Founder & Managing Director, AIR Control Tower, AIR Control Tower

Neil Glynn

Founder & Managing Director, AIR Control Tower

AIR Control Tower

AIR Control Tower is an independent research and analysis platform. Its mission is to provide impactful insight and analysis across the global airline industry at a company and market level via detailed financial models to aid decision making for key stake holders at a time when risks have seldom, if ever, been higher and the global sector grapples with the imperative of funding de-carbonisation. Unique analysis forecasting global carrier-level earnings/cash flows, and restructuring/de-leveraging prospects, is designed to dynamically assess the health of the industry, predict surprises and identify potential requirements for third party support.

Insights on the global airline industry

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Difficult for merger to receive approval in Europe, US and potentially Japan. But Korean Air financial recovery positions it well for the future.</li>
<li>Asiana vulnerable given it continues to struggle to make money, while its net debt is higher than 2019 revenues. South Korean precedent of focusing on one national champion in shipping.</li>
<li>Most M&amp;A destroys value. Strong argument for Korean continuing alone given stronger opportunities should Asiana be forced to retrench/cease ops, while Delta JV developmental potential attractive.</li>
</ul>


Difficult for merger to receive approval in Europe, US and potentially Japan. But Korean Air financial recovery positions it well for the future.
Asiana vulnerable given it continues to struggle to make money, while its net debt is higher than 2019 revenues. South Korean precedent of focusing on one national champion in shipping.
Most M&amp;A destroys value. Strong argument for Korean continuing alone given stronger opportunities should Asiana be forced to retrench/cease ops, while Delta JV developmental potential attractive.


Korean Air - Plan B Should Asiana Merger Fail to Gain Approval

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Ethan Aw

APAC 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.

Equity Capital Markets

Skymark Airlines / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/skymark-airlines-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20430:1" rel="noopener">Skymark Airlines (9204 JP)</a> raised US$242m in its Japan IPO. The shares began to trade on 14th Dec 2022, its six-month lockup will expire on 11th Jun 2023.</li>
<li>Skymark Airlines (SA) is a Japanese low-cost airline, being the third largest domestic airline  according to the company. Unlike major airlines and other low-cost carriers, Skymark operates only domestic flights.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.</li>
</ul>



Skymark Airlines (9204 JP) raised US$242m in its Japan IPO. The shares began to trade on 14th Dec 2022, its six-month lockup will expire on 11th Jun 2023.
Skymark Airlines (SA) is a Japanese low-cost airline, being the third largest domestic airline  according to the company. Unlike major airlines and other low-cost carriers, Skymark operates only domestic flights.
In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.


Skymark Airlines Lockup Expiry - Still Doesn’t Seem Cheap with 50% of the Shares Being Unlocked

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In this insight, we review the major equity indices in Korea in 2024 including KOSPI 200 and Korea Value Up Index. </li>
<li>Some alpha generating performances continue in terms of adding stocks to be included in the KOSPI 200 and reducing stocks that could be excluded.</li>
<li>Korea Value Up Index has been heavily promoted by the Korean Exchange this year. Korea Exchange plans to make special changes to the Korea Value-Up Index constituents on 20 December. </li>
</ul>


In this insight, we review the major equity indices in Korea in 2024 including KOSPI 200 and Korea Value Up Index. 
Some alpha generating performances continue in terms of adding stocks to be included in the KOSPI 200 and reducing stocks that could be excluded.
Korea Value Up Index has been heavily promoted by the Korean Exchange this year. Korea Exchange plans to make special changes to the Korea Value-Up Index constituents on 20 December. 


A Review of Major Equity Indices in Korea in 2024

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Nearly four years have passed since Korean Air first proposed a merger with Asiana Airlines in November 2020. Despite repeated delays, it appears that this merger could finally occur.</li>
<li>There is now a higher probability of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines receiving the final merger approval from the United States Department of Justice. </li>
<li>Combined with attractive valuations, better balance sheet, and improved profitability from the merged entity, we believe that Korean Air shares could continue to outperform KOSPI in the next 12 months. </li>
</ul>


Nearly four years have passed since Korean Air first proposed a merger with Asiana Airlines in November 2020. Despite repeated delays, it appears that this merger could finally occur.
There is now a higher probability of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines receiving the final merger approval from the United States Department of Justice. 
Combined with attractive valuations, better balance sheet, and improved profitability from the merged entity, we believe that Korean Air shares could continue to outperform KOSPI in the next 12 months. 


Korean Air Spearheading the Korean Airline Industry Consolidation

Quantitative Researcher, MRM Research

Nico Rosti

Quantitative Researcher

MRM Research

Quantitative Research

Equity Derivatives

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>While the short-selling ban for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200 INDEX</a> will remain in place until the first months of 2025, that does not prevent the index from pulling back.</li>
<li>Pullbacks, in this context, are an opportunity to buy, in the hope the index will rise higher from its current position.</li>
<li>Our models right now are showing a short-term WEEKLY OVERBOUGHT scenario coming in the next 2 weeks. Keep reading for more details.</li>
</ul>


While the short-selling ban for the KOSPI 200 INDEX will remain in place until the first months of 2025, that does not prevent the index from pulling back.
Pullbacks, in this context, are an opportunity to buy, in the hope the index will rise higher from its current position.
Our models right now are showing a short-term WEEKLY OVERBOUGHT scenario coming in the next 2 weeks. Keep reading for more details.


South Korea

Asiana Airlines, Inc. provides air cargo and passenger transportation services throughout South Korea and overseas.  The Company also offers airline catering and on-flight duty free shopping services and operates aircraft leasing business.

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Asiana Airlines (020560 KS)

Korean Air - Plan B Should Asiana Merger Fail to Gain Approval

Deep dive on prospects for Korean Air should it fail to achieve approval for planned Asiana merger. Global airline M&A perspective/organic...

Neil Glynn

Skymark Airlines Lockup Expiry - Still Doesn’t Seem Cheap with 50% of the Shares Being Unlocked

Skymark Airlines (9204 JP) raised US$242m in its Japan IPO. The shares began to trade on 14th Dec 2022, its six-month lockup will expire on 11th...

Ethan Aw

A Review of Major Equity Indices in Korea in 2024

We review the major equity indices in Korea in 2024 including KOSPI 200 and Korea Value Up Index. KRX plans to make special changes to the Korea...

Douglas Kim

Korean Air Spearheading the Korean Airline Industry Consolidation

Nearly four years have passed since Korean Air first proposed a merger with Asiana Airlines in November 2020. Despite repeated delays, it appears...

Douglas Kim

EQD | KOSPI 200 May Pullback Soon...

Pullbacks on the KOSPI 200 INDEX are currently a buy opportunity, given the short-selling ban still in place. We predict a short-term WEEKLY...

Nico Rosti

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