HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The announcement of "Draft for Comments on the Regulations on the Management of off-campus Training" has led to a 43.6% rebound of the education sector from the 2024 trough.</li>
<li>The "Draft" has cleared regulatory worries on after-school tutoring of high school students and non-academic subjects. For higher education space, we like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-east-education-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27843:1" rel="noopener">China East Education (667 HK)</a>. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/new-oriental-education-techn" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32210:1" rel="noopener">New Oriental Education &amp; Techn (9901 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tal-education-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1124:1" rel="noopener">TAL Education (TAL US),</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gaotu-techedu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28069:1" rel="noopener">Gaotu Techedu (GOTU US)</a> are the most direct beneficiaries of the "Draft".</li>
</ul>


The announcement of "Draft for Comments on the Regulations on the Management of off-campus Training" has led to a 43.6% rebound of the education sector from the 2024 trough.
The "Draft" has cleared regulatory worries on after-school tutoring of high school students and non-academic subjects. For higher education space, we like China East Education (667 HK). 

New Oriental Education &amp; Techn (9901 HK), TAL Education (TAL US), and Gaotu Techedu (GOTU US) are the most direct beneficiaries of the "Draft".


China Private Education: Trigger for the Sharp Rebound, and What Follows......

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-east-education-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27843:1" rel="noopener">China East Education (667 HK)</a> is interesting as it is probably the only education company with no debt. Net cash amounted to Rmb2.1bn, or 42% of its market capitalisation. </li>
<li>Earnings have bottomed out and the marginal YoY decline in 1H23 is due to upfront costs for staff recruitment. Its vocational education focus also faces fewer regulatory risks.</li>
<li>We consider it a potential privatisation candidate at 0.8x P/B. Its major shareholders owned 75% of the company, leaving a free float of less than HK$1.4bn.</li>
</ul>



China East Education (667 HK) is interesting as it is probably the only education company with no debt. Net cash amounted to Rmb2.1bn, or 42% of its market capitalisation. 
Earnings have bottomed out and the marginal YoY decline in 1H23 is due to upfront costs for staff recruitment. Its vocational education focus also faces fewer regulatory risks.
We consider it a potential privatisation candidate at 0.8x P/B. Its major shareholders owned 75% of the company, leaving a free float of less than HK$1.4bn.


China East Education (667 HK): Getting More Interesting

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-education-group-holdin" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18218:1" rel="noopener">China Education Group (839 HK)</a> appears to be facing the headwinds from higher USD interest rate and reduction in capitalised interest. The intangible write-off is another drag on FY23.</li>
<li>Newly registered students increased 17.8% for FY24. With better average fees, this will help the topline. Our concerns are high finance and operating costs will erode revenue growth.</li>
<li>Consensus is overly aggressive and there are risks of downgrade. Earnings may re-accelerate in the future, but weaker 1H FY24F keeps us on the sideline in the short term. </li>
</ul>



China Education Group (839 HK) appears to be facing the headwinds from higher USD interest rate and reduction in capitalised interest. The intangible write-off is another drag on FY23.
Newly registered students increased 17.8% for FY24. With better average fees, this will help the topline. Our concerns are high finance and operating costs will erode revenue growth.
Consensus is overly aggressive and there are risks of downgrade. Earnings may re-accelerate in the future, but weaker 1H FY24F keeps us on the sideline in the short term. 


China Education Group (839 HK): Not so Encouraging in the near Term

<ul>
<li>Despite the rally in share price after trading resumption and a reasonable FY22 result, there are still several tough issues faced by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-yuhua-education" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23627:1" rel="noopener">China Yuhua Education (6169 HK)</a>. </li>
<li>Cash management, especially for offshore; no dividend payout in the near term; availability of CB refinancing and weakened margins are just some of the challenges. </li>
<li>Conversion to profit-basis for its schools and the operating outlook for new schools are also added issues that it needs to address. In our view, risks still outweigh return.</li>
</ul>


Despite the rally in share price after trading resumption and a reasonable FY22 result, there are still several tough issues faced by China Yuhua Education (6169 HK). 
Cash management, especially for offshore; no dividend payout in the near term; availability of CB refinancing and weakened margins are just some of the challenges. 
Conversion to profit-basis for its schools and the operating outlook for new schools are also added issues that it needs to address. In our view, risks still outweigh return.


China Yuhua Education (6169 HK): Issues Are Not over Yet

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

Brilliance China Automotive / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>We see 44 potential adds (including plenty of new listings) and 19 potential deletes (on market cap, liquidity and suspension) for the Hang Seng Composite Index in March.</li>
<li>We expect 37 stocks to be added to Southbound Stock Connect following the rebalance while 37 stocks could be deleted from the trading link and become Sell-only. </li>
<li>There are stocks that have a very high percentage of holdings via Stock Connect and there could be some unwinding prior to the stocks becoming Sell-only.</li>
</ul>


We see 44 potential adds (including plenty of new listings) and 19 potential deletes (on market cap, liquidity and suspension) for the Hang Seng Composite Index in March.
We expect 37 stocks to be added to Southbound Stock Connect following the rebalance while 37 stocks could be deleted from the trading link and become Sell-only. 
There are stocks that have a very high percentage of holdings via Stock Connect and there could be some unwinding prior to the stocks becoming Sell-only.


HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: A Lot of Change

China

China Kepei Education Group Limited provides educational services. The Company offers high-quality profession-oriented education services and other services. China Kepei Education Group provides services in China.

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Kepei Education (1890 HK)

China Private Education: Trigger for the Sharp Rebound, and What Follows......

The "Draft for Comments" of regulations on after-school tutoring has supported the rebound of the education sector. China East Education, New...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China East Education (667 HK): Getting More Interesting

China East Education is debt-free with strong net cash. Earnings have stabilised, and it faces fewer regulatory risks. It is a potential...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Education Group (839 HK): Not so Encouraging in the near Term

CEG is facing challenges from higher USD interest rates, reduced capitalised interest, and write-offs. Despite a 17.8% increase in new students,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Yuhua Education (6169 HK): Issues Are Not over Yet

Despite avoiding default on CBs, Yuhua still faces challenges from cash management, no near-term dividend payout, availability of CB refinancing...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: A Lot of Change

We forecast 44 adds/19 deletes for the HSCI in March leading to 37 adds/deletes for Southbound Stock Connect. There could be more Connect changes...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China Private Education: Trigger for the Sharp Rebound, and What Follows......

​The "Draft for Comments" of regulations on after-school tutoring has supported the rebound of the education sector. China East Education, New...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China East Education (667 HK): Getting More Interesting

​China East Education is debt-free with strong net cash. Earnings have stabilised, and it faces fewer regulatory risks. It is a potential...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Education Group (839 HK): Not so Encouraging in the near Term

​CEG is facing challenges from higher USD interest rates, reduced capitalised interest, and write-offs. Despite a 17.8% increase in new students,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Yuhua Education (6169 HK): Issues Are Not over Yet

Despite avoiding default on CBs, Yuhua still faces challenges from cash management, no near-term dividend payout, availability of CB refinancing...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: A Lot of Change

We forecast 44 adds/19 deletes for the HSCI in March leading to 37 adds/deletes for Southbound Stock Connect. There could be more Connect changes...

Brian Freitas

The "Draft for Comments" of regulations on after-school tutoring has supported the rebound of the education sector. China East Education, New...

China East Education is debt-free with strong net cash. Earnings have stabilised, and it faces fewer regulatory risks. It is a potential...

CEG is facing challenges from higher USD interest rates, reduced capitalised interest, and write-offs. Despite a 17.8% increase in new students,...