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

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>As concerns over China persist, Asia Ex-Japan managers are becoming more constructive on the ASEAN Region and appear amenable to increasing allocations.</li>
<li>Indonesia and Singapore are the largest country allocations, Indonesia/Vietnam the key overweights and Malaysia/Thailand the key underweights. Only 20.4% of managers have any Malaysia exposure at all.</li>
<li>Sea Ltd and Bank Central Asia are the key overweights in the region.  Recent activity has favoured Cisarua Mountain Dairy, Central Pattana Pub and Telekomunikasi Indonesia.</li>
</ul>


As concerns over China persist, Asia Ex-Japan managers are becoming more constructive on the ASEAN Region and appear amenable to increasing allocations.
Indonesia and Singapore are the largest country allocations, Indonesia/Vietnam the key overweights and Malaysia/Thailand the key underweights. Only 20.4% of managers have any Malaysia exposure at all.
Sea Ltd and Bank Central Asia are the key overweights in the region.  Recent activity has favoured Cisarua Mountain Dairy, Central Pattana Pub and Telekomunikasi Indonesia.


ASEAN Reversal.  Asia Ex-Japan Managers Raise Allocations

<ul>
<li>The long-term decline in Thailand allocations among Asia Ex-Japan funds appears to be stabilising.</li>
<li>Over the past 6-months, Thailand weights have increased by 0.29%, with 6.5% of the funds in our analysis adding exposure, though managers remain underweight and underinvested.</li>
<li>CP ALL PCL is the most widely held stock, but recent fund activity has favoured Central Pattana Pub, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services and Asian Sea.</li>
</ul>


The long-term decline in Thailand allocations among Asia Ex-Japan funds appears to be stabilising.
Over the past 6-months, Thailand weights have increased by 0.29%, with 6.5% of the funds in our analysis adding exposure, though managers remain underweight and underinvested.
CP ALL PCL is the most widely held stock, but recent fund activity has favoured Central Pattana Pub, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services and Asian Sea.


Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>There are signs that a base has been building in Real Estate allocations, and that sentiment is starting to stabilise.</li>
<li>Average weights in the Real Estate sector ticked higher by 0.25% and 5.43% of managers moved to overweight, closing the net underweight by 0.22%.</li>
<li>Central Pattana Pub (CPN TB), China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services (1209 HK) and Capitaland (CAPL SP) were beneficiaries of recent inflows</li>
</ul>


There are signs that a base has been building in Real Estate allocations, and that sentiment is starting to stabilise.
Average weights in the Real Estate sector ticked higher by 0.25% and 5.43% of managers moved to overweight, closing the net underweight by 0.22%.
Central Pattana Pub (CPN TB), China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services (1209 HK) and Capitaland (CAPL SP) were beneficiaries of recent inflows


<div>
In this analysis, we provide a detailed overview of investor positioning among 96 active Asia Ex-Japan funds with combined AUM of $80bn.  Highlights:
</div>
<div>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The big four of China &amp; HK, Taiwan, South Korea and India dominate holdings in Asia Ex-Japan.  The 4 countries combined account for 85.4% of total allocations, though all but India are held underweight versus the MSCI Asia Ex-Japan index.</li>
<li>China &amp; HK's weight in Asia Ex-Japan funds stands at a 4-year low of 42.96% having fallen heavily from the high of 52% back in August 2020.</li>
<li>Allocations in Indian stocks hit a new all-time high last month of 13.54%.  India has been the go-to overweight holding since the election of Narendra Modi in 2014, though managers are much more closely aligned to benchmark today.</li>
<li>
Indonesian allocations are close to their lowest levels on record.  Only 82.8% of the Asia Ex-Japan managers in our analysis have exposure to Indonesia,  with Comgest, Barings and Vontobel closing exposure over the last 6-months.
</li>
<li>Information Technology dominates the holdings picture, being both the largest sector holding and the largest sector overweight by some distance.  Opposing this are net underweights in Health Care (-1.61%), Materials (-1.25%) and Financials (-1.17%). </li>
<li>The key antagonist in China's tech crackdown, Consumer Discretionary weights have fallen from a high of 21.35% in October 2020 to 16.84% today.  In tandem, active managers have moved from an overweight of 2.18% to an underweight of -0.12%.  Confidence has certainly taken a knock.</li>
</ul>
Also analyzed in more detail:  Thailand, Health Care, Indian Financials, South Korean Consumer Staples, China Financials, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/midea-group-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16185:1" rel="noopener">Midea Group Co Ltd A (000333 CH)</a> and <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>
Analysis taken from our Asia Ex-Japan research, covering 96 active Asia Ex-Japan funds with combined AUM of $80bn. 
</div>


