HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Capital Markets

China Conch Environment Protection Holdings / Equity Capital Markets

China Conch Environment Protection Holdings

We believe the spin-off by introduction of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-conch-environment-protection-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34405:1" rel="noopener">China Conch Environment Protection Holdings (CEP HK)</a> by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-conch-venture-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19943:1" rel="noopener">China Conch Venture Holdings (586 HK)</a> will leave more clarity to the business of both companies. Fundamentally speaking, we think CEP is a solid company with a focus on cement kiln waste treatment services for solid and hazardous waste in China.The key positives for CEP are a leadership position in the industry, excellent new project pipeline momentum and strong relationship with its partners, in our view. However, the key negatives are declining margins, concentrated business lines and small market capitalisation. We estimate that CEP's market cap will be just HK$4.98bn and HK$6.38bn, based on the average PER of the peers (5.9x) and high-end of peers (7.6x).

We believe the spin-off by introduction of China Conch Environment Protection Holdings (CEP HK) by China Conch Venture Holdings (586 HK) will leave more clarity to the business of both companies. Fundamentally speaking, we think CEP is a solid company with a focus on cement kiln waste treatment services for solid and hazardous waste in China.The key positives for CEP are a leadership position in the industry, excellent new project pipeline momentum and strong relationship with its partners, in our view. However, the key negatives are declining margins, concentrated business lines and small market capitalisation. We estimate that CEP's market cap will be just HK$4.98bn and HK$6.38bn, based on the average PER of the peers (5.9x) and high-end of peers (7.6x). 

Conch Environment: Initial Thoughts on the Listing by Way of Introduction

Equity Bottom-Up

Canvest Environmental Protection Group / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canvest-environmental-protection-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:100:1" rel="noopener">Canvest Environmental Protection Group (1381 HK)</a> has underperformed <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> (CEE) by a massive 43.9pp over the last three months, and we think there is room for it to catch up. In fact, we think its financial and operational performance is not inferior to CEE as reflected by its reported 1H21 result. Moreover, at 7.9x and 6.8x for FY21 and FY22, respectively, its PER valuations are not demanding as well.Canvest has a very secured project pipeline, comparable gearing with CEE, solid cash flow from operating projects and encouraging profitability improvement. It earned a high annualised ROE of 16.6%, about the same as CEE. While it is true that Canvest is smaller and does not enjoy CEE's business diversification, we think these factors cannot justify its significant underperformance within just 3 months.

Canvest Environmental Protection Group (1381 HK) has underperformed China Everbright Environment (257 HK) (CEE) by a massive 43.9pp over the last three months, and we think there is room for it to catch up. In fact, we think its financial and operational performance is not inferior to CEE as reflected by its reported 1H21 result. Moreover, at 7.9x and 6.8x for FY21 and FY22, respectively, its PER valuations are not demanding as well.Canvest has a very secured project pipeline, comparable gearing with CEE, solid cash flow from operating projects and encouraging profitability improvement. It earned a high annualised ROE of 16.6%, about the same as CEE. While it is true that Canvest is smaller and does not enjoy CEE's business diversification, we think these factors cannot justify its significant underperformance within just 3 months. 

Canvest Env (1381 HK): We Should Catch Up China Everbright Env (257 HK)

China Conch Venture Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

We think the secured project pipeline for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-conch-venture-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19943:1" rel="noopener">China Conch Venture Holdings (586 HK)</a> should drive encouraging double-digit growth in its core environmental business profit in the next three years. It expects a CAGR of 52.8% in completed waste incineration capacity and 30.2% in completed solid waste and hazardous waste capacity, which in our view, should underpin remarkable earnings outlook.The flat 1H21 profit is masked by a 5% drop in contribution from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/anhui-conch-cement-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:159:1" rel="noopener">Anhui Conch Cement (914 HK)</a>. which, in flat, core earnings have surged 31.4% YoY. It solid new project win is an excellent demonstration of its competitiveness. Even for Anhui Conch, the 2H21 outlook is getting more positive than 1H21. We believe that at just 5.9x PER (ex-Anhui Conch) for FY21, the market has sharply undervalued Conch Venture's environmental operations, especially given its lower-than-peers gearing of 19.4% only.

We think the secured project pipeline for China Conch Venture Holdings (586 HK) should drive encouraging double-digit growth in its core environmental business profit in the next three years. It expects a CAGR of 52.8% in completed waste incineration capacity and 30.2% in completed solid waste and hazardous waste capacity, which in our view, should underpin remarkable earnings outlook.The flat 1H21 profit is masked by a 5% drop in contribution from Anhui Conch Cement (914 HK). which, in flat, core earnings have surged 31.4% YoY. It solid new project win is an excellent demonstration of its competitiveness. Even for Anhui Conch, the 2H21 outlook is getting more positive than 1H21. We believe that at just 5.9x PER (ex-Anhui Conch) for FY21, the market has sharply undervalued Conch Venture's environmental operations, especially given its lower-than-peers gearing of 19.4% only.

