Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/best-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25494:1" rel="noopener">BEST Inc (BEST US)</a> announced it will wind down its money-losing Store+ business line. The company had been considering strategic alternatives for Store+ for several quarters. In the US session on Monday, shares traded as high as US$3.65 before falling to US$3.18 at the close. The decision to close Store+ is positive at the margin, in our view. The unit was responsible for outsized adjusted EBITDA losses and added little to growth. The change should free up some working capital and allow management to focus on the Chinese express and freight segments. More importantly, eliminating Store+ (and its losses) makes Best more attractive to potential suitors. Best is likely to disclose operating losses when it reports Q3 results on November 19th. We believe any near-term weakness in the share price could provide an opportunity to add to positions on the expectation of M&amp;A activity in the next 12-18 months. Retain BUY

BEST Inc (BEST US) announced it will wind down its money-losing Store+ business line. The company had been considering strategic alternatives for Store+ for several quarters. In the US session on Monday, shares traded as high as US$3.65 before falling to US$3.18 at the close. The decision to close Store+ is positive at the margin, in our view. The unit was responsible for outsized adjusted EBITDA losses and added little to growth. The change should free up some working capital and allow management to focus on the Chinese express and freight segments. More importantly, eliminating Store+ (and its losses) makes Best more attractive to potential suitors. Best is likely to disclose operating losses when it reports Q3 results on November 19th. We believe any near-term weakness in the share price could provide an opportunity to add to positions on the expectation of M&amp;A activity in the next 12-18 months. Retain BUY

Best Inc. Is Closing Its Money-Losing 'Store+' Business, a Small but Positive Step Forward

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The effect of the COVID pandemic saw an unprecedented level of sector rotation among EM active portfolios in 2020.</li>
<li>Banking stocks were hit the hardest, with Semiconductor, Internet Retail and Interactive Media industry groups the beneficiaries.</li>
<li>Banking exposure is at its lowest levels in over a decade, EM active investors at highest ever weights in Tech related Consumer Discretionary and Communication Services stocks.</li>
<li>Improving outlook for banking stocks, vaccine hopes, plus potential regulation in the Tech sector point to a potential unwind.  </li>
<li>'Beaten Up' banking stocks include <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/itau-unibanco-holding-sa-9d47d196-e503-471b-a84e-ca4401033062" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24550:1" rel="noopener">Itau Unibanco Holding Sa (ITUB4 BZ)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kasikornbank-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:293:1" rel="noopener">Kasikornbank PCL (KBANK TB)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/standard-bank-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24988:1" rel="noopener">Standard Bank (SBK SJ)</a> </li>
<li>Fully owned Tech related stocks include <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-com-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:446:1" rel="noopener">JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mercadolibre-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27954:1" rel="noopener">MercadoLibre Inc (MELI US)</a> </li>
</ul>


The effect of the COVID pandemic saw an unprecedented level of sector rotation among EM active portfolios in 2020.
Banking stocks were hit the hardest, with Semiconductor, Internet Retail and Interactive Media industry groups the beneficiaries.
Banking exposure is at its lowest levels in over a decade, EM active investors at highest ever weights in Tech related Consumer Discretionary and Communication Services stocks.
Improving outlook for banking stocks, vaccine hopes, plus potential regulation in the Tech sector point to a potential unwind.  
'Beaten Up' banking stocks include Itau Unibanco Holding Sa (ITUB4 BZ) , Kasikornbank PCL (KBANK TB) and Standard Bank (SBK SJ) 
Fully owned Tech related stocks include Meituan (3690 HK) , JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US) and MercadoLibre Inc (MELI US) 


GEM Fund Positioning Update:  The COVID Unwind.

