ASEAN Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Angus Mackintosh

ASEAN Insight Provider

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Cross Asset Strategy

<div class="content-highlight">
The week that was in <a href="mailto:ASEAN@Smartkarma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN@Smartkarma</a> is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive, and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up and credit insights over the past week.
We add below a NEW section, which includes emerging themes in ASEAN and selects important news flow or developments for commentary, which may impact SE Asian companies and markets.  
</div><h3>Macro Insights</h3>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/agong-asserts-himself-preventing-change-of-pm-but-disallowing-emergency-rule" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44572" rel="noopener">Agong Asserts Himself, Preventing Change of PM but Disallowing Emergency Rule,</a> CrossASEAN Chief Economist <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/prasenjit-k-basu" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:612" rel="noopener">Prasenjit K. Basu</a> comments on the ongoing political upheaval in Malaysia. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/trouble-down-south-it-s-not-just-the-virus" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44698" rel="noopener">Trouble Down South: It's Not Just the Virus,</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/dr-jim-walker" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:1628" rel="noopener">Dr. Jim Walker</a> gives his prescriptions on why South East Asia has been such a poor performer this year. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/thai-strategy-2021-part-1-key-themes" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:40842" rel="noopener">Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 1): Key Themes,</a> out Thai guru <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/athaporn-arayasantiparb-cfa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:766" rel="noopener">Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA</a> lays out his thoughts for the outlook for the Thai market next year. <h3>Equity Bottom-Up Insights</h3>In his Indonesian Insight, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/matahari-department-store-lppf-ij-too-early-to-be-early" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44460" rel="noopener">Matahari Department Store (LPPF IJ) - Too Early to Be Early,</a> Cross ASEAN Insight Provider <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/angus-mackintosh" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:937" rel="noopener">Angus Mackintosh</a> circles back to the country's largest department store operator post its recent results. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/akr-corporindo-akra-ij-great-omnibus-expectations" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44611" rel="noopener">AKR Corporindo (AKRA IJ) - Great Omnibus Expectations,</a> CrossASEAN insight provider <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/angus-mackintosh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angus Mackintosh</a> revisits <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/akr-corporindo-tbk-pt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AKR Corporindo (AKRA IJ)</a> after its recent 3Q2020 results that continued to demonstrate its resilience, with an across the board improvement in margins, despite a decline in sales.In a Malaysian Insight, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/ql-resources-ql-take-profit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44598" rel="noopener">QL Resources (QL): Take Profit?,</a> CrossASEAN Insight Provider <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/henry-soediarko" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:1006" rel="noopener">Henry Soediarko</a> revisits this commodity turned retail play, through its Family Mart business. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/far-east-hospitality-trust-feht-beneficiary-of-opening-up" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44649" rel="noopener">Far East Hospitality Trust (FEHT): Beneficiary of Opening Up,</a> CrossASEAN Insight Provider<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/henry-soediarko" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Henry Soediarko</a> takes an initial look at<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/far-east-hospitality-trust" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Far East Hospitality Trust (FEHT SP),</a> the only hospitality REIT in Singapore with a 100% domestic hospitality exposure and a higher fixed rental component, offering a defensive exposure during this difficult market environment. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bca-profit-returns" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44605" rel="noopener">BCA – Profit Returns,</a> banking specialist <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/daniel-tabbush" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:12" rel="noopener">Daniel Tabbush</a> revisits <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-central-asia-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:440:1" rel="noopener">Bank Central Asia (BBCA IJ)</a> and finds the bank clawing back some of the ROA it lost during 2Q2020 in the most recent quarter. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bts-potential-positive-catalysts-ahead" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44691" rel="noopener">BTS: Potential Positive Catalysts Ahead,</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/companies/country-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="companies:965" rel="noopener">Country Group</a> revisit this Thai transportation play with a more positive slant.In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/pttep-4q20-earnings-to-soften-from-lower-asp-and-volume-sales" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44740" rel="noopener">PTTEP: 4Q20 Earnings to Soften from Lower ASP and Volume Sales,</a> our friends at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/companies/country-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="companies:965" rel="noopener">Country Group</a> assess the prospects for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ptt-exploration-and-production-public-company-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:261:1" rel="noopener">PTT E&amp;P (PTTEP TB)</a> going into the end of the year.<h3>Credit Insights</h3>In this Insight, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japfa-comfeed-earnings-flash-9m-fy-2020-results-lucror-analytics" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44743" rel="noopener">Japfa Comfeed - Earnings Flash - 9M FY 2020 Results,</a> Senior Credit Analyst<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/trung-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Trung Nguyen</a> discusses <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japfa-comfeed-indonesia-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8258:1" rel="noopener">Japfa Comfeed Indonesia (JPFA IJ)'</a>s 9M2020 results, which came in worse than expected (following a dismal Q22020), as the impact of COVID-19 reduced consumers' purchasing power and hit demand. In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/pan-brothers-earnings-flash-9m-fy-2020-results-lucror-analytics" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44708" rel="noopener">Pan Brothers - Earnings Flash - 9M FY 2020 Results,</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/companies/lucror-analytics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucror Analytics</a> zeros in on the Pan Brothers’ Q3 and 9M2020 earnings. Pan Brothers’ cash flow generation remained poor, and it continued to report large working capital weakness. It appears unlikely that Pan Brothers will be able to increase the size of its syndication facility, given the low commitment from banks at the moment.


