HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>China kicked off its public infrastructure REIT issuance in Jun with an overwhelmingly positive subscription response from the market. For the 9 REITs in the first batch issuance, average placement allocation rate is 14.5% and public allocation rate is just 6.3%. The fund raised only represented a mere 3.3% average discount to the value of the underlying assets, with toll road dominated the overall mix to account for 40% of the overall amount raised.</p><p>We think that the good demand is positive for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhejiang-expressway-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2178:1" rel="noopener">Zhejiang Expressway Co H (576 HK)</a>, which is the only one under our coverage involved in the first batch, paving the way for more future issuance by the company. We continue to see the following names as the major beneficiaries of China's public infrastructure REIT program - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-communications-construction-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:265:1" rel="noopener">China Communications Construction (1800 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sinotrans-limited-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1321:1" rel="noopener">Sinotrans (598 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-everbright-environment-group-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15946:1" rel="noopener">China Everbright Environment (257 HK)</a>. </p>

China kicked off its public infrastructure REIT issuance in Jun with an overwhelmingly positive subscription response from the market. For the 9 REITs in the first batch issuance, average placement allocation rate is 14.5% and public allocation rate is just 6.3%. The fund raised only represented a mere 3.3% average discount to the value of the underlying assets, with toll road dominated the overall mix to account for 40% of the overall amount raised.We think that the good demand is positive for Zhejiang Expressway Co H (576 HK), which is the only one under our coverage involved in the first batch, paving the way for more future issuance by the company. We continue to see the following names as the major beneficiaries of China's public infrastructure REIT program - China Communications Construction (1800 HK), Shenzhen Intl (152 HK), Sinotrans (598 HK) and China Everbright Environment (257 HK). 

China Infrastructure REITs: Excellent First Batch Result - Good for Zhejiang Expressway (576 HK)

Equity Bottom-Up

China Communications Construction / Equity Bottom-Up

<p>The 1Q21 result of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-communications-construction-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:265:1" rel="noopener">China Communications Construction (1800 HK)</a> (CCCC) should provide comfort to the market given it showed the sustained pace of earnings recovery. Recurring profit grew 87.5% YoY, or 13.3% versus 1Q19, driven by sharp surge in revenue and good YoY margin expansion on remarkable cost control performance.  </p><p>We believe CCCC has kick-started an encouraging FY21 - its 1Q21 profit already almost equals to the 1H20 profit. Adding to that is the enchanting new contract addition momentum in the quarter - up 80.3% YoY and 24.5% QoQ, providing good security and visibility for its earnings outlook. All these evidences are supportive to our relentless call that its 12-month forward PER of 2.7x and P/B of 0.2x are just too depressed.</p>

The 1Q21 result of China Communications Construction (1800 HK) (CCCC) should provide comfort to the market given it showed the sustained pace of earnings recovery. Recurring profit grew 87.5% YoY, or 13.3% versus 1Q19, driven by sharp surge in revenue and good YoY margin expansion on remarkable cost control performance.  We believe CCCC has kick-started an encouraging FY21 - its 1Q21 profit already almost equals to the 1H20 profit. Adding to that is the enchanting new contract addition momentum in the quarter - up 80.3% YoY and 24.5% QoQ, providing good security and visibility for its earnings outlook. All these evidences are supportive to our relentless call that its 12-month forward PER of 2.7x and P/B of 0.2x are just too depressed.

China Comm Const (1800 HK): Kick-Start a Rewarding Year

<p>The appreciation of Rmb against the USD by 6.5% in 2020 has led to many companies recording exchange losses in their FY20 accounts. However, with the Rmb depreciating against USD so far by 0.2% YTD, we believe it is time to look at the victims in last year and see how they will be affected by a weaker Rmb in this year should the trend sustain.</p><p>Within our coverage, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sinotrans-limited-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1321:1" rel="noopener">Sinotrans (598 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-communications-construction-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:265:1" rel="noopener">China Communications Construction (1800 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosco-shipping-energy-tran-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:646:1" rel="noopener">Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Co. Ltd. (H) (1138 HK)</a> are the key victims in last year with their exchange losses amounting to 5-11% of FY20 profit. Except <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a>, we believe the remaining three names will be the beneficiaries under a scenario of weaker Rmb/USD exchange rate. </p>

The appreciation of Rmb against the USD by 6.5% in 2020 has led to many companies recording exchange losses in their FY20 accounts. However, with the Rmb depreciating against USD so far by 0.2% YTD, we believe it is time to look at the victims in last year and see how they will be affected by a weaker Rmb in this year should the trend sustain.Within our coverage, Sinotrans (598 HK), China Communications Construction (1800 HK), Shenzhen Intl (152 HK) and Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Co. Ltd. (H) (1138 HK) are the key victims in last year with their exchange losses amounting to 5-11% of FY20 profit. Except Shenzhen Intl (152 HK), we believe the remaining three names will be the beneficiaries under a scenario of weaker Rmb/USD exchange rate. 