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

*Another Positive Update Ahead of AGM: The Australia Securities &amp; Investments Commission (ASIC) recently released its second report on the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) space, and the findings appear to be similar to its first report. This is quite positive for the shares of Afterpay Touch (APT.AU) [Afterpay], where Tencent Holdings (700.HK) [Tencent] holds what is likely to be a growing 5% stake. The AGM for Afterpay is on November 17th; and  *More Magic Fairy Dust: Tencent continues to hit it out of the park with its Afterpay stake. In addition to a superb return on investment of 394% over the past five plus months since the stake announcement, this alliance with Australia’s premier financial technology BNPL company is paying dividends to Tencent in numerous other ways.

*Another Positive Update Ahead of AGM: The Australia Securities &amp; Investments Commission (ASIC) recently released its second report on the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) space, and the findings appear to be similar to its first report. This is quite positive for the shares of Afterpay Touch (APT.AU) [Afterpay], where Tencent Holdings (700.HK) [Tencent] holds what is likely to be a growing 5% stake. The AGM for Afterpay is on November 17th; and  *More Magic Fairy Dust: Tencent continues to hit it out of the park with its Afterpay stake. In addition to a superb return on investment of 394% over the past five plus months since the stake announcement, this alliance with Australia’s premier financial technology BNPL company is paying dividends to Tencent in numerous other ways. 

Tencent – This Deal Keeps Rolling Along

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Supun Walpola

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.

Alibaba Group Holding  / Equity Bottom-Up

On the 10th of November, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) issued a draft legislature on the “Guidelines on Anti-monopoly in the Field of Platform Economy”. Following the news, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:787:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (BABA US)</a>’s share price fell by around 12% over the course of the last week, despite the company’s record-smashing Singles’ Day sales. In this note, we take a look at how the new anti-monopoly regulations would affect Alibaba.

On the 10th of November, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) issued a draft legislature on the “Guidelines on Anti-monopoly in the Field of Platform Economy”. Following the news, Alibaba Group (BABA US)’s share price fell by around 12% over the course of the last week, despite the company’s record-smashing Singles’ Day sales. In this note, we take a look at how the new anti-monopoly regulations would affect Alibaba. 

Quality-first, Business-perspective Strategy, Urbem (HK) Limited

Steven Chen

Quality-first, Business-perspective Strategy

<ul>
<li>Record-breaking 2020 Singles-day Shopping Festival may produce some insights regarding brands winning Chinese consumers;</li>
<li>But most winning brands cannot derive an investable business in China, given the prevalent lack of persistently high ROIC.</li>
<li>We hand-pick four companies that are investable from TMall's Singles-day top brand list.</li>
</ul>


Record-breaking 2020 Singles-day Shopping Festival may produce some insights regarding brands winning Chinese consumers;
But most winning brands cannot derive an investable business in China, given the prevalent lack of persistently high ROIC.
We hand-pick four companies that are investable from TMall's Singles-day top brand list.


Quick Picks: Top Investable Brands From The 2020 Singles-Day Shopping Festival

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 (9988 HK)

Best Inc. Is Closing Its Money-Losing 'Store+' Business, a Small but Positive Step Forward

By closing its money-losing Store+ business, Best makes itself more attractive to a potential acquirer. Any weakness around its release of Q3...

Tracking Traffic

GEM Fund Positioning Update: The COVID Unwind.

How did Emerging Market managers react to the COVID-19 pandemic? Unprecedented rotation out of Bank stocks and in to Tech. How are managers now...

Steven Holden

Tencent – This Deal Keeps Rolling Along

TENCENT HOLDINGS: ASICs Second Report On The Buy Now Pay Later Space Is Yet Another Positive For Tencent's Afterpay Investment.

Thomas J. Monaco

Alibaba: Crime and Punishment

How does the new anti-monopoly regulation affect Alibaba? Does the new legislature prohibit exclusive agreements? Does this mean Alibaba would lose...

Supun Walpola

Quick Picks: Top Investable Brands From The 2020 Singles-Day Shopping Festival

Most winning brands cannot lead to an investable business in China, but here are our four hand-picked rare species that are investable from TMall's...

Steven Chen

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