The week that was in ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive, and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up and credit insights over the past week.
We add below a NEW section, which includes emerging themes in ASEAN and selects important news flow or developments for commentary, which may impact SE Asian companies and markets.  
Macro InsightsIn Agong Asserts Himself, Preventing Change of PM but Disallowing Emergency Rule, CrossASEAN Chief Economist Prasenjit K. Basu comments on the ongoing political upheaval in Malaysia. In Trouble Down South: It's Not Just the Virus,Dr. Jim Walker gives his prescriptions on why South East Asia has been such a poor performer this year. In Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 1): Key Themes, out Thai guru Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA lays out his thoughts for the outlook for the Thai market next year. Equity Bottom-Up InsightsIn his Indonesian Insight, Matahari Department Store (LPPF IJ) - Too Early to Be Early, Cross ASEAN Insight Provider Angus Mackintosh circles back to the country's largest department store operator post its recent results. In AKR Corporindo (AKRA IJ) - Great Omnibus Expectations, CrossASEAN insight provider Angus Mackintosh revisits AKR Corporindo (AKRA IJ) after its recent 3Q2020 results that continued to demonstrate its resilience, with an across the board improvement in margins, despite a decline in sales.In a Malaysian Insight, QL Resources (QL): Take Profit?, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko revisits this commodity turned retail play, through its Family Mart business. In Far East Hospitality Trust (FEHT): Beneficiary of Opening Up, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko takes an initial look at Far East Hospitality Trust (FEHT SP), the only hospitality REIT in Singapore with a 100% domestic hospitality exposure and a higher fixed rental component, offering a defensive exposure during this difficult market environment. In BCA – Profit Returns, banking specialist Daniel Tabbush revisits Bank Central Asia (BBCA IJ) and finds the bank clawing back some of the ROA it lost during 2Q2020 in the most recent quarter. In BTS: Potential Positive Catalysts Ahead,Country Group revisit this Thai transportation play with a more positive slant.In PTTEP: 4Q20 Earnings to Soften from Lower ASP and Volume Sales, our friends at Country Group assess the prospects for PTT E&amp;P (PTTEP TB) going into the end of the year.Credit InsightsIn this Insight, Japfa Comfeed - Earnings Flash - 9M FY 2020 Results, Senior Credit Analyst Trung Nguyen discusses Japfa Comfeed Indonesia (JPFA IJ)'s 9M2020 results, which came in worse than expected (following a dismal Q22020), as the impact of COVID-19 reduced consumers' purchasing power and hit demand. In Pan Brothers - Earnings Flash - 9M FY 2020 Results,Lucror Analytics zeros in on the Pan Brothers’ Q3 and 9M2020 earnings. Pan Brothers’ cash flow generation remained poor, and it continued to report large working capital weakness. It appears unlikely that Pan Brothers will be able to increase the size of its syndication facility, given the low commitment from banks at the moment. 

