Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Domestic and outbound Chinese air traffic continued to recover in April, but aircraft deployed on international routes continued to operate far below capacity</li>
<li>Headline numbers from the recent Labor Day holiday period show an increase in domestic travel activity to above 2019 levels, but spending per trip remains depressed</li>
<li>Tourism activity has increased dramatically compared to 2022, but five months after most Covid-19 restrictions were lifted there are few signs of stong demand for leisure travel</li>
</ul>


Domestic and outbound Chinese air traffic continued to recover in April, but aircraft deployed on international routes continued to operate far below capacity
Headline numbers from the recent Labor Day holiday period show an increase in domestic travel activity to above 2019 levels, but spending per trip remains depressed
Tourism activity has increased dramatically compared to 2022, but five months after most Covid-19 restrictions were lifted there are few signs of stong demand for leisure travel


Monthly Chinese Tourism Tracker | Recovery Continues | But Seats Stay Empty | (May 2023)

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<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>'s 1Q23 result demonstrated a significant YoY and QoQ reduction in losses. At Rmb2.9bn, this is the smallest losses in last six quarters.  </li>
<li>We witnessed a solid spike in overall yield and sharp margin recovery in the quarter. There is also encouraging performance in operating cash flow which turned around YoY to positive.</li>
<li>Its associate <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)</a> has seen Mar capacity returned to 50% of pre-pandemic level with over 90% load. More resumption of international flights will drive 2H23.</li>
</ul>



Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)'s 1Q23 result demonstrated a significant YoY and QoQ reduction in losses. At Rmb2.9bn, this is the smallest losses in last six quarters.  
We witnessed a solid spike in overall yield and sharp margin recovery in the quarter. There is also encouraging performance in operating cash flow which turned around YoY to positive.
Its associate Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) has seen Mar capacity returned to 50% of pre-pandemic level with over 90% load. More resumption of international flights will drive 2H23.


Air China (753 HK): Demonstrating Obvious Strengths

<ul>
<li>Chinese outbound air travel in the region surged in March, up 50%+ versus February</li>
<li>Domestic improvement more muted, but still up about 75% Y/Y in Q123</li>
<li>Is the expected recovery on track? Sure, but so far no upside surprises for investors</li>
</ul>


Chinese outbound air travel in the region surged in March, up 50%+ versus February
Domestic improvement more muted, but still up about 75% Y/Y in Q123
Is the expected recovery on track? Sure, but so far no upside surprises for investors


Chinese Outbound Tourism Recovery Accelerates, But Still a Fraction of Pre-Covid Level

<ul>
<li>Despite <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shangri-la-asia-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19690:1" rel="noopener">Shangri-La Asia (69 HK)</a>'s good share price performance YTD, it has still not yet fully reflected the strengths of and benefits from China's re-opening. More upside to come.</li>
<li>Occupancy for Hong Kong and mainland China has surged 30-45pp YoY in Mar, and with China's RevPAR for FY22 is down 56.5% from peak, we see massive rebound in profitability.</li>
<li>Share of China's EBITDA was US$258m in FY22, from US$465m in FY16-19, suggests good room for recovery. It is cheap on ~70% discount to revalued NAV, vs. 37% in FY18.</li>
</ul>


Despite Shangri-La Asia (69 HK)'s good share price performance YTD, it has still not yet fully reflected the strengths of and benefits from China's re-opening. More upside to come.
Occupancy for Hong Kong and mainland China has surged 30-45pp YoY in Mar, and with China's RevPAR for FY22 is down 56.5% from peak, we see massive rebound in profitability.
Share of China's EBITDA was US$258m in FY22, from US$465m in FY16-19, suggests good room for recovery. It is cheap on ~70% discount to revalued NAV, vs. 37% in FY18.


Shangri-La Asia (69 HK): Not yet Fully Reflected China's Comeback

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China (H) (753 HK)</a> underperformed <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern (1055 HK)</a> YTD as domestic traffic recovery is faster than international, but its momentum will accelerate in the rest of the year.</li>
<li>With Jan-Feb domestic traffic returned to 92.6% of 2019, CSA's upside is relative limited. Air China, instead, will benefit from more profound international rebound which only back by 10.3%. </li>
<li>Recent developments including resumption of visa issuance and outbound international group travels, removal of pre-flight negative PCR tests and recovery of visitors to HK all bode well for Air China.</li>
</ul>



Air China (H) (753 HK) underperformed China Southern (1055 HK) YTD as domestic traffic recovery is faster than international, but its momentum will accelerate in the rest of the year.
With Jan-Feb domestic traffic returned to 92.6% of 2019, CSA's upside is relative limited. Air China, instead, will benefit from more profound international rebound which only back by 10.3%. 
Recent developments including resumption of visa issuance and outbound international group travels, removal of pre-flight negative PCR tests and recovery of visitors to HK all bode well for Air China.


China

China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates in the civil aviation industry. It offers passenger, cargo, mail delivery, ground, cargo handling, and other extended transportation services.

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China Eastern Airlines (670 HK)

Monthly Chinese Tourism Tracker | Recovery Continues | But Seats Stay Empty | (May 2023)

In April domestic and international air traffic continued to improve from depressed pandemic levels, but there are growing signs that Chinese...

Tracking Traffic

Air China (753 HK): Demonstrating Obvious Strengths

Good traffic rebound, solid overall yield and sharp margin recovery have underpinned 1Q23 loss reduction. Resumption of more regional and...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Chinese Outbound Tourism Recovery Accelerates, But Still a Fraction of Pre-Covid Level

Chinese tourism activity accelerated last month (particularly outbound travel), but it remains at a fraction of pre-Covid levels -- we see no...

Tracking Traffic

Shangri-La Asia (69 HK): Not yet Fully Reflected China's Comeback

Shangri-la Asia is an excellent play on recovery of China, where 55% of rooms are located. Its overseas assets will gain from surge in outbound...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Air China (753 HK): Set to Accelerate

Resumptions of visa issuance and outbound international group travels, removal of pre-flight negative PCR tests and recovery of visitors to HK all...

Osbert Tang, CFA

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