Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, 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

<div><p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/k-car" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34118:1" rel="noopener">K Car (KCAR KS)</a>  is looking to raise up to US$629m in its upcoming South Korea IPO.</p></div><div>
<p>K Car is a used car marketplace and dealership operating in South Korea. The company operates 41 offline dealership branches across South Korea, as of July, 2021. The company also operates online platforms like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/compose/insight/57212/www.kcar.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.kcar.com</a> and K Car App that allows customers purchase used cars.</p>
<p>In this note, we will look at deal dynamics, assumptions, and share our thoughts on valuation.</p>
<p>Our previous coverage of the IPO:</p>
<ul><li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/k-car-pre-ipo-dominant-leadership-in-the-online-space" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:57212" rel="noopener">K Car Pre-IPO - Dominant Leadership in the Online Space</a> </li></ul>
</div>

K Car (KCAR KS)  is looking to raise up to US$629m in its upcoming South Korea IPO.
K Car is a used car marketplace and dealership operating in South Korea. The company operates 41 offline dealership branches across South Korea, as of July, 2021. The company also operates online platforms like www.kcar.com and K Car App that allows customers purchase used cars.
In this note, we will look at deal dynamics, assumptions, and share our thoughts on valuation.
Our previous coverage of the IPO:

K Car Pre-IPO - Dominant Leadership in the Online Space 


K Car IPO - Peer Comparison and Valuation

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

<p>Our base case valuation of K Car is implied market cap of 2.8 trillion won or 55,441 won per share, which is 28% higher than the high end of the IPO price range of 43,200 won per share. Given the attractive upside, we have a POSITIVE view of the K Car IPO and we would subscribe to the IPO deal. </p><p><em>Given K Car's solid financials combined with its dominant market share in the online used car segment in Korea, we believe that many investors would be willing to attach higher valuation multiples on the company than its peers. In the first few days of trading, we believe that investors could push K Car's shares higher towards the high end of our valuation range 67,084 won per share, which would be 55% higher than the high end of the IPO valuation range. </em></p>

Our base case valuation of K Car is implied market cap of 2.8 trillion won or 55,441 won per share, which is 28% higher than the high end of the IPO price range of 43,200 won per share. Given the attractive upside, we have a POSITIVE view of the K Car IPO and we would subscribe to the IPO deal. Given K Car's solid financials combined with its dominant market share in the online used car segment in Korea, we believe that many investors would be willing to attach higher valuation multiples on the company than its peers. In the first few days of trading, we believe that investors could push K Car's shares higher towards the high end of our valuation range 67,084 won per share, which would be 55% higher than the high end of the IPO valuation range. 

<p>K Car is another interesting upcoming IPO in Korea. K Car, the largest used car e-commerce player in Korea, is getting ready to complete its IPO in early October. The IPO price range is from 34,300 won to 43,200 won per share. The IPO base deal size is from US$498 million to US$627 million. Of the 16.8m shares offered in the IPO, 15.6m shares are old shares and 1.2m are new shares).</p><p>According to the bankers' valuation, the expected market cap of the company is from 1.8 trillion won to 2.2 trillion won. The lead underwriters include NH Investment &amp; Securities and Goldman Sachs. The book building for the institutional investors starts on 27 September 2021. </p><p>K Car is mainly in the used car and rental car businesses. Hahn &amp; Co, a private equity firm in Korea, acquired the controlling stake in K Car in April 2018. Hahn &amp; Co Auto Service Holdings currently has a 100% stake in K Car. Post the IPO, it will have a 61% stake in K Car. </p><table class="table table-striped">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><div><strong>Deal Specifics of K Car IPO</strong></div></td>
<td style="width: 258pt;"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lead underwriters of the IPO: </td>
<td style="width: 258pt;">NH Investment &amp; Securities, Goldman Sachs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Expected IPO price per share: </td>
<td style="width: 258pt;">34,300 won (low)/43,200 won (high)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Number of Shares for IPO:</td>
<td style="width: 258pt;">16.83m shares (15.6mn old shares; 1.2mn new shares)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IPO base deal size: </td>
<td style="width: 258pt;">US$498mn (low);  US$627mn (high)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Expected common shares outstanding, fully diluted (post-IPO):  </td>
<td style="width: 258pt;">50.89m shares</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Expected market cap after IPO:</td>
<td style="width: 258pt;">1,745 billion won (low)/2,198 billion won (high)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Book open: </td>
<td style="text-align: left; width: 258pt;">27-Sep-21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Book closed:</td>
<td style="text-align: left; width: 258pt;">28-Sep-21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Listing date: </td>
<td style="text-align: left; width: 258pt;">TBC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Source: Company data</td>
<td style="width: 258pt;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