The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma - South East Asia Lags, the Bank's Return, and Nimble Staples

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

On Friday evening, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-exchanges-clearing" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:490:1" rel="noopener">HKEX (388 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.hkex.com.hk/News/Regulatory-Announcements/2020/201030news?sc_lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> the conclusions to its consultation on the Corporate WVR beneficiaries.The SEHK will treat Greater China issuers that are controlled by corporate Weighted Voting Rights (WVRR) beneficiaries and have a primary listing on a Qualifying Exchange in the same manner as current grandfathered Greater China issuers. The cut-off date for the grandfathered issues is 30 October 2020.Qualifying corporate WVR issuers will need to meet the following requirements:<ul>
<li>a minimum market cap threshold of at least HK$40bn, or a market cap of at least HK$10bn and revenue of at least HK$1bn in its most recent audited financial year.</li>
<li>be an 'innovative company' as part of the suitability for listing</li>
<li>demonstrate that the laws, rules and regulations provide certain shareholder protection standards</li>
</ul>The secondary listing applicant would also need to demonstrate that it is controlled by a single corporate WVR beneficiary, or a group of corporate beneficiaries acting in concert, controlling at least 30% of the total shareholder votes.This paves the way for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-music-entertainment" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27255:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Music (TME US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/iqiyi-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26755:1" rel="noopener">iQIYI Inc (IQ US)</a>, among others, to pursue a secondary listing on the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-exchanges-clearing" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:490:1" rel="noopener">HKEX (388 HK)</a>.

On Friday evening, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HKEX (388 HK), published the conclusions to its consultation on the Corporate WVR beneficiaries.The SEHK will treat Greater China issuers that are controlled by corporate Weighted Voting Rights (WVRR) beneficiaries and have a primary listing on a Qualifying Exchange in the same manner as current grandfathered Greater China issuers. The cut-off date for the grandfathered issues is 30 October 2020.Qualifying corporate WVR issuers will need to meet the following requirements:
a minimum market cap threshold of at least HK$40bn, or a market cap of at least HK$10bn and revenue of at least HK$1bn in its most recent audited financial year.
be an 'innovative company' as part of the suitability for listing
demonstrate that the laws, rules and regulations provide certain shareholder protection standards
The secondary listing applicant would also need to demonstrate that it is controlled by a single corporate WVR beneficiary, or a group of corporate beneficiaries acting in concert, controlling at least 30% of the total shareholder votes.This paves the way for Tencent Music (TME US) and iQIYI Inc (IQ US), among others, to pursue a secondary listing on the HKEX (388 HK). 

Conclusions of the Corporate WVR Consultation: Small Changes for Now

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Xiaomi (1810)’s global shipment increased 42% YoY in 3Q20.</li>
<li>The Cyberspace Administration plans to pass a law of live broadcaster account classification.</li>
<li>JD.com (JD) has the largest market share of online fresh food.</li>
<li>Alibaba Health (241 HK)’s profit turned positive.</li>
</ul>


Xiaomi (1810)’s global shipment increased 42% YoY in 3Q20.
The Cyberspace Administration plans to pass a law of live broadcaster account classification.
JD.com (JD) has the largest market share of online fresh food.
Alibaba Health (241 HK)’s profit turned positive.


China Internet Weekly (2Nov2020):  Xiaomi Phone Shipment up 42%, New Live Broadcast Law Coming

Alibaba Group Holding  / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul class="">
<li>Online sales were still strong in China in the quarter ended September; therefore, we believe BABA’s revenue can still grow rapidly in 2Q21.</li>
<li>The extraordinarily high “interest and investment income, net” in FY2020 will not happen again; therefore, we believe EPS will decrease by 10% in FY2021.</li>
<li>The stock price has risen 44% year to date, compared to 1% for the Standard and Poor 500 Index.</li>
<li>The P/E band since IPO suggests a downside of 17% and a price target of US$252.</li>
</ul>


Online sales were still strong in China in the quarter ended September; therefore, we believe BABA’s revenue can still grow rapidly in 2Q21.
The extraordinarily high “interest and investment income, net” in FY2020 will not happen again; therefore, we believe EPS will decrease by 10% in FY2021.
The stock price has risen 44% year to date, compared to 1% for the Standard and Poor 500 Index.
The P/E band since IPO suggests a downside of 17% and a price target of US$252.


