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

Equity Bottom-Up

*Reserve Bank of Australia’s No Action On BNPL:The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released a Retail Payments Review on May 28, 2021 discussing among other items the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) model. Specifically, the RBA reviewed whether the BNPL model should continue with its ‘no surcharge rules’ whereby merchants are precluded from passing along BNPL fees to its customers. The RBA concluded that it will not require the BNPL sector to change its ‘no surcharge rules’; and  *Tencent’s Midas Touch: Tencent continues to hit it out of the park with its Afterpay stake. In addition to its superb return on investment over the past nine months since the stake announcement - -even after giving back some of its gains, this alliance with Australia’s premier financial technology BNPL company is paying dividends to Tencent in numerous other ways.

*Reserve Bank of Australia’s No Action On BNPL:The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released a Retail Payments Review on May 28, 2021 discussing among other items the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) model. Specifically, the RBA reviewed whether the BNPL model should continue with its ‘no surcharge rules’ whereby merchants are precluded from passing along BNPL fees to its customers. The RBA concluded that it will not require the BNPL sector to change its ‘no surcharge rules’; and  *Tencent’s Midas Touch: Tencent continues to hit it out of the park with its Afterpay stake. In addition to its superb return on investment over the past nine months since the stake announcement - -even after giving back some of its gains, this alliance with Australia’s premier financial technology BNPL company is paying dividends to Tencent in numerous other ways. 

Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

More and more, companies are using cryptocurrency (especially Bitcoin) as part of their corporate treasury management strategies, discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bitcoin-on-balance-sheets-indirect-crypto-exposure-considerations-for-crypto-leery-esg-investors" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:52207" rel="noopener">Bitcoin on Balance Sheets: Indirect Crypto Exposure Considerations for Crypto-Leery ESG Investors</a>. That trend is behind the topic of this report.Greater mainstream corporate and institutional use of Bitcoin is driving the growth in demand for cryptocurrency custody services, and banks around the world are rushing to fill that demand. It is a logical and relatively safe foray into the cryptocurrency space, albeit not without some risk.For ESG investors wishing to avoid direct or indirect cryptocurrency exposure, perhaps due to their views on crypto's wretched Environmental footprint, the banks herein will have significant indirect crypto exposure. However, I personally find it hard to be categorically bearish on this theme.Whilst the theme in the first Insight (holding Bitcoin on balance sheets) represents real risk, this is different. It could be argued that crypto custody perpetuates <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bitcoin-usd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25895:1" rel="noopener">Bitcoin (XBT)</a>'s climate impacts, thus is a bad thing. Perhaps, from a purely idealistic ESG viewpoint, that is partially true.However, the connection from custody service to carbon emissions is so far removed, and the risks associated with entering the crypto custody space are so comparatively minimal, that the opinion on this theme should be "neutral" at worst, and definitely not across-the-board "negative."But really, that is for each investor to decide, because the crypto/ESG issue is highly subjective.

More and more, companies are using cryptocurrency (especially Bitcoin) as part of their corporate treasury management strategies, discussed in Bitcoin on Balance Sheets: Indirect Crypto Exposure Considerations for Crypto-Leery ESG Investors. That trend is behind the topic of this report.Greater mainstream corporate and institutional use of Bitcoin is driving the growth in demand for cryptocurrency custody services, and banks around the world are rushing to fill that demand. It is a logical and relatively safe foray into the cryptocurrency space, albeit not without some risk.For ESG investors wishing to avoid direct or indirect cryptocurrency exposure, perhaps due to their views on crypto's wretched Environmental footprint, the banks herein will have significant indirect crypto exposure. However, I personally find it hard to be categorically bearish on this theme.Whilst the theme in the first Insight (holding Bitcoin on balance sheets) represents real risk, this is different. It could be argued that crypto custody perpetuates Bitcoin (XBT)'s climate impacts, thus is a bad thing. Perhaps, from a purely idealistic ESG viewpoint, that is partially true.However, the connection from custody service to carbon emissions is so far removed, and the risks associated with entering the crypto custody space are so comparatively minimal, that the opinion on this theme should be "neutral" at worst, and definitely not across-the-board "negative."But really, that is for each investor to decide, because the crypto/ESG issue is highly subjective.

Banks on the Bitcoin Bandwagon: Cashing in Through Crypto Custody Services

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

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.

Equity Capital Markets

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a> reported 1Q2021 results on Wednesday (26th May) after market. The company’s revenues grew 54.7% YoY during the quarter to RMB76.9bn (vs consensus revenue of RMB75.1bn) while reported operating profit for the quarter grew 251.1% to RMB8.2bn (vs consensus OP of RMB4.5bn). The adjusted operating profit for the quarter (excluding fair value adjustments and profit/loss from equity investment) increased 230.0% YoY during the quarter.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/209/315/original/image_89988038521622059340756.png?1622059342" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="209315"></figure>During 1Q21, Xiaomi was ranked no.3 in the global smartphone market with a market share of 14.1% which was only 1.0% below the no. 2 player <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/apple-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:666:1" rel="noopener">Apple Inc (AAPL US)</a>  who had a share of 15.1% of the global smartphone shipments in 1Q21. In the previous quarter (4Q2020), Xiaomi’s global smartphone shipments accounted for 12.1% of the worldwide shipments and the company’s smartphone shipments grew 61.9% YoY in 1Q20, the highest among all players in the market.Xiaomi was ranked no. 4 in China smartphone market in 1Q21 with a market share of 14.6% beating iPhone maker Apple to the fifth position. During 4Q2020, Apple had a market share of 18.2% in China and ranked no. 4, however, Apple’s share of smartphone shipment in China lessened to 12.7% in 1Q21.

Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK) reported 1Q2021 results on Wednesday (26th May) after market. The company’s revenues grew 54.7% YoY during the quarter to RMB76.9bn (vs consensus revenue of RMB75.1bn) while reported operating profit for the quarter grew 251.1% to RMB8.2bn (vs consensus OP of RMB4.5bn). The adjusted operating profit for the quarter (excluding fair value adjustments and profit/loss from equity investment) increased 230.0% YoY during the quarter.During 1Q21, Xiaomi was ranked no.3 in the global smartphone market with a market share of 14.1% which was only 1.0% below the no. 2 player Apple Inc (AAPL US)  who had a share of 15.1% of the global smartphone shipments in 1Q21. In the previous quarter (4Q2020), Xiaomi’s global smartphone shipments accounted for 12.1% of the worldwide shipments and the company’s smartphone shipments grew 61.9% YoY in 1Q20, the highest among all players in the market.Xiaomi was ranked no. 4 in China smartphone market in 1Q21 with a market share of 14.6% beating iPhone maker Apple to the fifth position. During 4Q2020, Apple had a market share of 18.2% in China and ranked no. 4, however, Apple’s share of smartphone shipment in China lessened to 12.7% in 1Q21.

Xiaomi: Strong Earnings; Narrows Gap with No. 2 Player Apple Globally While Beats Apple in China

Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Kyodo News reports that Apple is asking the Ministry of Industry Affairs and Communications (MIC, the regulator) to allow higher subsidies for iPhones to help promote the spread of 5G services. To be clear, it is the mobile operators that would offer these subsidies which were capped last year by the regulator at ¥20,000/device even as handset/service pricing was unbundled. We thought this would be a good opportunity to highlight how Apple has grown in Japan especially compared to the mobile operators.

Kyodo News reports that Apple is asking the Ministry of Industry Affairs and Communications (MIC, the regulator) to allow higher subsidies for iPhones to help promote the spread of 5G services. To be clear, it is the mobile operators that would offer these subsidies which were capped last year by the regulator at ¥20,000/device even as handset/service pricing was unbundled. We thought this would be a good opportunity to highlight how Apple has grown in Japan especially compared to the mobile operators.

Apple (Japan) Is Asking the Regulator to Allow Higher Subsidies for IPhone

Overseas Chinese Equities, Aequitas Research

Ming Lu

Overseas Chinese Equities

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.

<ul class="">
<li>In game industry, distribution channels have lost bargaining power over developers.</li>
<li>All BILI's video related businesses grew strongly in 1Q21.</li>
<li>We do not see any signs that the company will break even in the near future.</li>
<li>We set a downside of 17% and a price target of HK$80.</li>
<li>Also see the business change last year at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bilibili-bili-business-breakout-an-story-of-what-bili-was-and-will-be" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:48902" rel="noopener">Bilibili (BILI): Business Breakout, An Story of What BILI Was and Will Be</a>.</li>
</ul>


In game industry, distribution channels have lost bargaining power over developers.
All BILI's video related businesses grew strongly in 1Q21.
We do not see any signs that the company will break even in the near future.
We set a downside of 17% and a price target of HK$80.
Also see the business change last year at Bilibili (BILI): Business Breakout, An Story of What BILI Was and Will Be.


Bilibili (BILI): 1Q21, Weak Game, Strong Video, and Endless Loss

United States

Apple Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related accessories. The Company also offers payment, digital content, cloud and advertising services. Apple Inc.'s customers are primarily in consumer, small & mid-sized business, education, enterprise and government markets worldwide.

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Apple (AAPL US)

Tencent Holdings – Shot, Score!!

TENCENT HOLDINGS: The RBA released a Retail Payments Review discussing among other items the BNPL model. The RBA concluded that it will not require...

Thomas J. Monaco

Banks on the Bitcoin Bandwagon: Cashing in Through Crypto Custody Services

Bitcoin holdings by issuers and investors is driving crypto custody demand. Big banks are stepping. A big opportunity, but some ESG investors might...

Kyle Rudden

Xiaomi: Strong Earnings; Narrows Gap with No. 2 Player Apple Globally While Beats Apple in China

Xiaomi was ranked no.3 in the global smartphone market with a market share of 14.1% which was only 1.0% below the no. 2 player Apple who had a...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Apple (Japan) Is Asking the Regulator to Allow Higher Subsidies for IPhone

Apple Japan is asking the regulator to allow higher smartphone subsidies so it can sell more handsets. That's after 49% growth in Q4 and where it...

Kirk Boodry

Bilibili (BILI): 1Q21, Weak Game, Strong Video, and Endless Loss

In game industry, distribution channels have lost bargaining power over developers. All BILI's video related businesses grew strongly in 1Q21. We...

Ming Lu

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