In this analysis, we provide a detailed overview of investor positioning among 96 active Asia Ex-Japan funds with combined AUM of $80bn.  Highlights:



The big four of China &amp; HK, Taiwan, South Korea and India dominate holdings in Asia Ex-Japan.  The 4 countries combined account for 85.4% of total allocations, though all but India are held underweight versus the MSCI Asia Ex-Japan index.
China &amp; HK's weight in Asia Ex-Japan funds stands at a 4-year low of 42.96% having fallen heavily from the high of 52% back in August 2020.
Allocations in Indian stocks hit a new all-time high last month of 13.54%.  India has been the go-to overweight holding since the election of Narendra Modi in 2014, though managers are much more closely aligned to benchmark today.

Indonesian allocations are close to their lowest levels on record.  Only 82.8% of the Asia Ex-Japan managers in our analysis have exposure to Indonesia,  with Comgest, Barings and Vontobel closing exposure over the last 6-months.

Information Technology dominates the holdings picture, being both the largest sector holding and the largest sector overweight by some distance.  Opposing this are net underweights in Health Care (-1.61%), Materials (-1.25%) and Financials (-1.17%). 
The key antagonist in China's tech crackdown, Consumer Discretionary weights have fallen from a high of 21.35% in October 2020 to 16.84% today.  In tandem, active managers have moved from an overweight of 2.18% to an underweight of -0.12%.  Confidence has certainly taken a knock.

Also analyzed in more detail:  Thailand, Health Care, Indian Financials, South Korean Consumer Staples, China Financials, Baidu (BIDU US) , Sea Ltd (SE US) , Midea Group Co Ltd A (000333 CH) and JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US).
Analysis taken from our Asia Ex-Japan research, covering 96 active Asia Ex-Japan funds with combined AUM of $80bn. 


Asia Ex-Japan Positioning:  India & Tech at Record Highs

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<div>
According to the <a href="https://investor.majorcineplex.com/en/business-characteristics/strategic-invesments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> of Thailand's largest cinema operator <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/major-cineplex-group-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16662:1" rel="noopener">Major Cineplex Group (MAJOR TB)</a>'s<a href="https://investor.majorcineplex.com/en/business-characteristics/strategic-invesments" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>, the rationale for its investment in shopping mall operator <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/siam-future-development-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4373:1" rel="noopener">Siam Future Development (SF TB)</a> (SFD) was synergistic. SFD "is an anchor tenant that generates traffic to the lifestyle malls". 
MAJOR initially acquired 77.8mn shares in SFD in 2003 at Bt1.70/share. MAJOR held <a href="https://investor.siamfuture.com/misc/ar/20170308-sf-ar2016-en-01.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">24.89%</a> (422.2mn shares) in 2016 ahead of a Tender Offer (at <a href="http://capital.sec.or.th/webapp/corp_fin/datafile/TO/0676000048247-42016-12-20e01.pdf?ts=1499458214" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bt6.20/share</a>), <a href="https://investor.siamfuture.com/misc/ar/20190311-sf-ar2018-en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">26.25%</a> in 2017, 28.09% in 2018 &amp; 2019, and 29.13% as at the 31 Dec <a href="https://investor.siamfuture.com/misc/ar/20210525-sp-ar2020-en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a>. It currently holds 647.158mn shares or 30.36%.
On the 5 July, MAJOR's board <a href="https://major.listedcompany.com/newsroom/050720211745440725E.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> the entering of a MOU with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/central-pattana-pcl-0b7fb113-16e1-4535-be8b-02dce5bbcd92" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17188:1" rel="noopener">Central Pattana Pub (CPN TB)</a> in relation to its shares in SFD, at a price of Bt12/share.
An IFA was appointed to assess the sale and its opinion on the <a href="https://major.listedcompany.com/newsroom/060820211832280109E.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">19 July</a>, concluded the "Transaction is reasonable with price and conditions that are fair".
A SPA was <a href="https://major.listedcompany.com/newsroom/250820211847500685E.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entered into</a> yesterday with an expected completion on the 30 August. 
In Thailand, the obligation to make a mandatory offer is triggered when an acquirer obtains shares of the target company of more than 25%, 50%, or 75% of the total voting rights of the target company. 
Therefore CPN is required to make a tender offer for the remaining shares in SFD at the same price of Bt12/each upon the completion of the SPA.  A mandatory tender offer must be unconditional. 
SFD shares gained ~40% in the month prior to the 5 July announcement, on evident news leakage. Bt12/share is also a lifetime high. I would not be surprised if the tender offer leads to a subsequent delisting offer from CPN.
More below the fold.
</div>