Alibaba (BABA): Expect Higher Financials for F2Q21, But Lower Price

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

*Don’t Be Misled By Better Numbers: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (1398.HK) [ICBC] reported stronger 3Q20 results than 2Q20, coming in at CNY 80.3 bn - increasing CNY 15.6 bn (24.1%) linked quarter. The linked quarter Improvement is largely attributed to three factors: a) net interest income improvement of CNY 4.0 bn (2.6%) on both a 1 bp NIM improvement to 1.92%, and 2.6% loan growth; b) a CNY 11.7 bn (17.7%) decline in loss provisioning despite marked credit weakness; and c) a 700 bp decline in ICBC’s tax rate to 15.2%; and *Credit Risk Rising: As ICBC is the benchmark name to which all mainland Chinese banks are measured, an increase of such magnitude is more than alarming – and intimates mainland Chinese bank credit risk is moving in oppositive directions to their counterparts in India. When one considers the current break in credit quality reserves would appear to be incredibly light – in the neighborhood of CNY 419 bn which amounts to over a year of pre-tax results at ICBC.

*Don’t Be Misled By Better Numbers: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (1398.HK) [ICBC] reported stronger 3Q20 results than 2Q20, coming in at CNY 80.3 bn - increasing CNY 15.6 bn (24.1%) linked quarter. The linked quarter Improvement is largely attributed to three factors: a) net interest income improvement of CNY 4.0 bn (2.6%) on both a 1 bp NIM improvement to 1.92%, and 2.6% loan growth; b) a CNY 11.7 bn (17.7%) decline in loss provisioning despite marked credit weakness; and c) a 700 bp decline in ICBC’s tax rate to 15.2%; and *Credit Risk Rising: As ICBC is the benchmark name to which all mainland Chinese banks are measured, an increase of such magnitude is more than alarming – and intimates mainland Chinese bank credit risk is moving in oppositive directions to their counterparts in India. When one considers the current break in credit quality reserves would appear to be incredibly light – in the neighborhood of CNY 419 bn which amounts to over a year of pre-tax results at ICBC.      

ICBC – Be Very Wary Of Worsening Credit

China

Alibaba Group Holding Limited provides online sales services. The Company provides internet infrastructure, electronic commerce, online financial, and internet content services through its subsidiaries. Alibaba Group Holding offers its products and services worldwide.

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Alibaba Group Holding (BABA US)

The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma - South East Asia Lags, the Bank's Return, and Nimble Staples

The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with an eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive, and actionable insights from across South East...

Angus Mackintosh

Conclusions of the Corporate WVR Consultation: Small Changes for Now

The HKEX has published the conclusions of the consultation on corporate WVR beneficiaries. There are no major changes, but the proposed changes...

Brian Freitas

China Internet Weekly (2Nov2020): Xiaomi Phone Shipment up 42%, New Live Broadcast Law Coming

Xiaomi ’s global shipment up 42% YoY in 3Q20. The Cyberspace Administration plans to pass a law of live broadcaster account classification. JD.com...

Ming Lu

Alibaba (BABA): Expect Higher Financials for F2Q21, But Lower Price

We believe revenue can still grow rapidly, but EPS will decrease by 10% in F2021. The stock price has risen 44% year to date, compared to 1% for...

Ming Lu

ICBC – Be Very Wary Of Worsening Credit

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA: Don't Believe The Hype. Numbers Manufactured, and Credit Risk Suggests Long Winter For ICBC and Mainland...

Thomas J. Monaco

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