A Look on Some Victims of Rmb Appreciation in FY20: How Will They Fare in FY21 if Rmb Stays Weak?

<p>Management is generally optimistic towards FY21 outlook, with a target of 10% growth in new contract and revenue. In the post-result call, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-communications-construction-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:265:1" rel="noopener">China Communications Construction (1800 HK)</a> (CCCC) highlights its focus on strategy refinement, cost control and overseas expansion as some of its major initiatives. We take the management's guidance positively; and trading at outrageously cheap multiples of 3.1x PER and 0.2x P/B, we think the market is too negative towards CCCC. </p><p>As for FY20 result, we do not agree that CCCC's profit is unexciting. While profit was down 17.6% YoY, there is a 98.6% HoH improvement in 2H20. Excluding factors like foreign exchange loss on Rmb appreciation and higher credit impairment (mainly on Australia project), CCCC has a flat YoY. This is even before taking into account the loss of toll revenue amounting to Rmb1.4bn in 1H20 due to the pandemic. That said, we see good room for a double-digit recovery in FY21 as some of these factors are removed.</p>

Management is generally optimistic towards FY21 outlook, with a target of 10% growth in new contract and revenue. In the post-result call, China Communications Construction (1800 HK) (CCCC) highlights its focus on strategy refinement, cost control and overseas expansion as some of its major initiatives. We take the management's guidance positively; and trading at outrageously cheap multiples of 3.1x PER and 0.2x P/B, we think the market is too negative towards CCCC. As for FY20 result, we do not agree that CCCC's profit is unexciting. While profit was down 17.6% YoY, there is a 98.6% HoH improvement in 2H20. Excluding factors like foreign exchange loss on Rmb appreciation and higher credit impairment (mainly on Australia project), CCCC has a flat YoY. This is even before taking into account the loss of toll revenue amounting to Rmb1.4bn in 1H20 due to the pandemic. That said, we see good room for a double-digit recovery in FY21 as some of these factors are removed.