According to the website of Thailand's largest cinema operator Major Cineplex Group (MAJOR TB)'s, the rationale for its investment in shopping mall operator Siam Future Development (SF TB) (SFD) was synergistic. SFD "is an anchor tenant that generates traffic to the lifestyle malls". 
MAJOR initially acquired 77.8mn shares in SFD in 2003 at Bt1.70/share. MAJOR held 24.89% (422.2mn shares) in 2016 ahead of a Tender Offer (at Bt6.20/share), 26.25% in 2017, 28.09% in 2018 &amp; 2019, and 29.13% as at the 31 Dec 2020. It currently holds 647.158mn shares or 30.36%.
On the 5 July, MAJOR's board approved the entering of a MOU with Central Pattana Pub (CPN TB) in relation to its shares in SFD, at a price of Bt12/share.
An IFA was appointed to assess the sale and its opinion on the 19 July, concluded the "Transaction is reasonable with price and conditions that are fair".
A SPA was entered into yesterday with an expected completion on the 30 August. 
In Thailand, the obligation to make a mandatory offer is triggered when an acquirer obtains shares of the target company of more than 25%, 50%, or 75% of the total voting rights of the target company. 
Therefore CPN is required to make a tender offer for the remaining shares in SFD at the same price of Bt12/each upon the completion of the SPA.  A mandatory tender offer must be unconditional. 
SFD shares gained ~40% in the month prior to the 5 July announcement, on evident news leakage. Bt12/share is also a lifetime high. I would not be surprised if the tender offer leads to a subsequent delisting offer from CPN.
More below the fold.


Siam Future Development (SF TB): Central Pattana MGO As MAJOR Cineplex Exits

Thailand

Central Pattana Public Company Limited and its subsidiaries develop properties including shopping centers, condominiums, and office, for sale and rental.  The Company's projects include Central Plaza Lardprao, Central Plaza Ram-indra,  Central Plaza Pinklao, Central Festival Center Pattaya, and Central Plaza Ratchada.

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Central Pattana Pub (CPN TB)

ASEAN Reversal. Asia Ex-Japan Managers Raise Allocations

As concerns over China persist, Asia Ex-Japan managers are becoming more constructive on the ASEAN Region and appear amenable to increasing...

Steven Holden

The Thailand Turnaround

The long-term decline in Thailand allocations among Asia Ex-Japan funds appears to be stabilising. We analyse the shift in sentiment among investors.

Steven Holden

Asia Real Estate: Early Stage Recovery

There are signs that a base has been building in Real Estate allocations, and that sentiment is starting to stabilise among active Asia Ex-Japan...

Steven Holden

Asia Ex-Japan Positioning: India & Tech at Record Highs

In this analysis, we provide a detailed overview of investor positioning among 96 active Asia Ex-Japan funds with combined AUM of $80bn.

Steven Holden

Siam Future Development (SF TB): Central Pattana MGO As MAJOR Cineplex Exits

This is a done deal. Just a question of timing. At Bt11.70/share, you're looking at a gross/annualised spread of 20.6%/10.9%, assuming late...

David Blennerhassett

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