Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas, CrossASEAN Research

Henry Soediarko

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas

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

Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/airports-of-thailand-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:239:1" rel="noopener">Airports of Thailand (AOT TB)</a> path to recovery is quite clear - vaccine, borders reopening, and shorter or abolishment of the quarantine requirement. The first two are in the works with countries around the world racing against each other for a higher and faster vaccination. Shorten or abolishment of quarantine requirement may be difficult, even for those who are already fully vaccinated, until the next quarter at least. The Phuket reopening sandbox will be a proof of concept of whether 1) Thailand's health infrastructure is ready to accept foreign tourists and 2) people are ready to travel again once vaccinated.
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/212/121/original/image_17443488521623225592751.png?1623225593" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="212121"></figure>
source: Reuters

Airports of Thailand (AOT TB) path to recovery is quite clear - vaccine, borders reopening, and shorter or abolishment of the quarantine requirement. The first two are in the works with countries around the world racing against each other for a higher and faster vaccination. Shorten or abolishment of quarantine requirement may be difficult, even for those who are already fully vaccinated, until the next quarter at least. The Phuket reopening sandbox will be a proof of concept of whether 1) Thailand's health infrastructure is ready to accept foreign tourists and 2) people are ready to travel again once vaccinated.

source: Reuters

Airport of Thailand (AOT): Phuket Sandbox

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-baiyun-international-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10819:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH)</a> (GBIA) posted another month of good traffic performance with aircraft movement and passenger throughput rose by 44.9% YoY and 94.1% YoY, respectively. Thanks to the strength on the domestic routes, we believe it has sustained traffic outperformance against both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-international-airport-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6511:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH)</a> (SIAC) and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-capital-international-airport-bcia" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10626:1" rel="noopener">Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)</a> in May.However, we are concerned that the recent outbreak of local COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou and Guangdong will negatively affect traffic in Jun and Jul as the local health commissions and governments stepped up measures to contain the spread. We have already seen a 69.5% decline in the scheduled Shanghai-Guangzhou flights operated by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)</a> in a 14-day period since the peak on 27 May. Share price of GBIA outperformed SIAC by 14.9pp YTD and the outbreak in southern China is likely to trigger the former to give back some of its outperformance in the near term until the dust is settled.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH) (GBIA) posted another month of good traffic performance with aircraft movement and passenger throughput rose by 44.9% YoY and 94.1% YoY, respectively. Thanks to the strength on the domestic routes, we believe it has sustained traffic outperformance against both Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH) (SIAC) and Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK) in May.However, we are concerned that the recent outbreak of local COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou and Guangdong will negatively affect traffic in Jun and Jul as the local health commissions and governments stepped up measures to contain the spread. We have already seen a 69.5% decline in the scheduled Shanghai-Guangzhou flights operated by China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) and Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) in a 14-day period since the peak on 27 May. Share price of GBIA outperformed SIAC by 14.9pp YTD and the outbreak in southern China is likely to trigger the former to give back some of its outperformance in the near term until the dust is settled. 

Guangzhou Baiyun Intl Airport (600004 CH): Facing Challenges in the Near Term

Founder of Antler Capital

Stanley Tsai, CFA

BOC Aviation | BOCAVI <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/boc-aviation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22689:1" rel="noopener">(2588 HK)</a> 
As a follow-up on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/david-blennerhassett" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:840" rel="noopener">David Blennerhassett</a>'s Smartkarma Original <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/asia-pac-airports-ups-but-mostly-downs" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:51855" rel="noopener">Asia-Pac Airports: Ups, But Mostly Downs</a>, we take a look at BOCAVI, which, in our view, is a compelling alternative to APAC airport operators and airlines as a post-Covid trade.
BOCAVI is a highly geared play on the resumption of air travel. The stock has gone through periods of significant out/underperformance against the APAC airports and airlines and may continue to give investors high beta in either direction. The geographical exposure is broad, but there is a heavy skew towards short-haul flights, which will see the earliest acceleration in passenger traffic.
Management's countercyclical capex expansion increasingly looks like a shrewd bet. At its core, BOCAVI is in the capital management business. Strong liquidity and BOC's explicit backing have allowed the lessor to grow its purchase-and-leaseback portfolio through the depths of the pandemic. While airlines are still hemorrhaging cash, over 99% of BOCAVI's aircraft remain cash-generating.  
We expect the firm's undiscounted committed revenues to top USD20bn in 2021. By year-end, the value of the portfolio will have doubled since 2014. We estimate the present value of this cashflow stream to be HKD72.80/share. We are essentially getting free growth optionality. 
We are buyers at book value. The stock is trading at 8x P/E and 1.1x P/B on a 12M forward basis. BOCAVI is reasonably liquid, with a market cap of USD6bn and average daily turnover of USD3.5mn. Besides the obvious risk of protracted lockdowns globally, a well-functioning USD bond market and BOC's funding support are critical to our investment case.
Attachment: BOCAVI Financial Summary