K Car is another interesting upcoming IPO in Korea. K Car, the largest used car e-commerce player in Korea, is getting ready to complete its IPO in early October. The IPO price range is from 34,300 won to 43,200 won per share. The IPO base deal size is from US$498 million to US$627 million. Of the 16.8m shares offered in the IPO, 15.6m shares are old shares and 1.2m are new shares).According to the bankers' valuation, the expected market cap of the company is from 1.8 trillion won to 2.2 trillion won. The lead underwriters include NH Investment &amp; Securities and Goldman Sachs. The book building for the institutional investors starts on 27 September 2021. K Car is mainly in the used car and rental car businesses. Hahn &amp; Co, a private equity firm in Korea, acquired the controlling stake in K Car in April 2018. Hahn &amp; Co Auto Service Holdings currently has a 100% stake in K Car. Post the IPO, it will have a 61% stake in K Car. 






Deal Specifics of K Car IPO
 


Lead underwriters of the IPO: 
NH Investment &amp; Securities, Goldman Sachs


Expected IPO price per share: 
34,300 won (low)/43,200 won (high)


Number of Shares for IPO:
16.83m shares (15.6mn old shares; 1.2mn new shares)


IPO base deal size: 
US$498mn (low);  US$627mn (high)


Expected common shares outstanding, fully diluted (post-IPO):  
50.89m shares


Expected market cap after IPO:
1,745 billion won (low)/2,198 billion won (high)


Book open: 
27-Sep-21


Book closed:
28-Sep-21


Listing date: 
TBC


Source: Company data





Covering IPOs, Healthcare and Technology Stocks

Andrei Zakharov

Algosun Global

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>In August, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/root-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29692:1" rel="noopener">Root Inc (ROOT US)</a> announced the expansion of partnership with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/carvana-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26471:1" rel="noopener">Carvana Co (CVNA US)</a> , the leading e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars. Root is partnering exclusively to develop and offer an innovative and integrated auto insurance solution for Carvana’s online car buying platform. In our view, this is a great opportunity for Root Insurance to expand customer base at lower costs and get access to a growing channel of prospective Carvana’s customers. Insurtech unicorn had ~383K policyholders as of quarter ended Jun-21 while Carvana sold ~244K vehicles in 2020 and ~200K vehicles in the first half of 2021. Carvana has a market cap of ~$62 billion and will invest ~$126 million of capital in Root. Convertible preferred stock will be issued and sold to Carvana with an initial liquidation preference equal to the purchase price that will be convertible at a price of $9.00/share into ~14 million Root shares of Class A common stock. According to form 8-K, Root will issue 8 tranches of warrants, which may provide Carvana with opportunity to purchase ~129 million newly issued Root shares of Class A common stock, what translates into ~30% post-transaction stake on a fully diluted basis.</p>

In August, Root Inc (ROOT US) announced the expansion of partnership with Carvana Co (CVNA US) , the leading e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars. Root is partnering exclusively to develop and offer an innovative and integrated auto insurance solution for Carvana’s online car buying platform. In our view, this is a great opportunity for Root Insurance to expand customer base at lower costs and get access to a growing channel of prospective Carvana’s customers. Insurtech unicorn had ~383K policyholders as of quarter ended Jun-21 while Carvana sold ~244K vehicles in 2020 and ~200K vehicles in the first half of 2021. Carvana has a market cap of ~$62 billion and will invest ~$126 million of capital in Root. Convertible preferred stock will be issued and sold to Carvana with an initial liquidation preference equal to the purchase price that will be convertible at a price of $9.00/share into ~14 million Root shares of Class A common stock. According to form 8-K, Root will issue 8 tranches of warrants, which may provide Carvana with opportunity to purchase ~129 million newly issued Root shares of Class A common stock, what translates into ~30% post-transaction stake on a fully diluted basis.

New Exclusive Partnership With Carvana. A Turnaround Story?

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Granite Bay Capital is an innovation focussed investment company with a deep focus on the companies at the leading edge of innovation across major themes such as AI, ubiquitous computing, sustainability, automation and longevity.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

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United States

Carvana Co. operates an online platform for buying used cars. The Company offers test drives, vehicle financing, and car reviews. Carvana serves customers in the United States.

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