Conch Venture (586 HK): Better Fortunes Going Forward

China Everbright Environment / Equity Bottom-Up

We think <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> (CEE) is the best-performing environment company within the China Everbright Group, as evidenced by the 38.8% YoY growth in 1H21 earnings (ex-consolidated subsidiaries <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-everbright-water-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31446:1" rel="noopener">China Everbright Water (1857 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-everbright-greentech-0377b31c-5401-466f-987e-9a176b05fb52" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24085:1" rel="noopener">China Everbright Greentech (1257 HK)</a>). Management's indication in the post-1H21 call that operating cash flow rose 77% YoY in the period is also a good sign.Excellent new project momentum and secured project pipeline should drive CEE's earnings in the next two years. The trend of increase in operation service revenue is also positive as this should support the growth in recurrent income and operating cash flow. We continue to see encouraging outlook for its waste-to-energy business, and with 21 projects under construction, this segment will underpin its profit outlook.  In our view, CEE's valuations of 4.1x PER and 0.61x P/B for FY21 are very appealing.  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-environment-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2832:1" rel="noopener"></a>

We think China Everbright Environment (257 HK) (CEE) is the best-performing environment company within the China Everbright Group, as evidenced by the 38.8% YoY growth in 1H21 earnings (ex-consolidated subsidiaries China Everbright Water (1857 HK) and China Everbright Greentech (1257 HK)). Management's indication in the post-1H21 call that operating cash flow rose 77% YoY in the period is also a good sign.Excellent new project momentum and secured project pipeline should drive CEE's earnings in the next two years. The trend of increase in operation service revenue is also positive as this should support the growth in recurrent income and operating cash flow. We continue to see encouraging outlook for its waste-to-energy business, and with 21 projects under construction, this segment will underpin its profit outlook.  In our view, CEE's valuations of 4.1x PER and 0.61x P/B for FY21 are very appealing.  

China Everbright Environment (257 HK): The Most Impressive of All

China Everbright Water / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-everbright-water-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31446:1" rel="noopener">China Everbright Water (1857 HK)</a> (CEW) posted impressive 35.5% rise in 1H21 net profit to HK$548m, driven by strengths across all revenue sources. Besides good increase in construction revenue as more projects are under construction, the 42.4% surge in revenue from operation is a very positive trend. A 4.5pp higher dividend payout ratio YoY suggested that management is confident on 2H21 outlook. CEW has an excellent pipeline of new waste water treatment projects, with 26 of them currently under construction and this should underpin medium-term growth. Moreover, tariff hike will be an added driver for 2H21 bottom line. In our view, there is still huge room to growth through M&amp;As and upgrade of existing projects. At just 0.4x P/B and 3.7x PER for FY21, CEW's valuations have well reflected the concerns of weak cash flow and tight financial position and we believe the current multiples have grossly undervalued the stock.

China Everbright Water (1857 HK) (CEW) posted impressive 35.5% rise in 1H21 net profit to HK$548m, driven by strengths across all revenue sources. Besides good increase in construction revenue as more projects are under construction, the 42.4% surge in revenue from operation is a very positive trend. A 4.5pp higher dividend payout ratio YoY suggested that management is confident on 2H21 outlook. CEW has an excellent pipeline of new waste water treatment projects, with 26 of them currently under construction and this should underpin medium-term growth. Moreover, tariff hike will be an added driver for 2H21 bottom line. In our view, there is still huge room to growth through M&amp;As and upgrade of existing projects. At just 0.4x P/B and 3.7x PER for FY21, CEW's valuations have well reflected the concerns of weak cash flow and tight financial position and we believe the current multiples have grossly undervalued the stock.

China Everbright Water (1857 HK): Post 1H21 Call - Strengths Will Sustain

Hong Kong

China Everbright International Limited provides environmental protection project management and consultancy services. The Company's operations are broken up into environmental energy, environmental water, environmental construction and environmental technology.

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China Everbright Environment (257 HK)

Conch Environment: Initial Thoughts on the Listing by Way of Introduction

Conch Environment's key postives are leadership position, good pipeline and strong partner relations. The key negatives are declining margins,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Canvest Env (1381 HK): We Should Catch Up China Everbright Env (257 HK)

We believe there is room for Canvest to catch up its massive 43.9pp underperformance against CEE in the last 3 months. Its operational and...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Conch Venture (586 HK): Better Fortunes Going Forward

Good secured pipeline of waste incineration and solid and hazardous waste treatment capacity should underpin very solid outlook for the core...

Osbert Tang, CFA