BOC Aviation | BOCAVI (2588 HK) 
As a follow-up on David Blennerhassett's Smartkarma Original Asia-Pac Airports: Ups, But Mostly Downs, we take a look at BOCAVI, which, in our view, is a compelling alternative to APAC airport operators and airlines as a post-Covid trade.
BOCAVI is a highly geared play on the resumption of air travel. The stock has gone through periods of significant out/underperformance against the APAC airports and airlines and may continue to give investors high beta in either direction. The geographical exposure is broad, but there is a heavy skew towards short-haul flights, which will see the earliest acceleration in passenger traffic.
Management's countercyclical capex expansion increasingly looks like a shrewd bet. At its core, BOCAVI is in the capital management business. Strong liquidity and BOC's explicit backing have allowed the lessor to grow its purchase-and-leaseback portfolio through the depths of the pandemic. While airlines are still hemorrhaging cash, over 99% of BOCAVI's aircraft remain cash-generating.  
We expect the firm's undiscounted committed revenues to top USD20bn in 2021. By year-end, the value of the portfolio will have doubled since 2014. We estimate the present value of this cashflow stream to be HKD72.80/share. We are essentially getting free growth optionality. 
We are buyers at book value. The stock is trading at 8x P/E and 1.1x P/B on a 12M forward basis. BOCAVI is reasonably liquid, with a market cap of USD6bn and average daily turnover of USD3.5mn. Besides the obvious risk of protracted lockdowns globally, a well-functioning USD bond market and BOC's funding support are critical to our investment case.
Attachment: BOCAVI Financial Summary

BOC Aviation (2588 HK): The Stars Don't Look Bigger, but They Do Look Brighter

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Within the hospitality-affected complex, the airline industry garners the lion's share of the negative news from the Covid fall-out. The <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/280456Z:CN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Air Transport Association</a> said last month it estimates losses in 2021 of US$48bn, up from $38bn previously. And that's on top of an estimated $370bn of losses to the industry in FY20, <a href="https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/2020-passenger-totals-drop-60-percent-as-COVID19-assault-on-international-mobility-continues.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the International Civil Aviation Organization.
But spare a thought for the airports which facilitate the arrival and departure of these airlines, as this crisis becomes increasingly protracted, and in many ways, deeper than many anticipated 18 months ago.
Amid the doom and gloom, there are parking bays of good news. April's domestic air passenger traffic in China was ~96% of December 2019 levels. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-airport-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15522:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Airport Co A (000089 CH)</a> (SZAC) is at level pegging with overall traffic numbers in 2019, and domestic flow into SZAC, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-international-airport-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6511:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-baiyun-international-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10819:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH)</a> all exceed 2019 levels. 
Yet outside of the Chinese airport space, where international passenger throughput has historically commanded &gt;40%+ of total throughput - up to 80% for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/airports-of-thailand-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:239:1" rel="noopener">Airports of Thailand (AOT TB)</a> -  the outlook remains subdued, and largely uncertain.
Just this week, Thailand recorded its highest level of Covid-related fatalities, Taiwan is facing its first serious outbreak, and Australia's state of Victoria entered its fourth lockdown. 
Provided airports have sufficient funds to ride out the tough times to the other side of the valley, all will undergo a major re-rate when international travel restarts. Yet the vaccine rollout - and uptake - and when international borders will reopen, remain indeterminate.
<div class="content-highlight">
What's Original?
This insight presents a comprehensive view of the key Chinese airports (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-capital-international-airport-bcia" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10626:1" rel="noopener">Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)</a>, Shenzhen Airport, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-international-airport-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6511:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-baiyun-international-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10819:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH)</a>, together with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/airports-of-thailand-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:239:1" rel="noopener">Airports of Thailand (AOT TB)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/malaysia-airports-hldgs-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:117:1" rel="noopener">Malaysia Airports Hldgs (MAHB MK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japan-airport-terminal-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18034:1" rel="noopener">Japan Airport Terminal Co (9706 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sydney-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19063:1" rel="noopener">Sydney Airport (SYD AU)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/auckland-intl-airport-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:597:1" rel="noopener">Auckland Intl Airport (AIA NZ)</a>.
</div>

