’s long-term bullish RS reversal. Additionally, we are upgrading equal-weighted Energy to overweight due to bullish price and RS inflections -- add exposure with a focus on small- and mid-caps.

As we highlighted in last week’s Int’l Compass, the weight of the evidence suggests commodities are in the early stages of a new secular bull market. Global Materials remains a favorite Sector overweight and we believe outperformance is likely to continue considering the Sector’s long-term bullish RS reversal. Additionally, we are upgrading equal-weighted Energy to overweight due to bullish price and RS inflections -- add exposure with a focus on small- and mid-caps.

Global Commodity-Related Equity Sectors In Secular Bull

South Korea

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd. provides insurance services. The Company offers auto, fire, marine, casualty, health, leisure, and retirement products and services. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance serves customers in South Korea.

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS)

Dongbu Insurance Co., Ltd. provides a variety of non-life insurance services such as auto, long-term casualty and property, pension and retirement, fire and marine, and leisure insurance products.

Hanwha Life Insurance Co., Ltd. offers life insurance services and reinsurance services.  The Company also does insurance against loss business, beverages business, real estate rental, and securities investment business through its subsidiaries.

Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (HDMF) is a property and casualty insurer.  The Company's products include auto, fire, marine, general liability, leisure, travel, pension, and medical insurances.

Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd (001450 KS)

Korean Reinsurance Company is a reinsurer which underwrites life and non-life insurance.  The Company's products include life, fire, marine, auto, casualty, guarantee, pension, long-term, and foreign reinsurance.

Tongyang Life Insurance offers life insurance services. The Company markets its products through individuals and groups.

Lotte Non-Life Insurance Company Ltd. provides a variety of non-life insurance services, such as auto, fire, marine, long-term casualty and property, pension, and retirement insurance products. The Company also operates a foreign reinsurance business.

Mirae Asset Life Insurance Co., Ltd. provides life insurance and related products.  The Company offers a wide range of services including retirement pension, non-saving products, individual savings, bank assurance, and other financial consulting services.

Mirae Asset Life Insurance Co., (085620 KS)

Hanwha General Insurance Co., Ltd. provides a variety of non-life insurance services, such as fire, marine, auto, long term casualty and property, pension and retirement, leisure, and air products.

HungKuk Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd. provides a variety of non-life insurance services, such as fire, marine, long term casualty and property, auto, pension and retirement, and leisure insurance.

Heungkuk Fire & Marine Insurance (000540 KS)

New China Life Insurance Company Limited provides life insurance in local and foreign currencies, acts as an insurance agent, provides checks, claims and insurance consulting. The Company's main products include life insurance, accident insurance, health insurance products and services.

The People's Insurance Company (Group) of China Limited, through its subsidiaries, offers a range of property and casualty insurance products. The Company also offers asset management services for a variety of customers throughout China.

Insurance Australia Group Limited (IAG) is an Australian-based international general insurance group with operations in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. The Group provides a range of personal and commercial insurance products, primarily motor vehicle and home insurance.

Unum Group provides group disability and special risk insurance.  The Company provides disability insurance, group life insurance, and payroll-deducted voluntary benefits offered to employees at their worksites.

T&D Holdings, Inc. is a holding company established through the merger of Taiyo Life Insurance, Daido Life Insurance, and T&D Financial Life Insurance. The Company manages life insurance operations for its subsidiaries.

Suncorp Group Ltd. offers retail and business banking, life and general insurance, superannuation and funds management services.  The Company's services include personal banking and loans, personal insurance products, credit cards, pension savings accounts, term deposits, property development finance, commercial lending, investments and lease financing.

CNA Financial Corporation operates as an insurance holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides commercial property and casualty coverages such as risk management, information services, warranty, and claims administration. CNA Financial serves clients throughout the United States.

American Financial Group, Inc. provides multi-line property and casualty insurance.  The Company also sells tax-deferred annuities and certain life and supplemental health insurance products.  American Financial operates in the United States.

Great Eastern Holdings Limited operates in the life insurance business. The Company provides fund management services including retirement plans and endowments as well as life and health insurance, personal accident insurance, and general insurance

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. is a global provider of reinsurance and insurance. The Company's business primarily consists of catastrophe reinsurance, specialty reinsurance, and individual risk business.

Samsung Life Insurance Co., Ltd. provides insurance services. The Company offers life and health insurance services. Samsung Life Insurance serves customers in South Korea.

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Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS)

The Chaebol Dilemma - What's the Family Jewel(S)?

What is the key asset of the SK Group and how should we play this over the course of time ? Here's at least what we should consider

Ken S. Kim

AIA Group – Low Base Leverage

AIA GROUP: AIA posted a 4Q20 VONB decline of 33% YOY, largely due to weaker volumes and margins, expense overruns, and product/mix shifts due to...

Thomas J. Monaco

AIA Group – 4Q Results Likely To Remain Very Challenging

AIA GROUP: Pre-market on March 12th, AIA is to release 4Q20/full year results. AIA’s overall VONB is expected to decline 33% YOY- due largely to...

Thomas J. Monaco

JY Lee & The Ides of March.....and What It Means for You

The impact of the JY Lee jail sentencing and what it means for Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T and its affiliates down the line.

Ken S. Kim

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

The Chaebol Dilemma - What's the Family Jewel(S)?

What is the key asset of the SK Group and how should we play this over the course of time ? Here's at least what we should consider

Ken S. Kim

AIA Group – Low Base Leverage

AIA GROUP: AIA posted a 4Q20 VONB decline of 33% YOY, largely due to weaker volumes and margins, expense overruns, and product/mix shifts due to...

Thomas J. Monaco

AIA Group – 4Q Results Likely To Remain Very Challenging

AIA GROUP: Pre-market on March 12th, AIA is to release 4Q20/full year results. AIA’s overall VONB is expected to decline 33% YOY- due largely to...

Thomas J. Monaco

JY Lee & The Ides of March.....and What It Means for You

The impact of the JY Lee jail sentencing and what it means for Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T and its affiliates down the line.

Ken S. Kim

Global Commodity-Related Equity Sectors In Secular Bull

We believe commodities are in the early stages of a new secular bull market. Global Materials & Energy remain our favorite Sector overweights - add...

Vermilion Research