China Comm Const (1800 HK): Key Takeaways from Post-FY20 Result Call

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Quantitative Analysis

<div>
<p>Spreads narrowed sharply this week with 68 of 100 liquid spreads narrowing, 32 widening. The big winner on the week was Consumer narrowing 2.46% as every spread in the space narrowed despite five of six stocks falling in Hs (i.e. As fell even more). </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shandong-chenming-paper-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13775:1" rel="noopener">Shandong Chenming Paper H (1812 HK)</a> situation intruded on the H/S spreads this week as the decision to convert the B shares to Hs (described by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/david-blennerhassett" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:840" rel="noopener">David Blennerhassett</a> in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/shandong-chenming-paper-1812-hk-the-h-b-convergence-trade" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:49247" rel="noopener">Shandong Chenming Paper (1812 HK): The H/B Convergence Trade</a> mid-week) caused ructions in the H/A spread.</p>
<p>But overall, it was a decent week. Only two sectors saw spreads widen (Energy and Utilities), both accompanied by net southbound selling in the week to Wednesday (the last day to which we have granular name-by-name data).</p>
<table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td><p>Sector</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>Last Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>Previous Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>3wks Ago</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>4wks Ago</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Consumer</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.46%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.74%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.14%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.65%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Energy</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.39%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.56%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.36%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.67%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Financials &amp; Real Estate</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.92%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.53%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.19%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.12%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Health Care &amp; Info Tech</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.50%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.29%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.54%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  2.86%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Industrials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.19%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.15%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.42%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.20%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Materials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.42%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.61%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.33%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.84%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Utilities</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.91%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.87%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.25%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.14%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><strong>Sector Average</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.88%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.41%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>-  0.26%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>-  1.02%</strong></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><strong>All Market Average</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.96%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.59%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.05%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>-  1.22%</strong></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div><div><div></div></div><p><span>10-day cross-market spread volatility continues to fall. This past week ended at 20% down from 23% in the ten days to 12 March. This is down off highs in the low 30s a couple weeks ago, but the long-term average is still under 20%.</span></p><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/770/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+8.25.25+PM.png?1616243179" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195770"></figure></section><div><div>
<hr>
<h3>The H/A Spread Market</h3>
</div></div><div><p>The past week has seen H-shares come off, but spreads narrow as Hs outperformed their As pretty dramatically. Interestingly, the narrower the spread, to start with, the better the performance on the week. Ideally, spread players want to see that red line sloping downward from upper left to lower right because even a big spread movement for a 70% discount stock means very large performance is needed to catch up. </p></div><div><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/724/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+5.41.02+PM.png?1616233277" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195724"></figure></section></div><div>
<p>The average discount has started tightening again and we are at 38% which is where the spread rebounded to un Q2 of 2020 after widening in the Covid-crash. </p>
<p>In 2019, spreads spent a fairly long time in the 34-36% average. </p>
</div><section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/728/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+5.44.03+PM.png?1616233457" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195728"></figure></section></section><hr><div><div><h2>Last Week's Recommendations</h2></div></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There were 81 recommendations last week.</li>
<li>Positive alpha returned. There were 49 long spreads and 32 short spreads which gained on average 27bp against the delta-neutral gain of 0.20%, indicating spread alpha of 7bp on the week. This is back to a good trend after a horrible week the week before.</li>
<li>There are <em>nearly</em> 80 recommendations this week (turnover remains low).  </li>
</ul></div><hr><div><div><h2>Consumer Sector</h2></div></div><div>
<p>The first sector discussed is Consumer. It was a complex week there. </p>
<ul>
<li>Five out of six H-shares were down on the week. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsingtao-brewery-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1296:1" rel="noopener">Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK)</a> was up 10.6%.</li>
<li>All six spreads narrowed with the average H-share outperformance of A at 2.46%. It was a strong week for every spread in the group. </li>
<li>Normally when this happens, there is significant net selling by Southbound. This week saw net buying of HK$270mm to Wednesday, halting four straight weeks prior of net selling. </li>
</ul>
</div><div></div><div><div><div class="content-highlight">
<p>Last week, I recommended keeping the shorts (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fuyao-glass-industry-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:330:1" rel="noopener">Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)</a>) and the long in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-automobile-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11082:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK)</a> and adding a long on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hisense-home-appliances-group-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20107:1" rel="noopener">Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK)</a> H vs A.</p>
<p>Those trades lost an average of 0.51% last week in spread terms after losing 29bp the week before, and 16bp the week before that. Despite three losing weeks in a row, positioning in the sector is still up 262bp in four weeks. </p>
<p>This week's trade recommendations are below the fold.</p>
</div></div></div><div><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/729/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+5.44.45+PM.png?1616233498" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195729"></figure></section></div><div><section>For this week's recommendations on Consumer, and discussion of the Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities sectors, and all trade recommendations, please read on.</section></div>


Spreads narrowed sharply this week with 68 of 100 liquid spreads narrowing, 32 widening. The big winner on the week was Consumer narrowing 2.46% as every spread in the space narrowed despite five of six stocks falling in Hs (i.e. As fell even more). 
The Shandong Chenming Paper H (1812 HK) situation intruded on the H/S spreads this week as the decision to convert the B shares to Hs (described by David Blennerhassett in Shandong Chenming Paper (1812 HK): The H/B Convergence Trade mid-week) caused ructions in the H/A spread.
But overall, it was a decent week. Only two sectors saw spreads widen (Energy and Utilities), both accompanied by net southbound selling in the week to Wednesday (the last day to which we have granular name-by-name data).


Sector
Last Week
Previous Week
3wks Ago
4wks Ago


Consumer
+ 2.46%
+ 0.74%
-  0.14%
-  1.65%


Energy
-  0.39%
-  0.56%
-  0.36%
+ 0.67%


Financials &amp; Real Estate
+ 0.92%
+ 0.53%
+ 1.19%
-  1.12%


Health Care &amp; Info Tech
+ 1.50%
+ 2.29%
-  0.54%
-  2.86%


Industrials
+ 1.19%
+ 0.15%
-  0.42%
-  1.20%


Materials
+ 1.42%
+ 0.61%
-  0.33%
-  0.84%


Utilities
-  0.91%
-  0.87%
-  1.25%
-  0.14%


Sector Average
+ 0.88%
+ 0.41%
-  0.26%
-  1.02%


All Market Average
+ 0.96%
+ 0.59%
+ 0.05%
-  1.22%


10-day cross-market spread volatility continues to fall. This past week ended at 20% down from 23% in the ten days to 12 March. This is down off highs in the low 30s a couple weeks ago, but the long-term average is still under 20%.