Within the hospitality-affected complex, the airline industry garners the lion's share of the negative news from the Covid fall-out. The International Air Transport Association said last month it estimates losses in 2021 of US$48bn, up from $38bn previously. And that's on top of an estimated $370bn of losses to the industry in FY20, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization.
But spare a thought for the airports which facilitate the arrival and departure of these airlines, as this crisis becomes increasingly protracted, and in many ways, deeper than many anticipated 18 months ago.
Amid the doom and gloom, there are parking bays of good news. April's domestic air passenger traffic in China was ~96% of December 2019 levels. Shenzhen Airport Co A (000089 CH) (SZAC) is at level pegging with overall traffic numbers in 2019, and domestic flow into SZAC, Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH), and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH) all exceed 2019 levels. 
Yet outside of the Chinese airport space, where international passenger throughput has historically commanded &gt;40%+ of total throughput - up to 80% for Airports of Thailand (AOT TB) -  the outlook remains subdued, and largely uncertain.
Just this week, Thailand recorded its highest level of Covid-related fatalities, Taiwan is facing its first serious outbreak, and Australia's state of Victoria entered its fourth lockdown. 
Provided airports have sufficient funds to ride out the tough times to the other side of the valley, all will undergo a major re-rate when international travel restarts. Yet the vaccine rollout - and uptake - and when international borders will reopen, remain indeterminate.

What's Original?
This insight presents a comprehensive view of the key Chinese airports (Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK), Shenzhen Airport, Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH), and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH), together with Airports of Thailand (AOT TB), Malaysia Airports Hldgs (MAHB MK), Japan Airport Terminal Co (9706 JP), Sydney Airport (SYD AU) and Auckland Intl Airport (AIA NZ).


Apr is a good month for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)</a> as it marks the first month since COVID-19 outbreak that its passenger growth outpaced that for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)</a> - its growth rate is 10.5pp ahead of CSA. In addition, freight traffic growth is also higher, and we think this send out stronger signal for narrower gap between the two going forward.Load factor performance in the month also pointed to a catch-up at Air China, which is a trend that we have been expecting. We believe the increase in vaccination rates, more border openings and resumption of direct international flights will be the major drivers for Air China - the resumption of operations of US Visa offices in China is a clear evidence for the gradual return to business as usual, in our view.

Apr is a good month for Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) as it marks the first month since COVID-19 outbreak that its passenger growth outpaced that for China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) - its growth rate is 10.5pp ahead of CSA. In addition, freight traffic growth is also higher, and we think this send out stronger signal for narrower gap between the two going forward.Load factor performance in the month also pointed to a catch-up at Air China, which is a trend that we have been expecting. We believe the increase in vaccination rates, more border openings and resumption of direct international flights will be the major drivers for Air China - the resumption of operations of US Visa offices in China is a clear evidence for the gradual return to business as usual, in our view.

Air China (753 HK): Sending Out Stronger Signals

China

Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited operates both aeronautical and non-aeronautical business in the Beijing airport.  The Company provides aircraft movement and passenger service facilities, safety and security services, fire-fighting services, and ground handling services.  In addition, Beijing Capital operates duty free and other retail shops and leases properties.

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA)

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Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)

Airport of Thailand (AOT): Phuket Sandbox

The Phuket reopening sandbox will be a proof of concept of whether 1) Thailand's health infrastructure is ready to accept foreign tourists and 2)...

Henry Soediarko

Guangzhou Baiyun Intl Airport (600004 CH): Facing Challenges in the Near Term

We see risk of GBIA underperforming its peers in the near term on the back of the increase in domestic COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou and Guangdong,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

BOC Aviation (2588 HK): The Stars Don't Look Bigger, but They Do Look Brighter

As downstream players continue to hemorrhage cash, over 99% of BOCAVI’s aircraft are still cash-generating. Valuation is undemanding for a high...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

Asia-Pac Airports: Ups, But Mostly Downs

Domestic passenger flow into Shenzhen Airport (000089 CH), Shanghai International Airport (600009 CH), and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport...

David Blennerhassett

Air China (753 HK): Sending Out Stronger Signals

Apr is the first month since the pandemic that Air China outperformed CSA on overall passenger traffic growth. We expect this trend to gather...

Osbert Tang, CFA

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