The H/A Spread Market
The past week has seen H-shares come off, but spreads narrow as Hs outperformed their As pretty dramatically. Interestingly, the narrower the spread, to start with, the better the performance on the week. Ideally, spread players want to see that red line sloping downward from upper left to lower right because even a big spread movement for a 70% discount stock means very large performance is needed to catch up. 
The average discount has started tightening again and we are at 38% which is where the spread rebounded to un Q2 of 2020 after widening in the Covid-crash. 
In 2019, spreads spent a fairly long time in the 34-36% average. 
Last Week's Recommendations
There were 81 recommendations last week.
Positive alpha returned. There were 49 long spreads and 32 short spreads which gained on average 27bp against the delta-neutral gain of 0.20%, indicating spread alpha of 7bp on the week. This is back to a good trend after a horrible week the week before.
There are nearly 80 recommendations this week (turnover remains low).  
Consumer Sector
The first sector discussed is Consumer. It was a complex week there. 

Five out of six H-shares were down on the week. Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK) was up 10.6%.
All six spreads narrowed with the average H-share outperformance of A at 2.46%. It was a strong week for every spread in the group. 
Normally when this happens, there is significant net selling by Southbound. This week saw net buying of HK$270mm to Wednesday, halting four straight weeks prior of net selling. 


Last week, I recommended keeping the shorts (BYD (1211 HK) and Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)) and the long in Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK) and adding a long on Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK) H vs A.
Those trades lost an average of 0.51% last week in spread terms after losing 29bp the week before, and 16bp the week before that. Despite three losing weeks in a row, positioning in the sector is still up 262bp in four weeks. 
This week's trade recommendations are below the fold.
For this week's recommendations on Consumer, and discussion of the Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities sectors, and all trade recommendations, please read on.

Quiddity Weekly H/A: Consumer Strong, Spreads Narrowing Masks A-Share Weakness

China

China Communications Construction Company Ltd. is a transportation infrastructure group.  The Company is involved in infrastructure construction, infrastructure design, dredging, and port machinery manufacturing.  China Communications has operations worldwide.

China Communications Construction (1800 HK)

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

China Communications Construction (1800 HK)

China Infrastructure REITs: Excellent First Batch Result - Good for Zhejiang Expressway (576 HK)

Good response to the first batch of China public infrastructure REIT issuance indicates investor demand, and this is positive to Zhejiang Exp,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Comm Const (1800 HK): Kick-Start a Rewarding Year

CCCC logged a sharp earnings revival in 1Q21 on the back of a surge in revenue and solid margin expanson; and new contracts added also surged. It...

Osbert Tang, CFA

A Look on Some Victims of Rmb Appreciation in FY20: How Will They Fare in FY21 if Rmb Stays Weak?

We expect Sinotrans, CCCC and CSET to be the beneficiaries of weaker Rmb against USD in this year. However, due to its ownership in Shenzhen...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Comm Const (1800 HK): Key Takeaways from Post-FY20 Result Call

We stay positive on CCCC after post-result call. It targets to achieve 10% growth in revenue and new contracts in FY21 and we are optimistic. At...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China Infrastructure REITs: Excellent First Batch Result - Good for Zhejiang Expressway (576 HK)

Good response to the first batch of China public infrastructure REIT issuance indicates investor demand, and this is positive to Zhejiang Exp,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Comm Const (1800 HK): Kick-Start a Rewarding Year

CCCC logged a sharp earnings revival in 1Q21 on the back of a surge in revenue and solid margin expanson; and new contracts added also surged. It...

Osbert Tang, CFA

A Look on Some Victims of Rmb Appreciation in FY20: How Will They Fare in FY21 if Rmb Stays Weak?

We expect Sinotrans, CCCC and CSET to be the beneficiaries of weaker Rmb against USD in this year. However, due to its ownership in Shenzhen...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Comm Const (1800 HK): Key Takeaways from Post-FY20 Result Call

We stay positive on CCCC after post-result call. It targets to achieve 10% growth in revenue and new contracts in FY21 and we are optimistic. At...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Quiddity Weekly H/A: Consumer Strong, Spreads Narrowing Masks A-Share Weakness

The move in H/A spreads was 96bp this week. The strength in spreads masks some A-share weakness in the big and liquid names. Quiddity long/short...

Travis Lundy