Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

*Bank Results Decline Linked Quarter: Ping An Bank (000001.CH) [PAB], the Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An] banking subsidiary, continues to feel the challenges of a slowing mainland Chinese economy. For 2Q21, PAB reported results of CNY 7.5 bn – decreasing CNY 2.7 bn (26.4%) linked quarter. From our vantage point, higher loss provisions and weaker net interest income weighed heavily on results; and*Negative Credit Delta Could Accelerate Capital Raise: By our analysis, we find that credit remains incredibly challenged as net new NPLs have accelerated 102.2% annualized - up from 53.6% in 1Q21. Assuming the accelerated credit break in the PAB portfolio continues to remain at its current level, we find that PAB’s reserves still remain quite light by CNY 16 bn. This shortfall represents about two quarter of pre-tax earnings.

*Bank Results Decline Linked Quarter: Ping An Bank (000001.CH) [PAB], the Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An] banking subsidiary, continues to feel the challenges of a slowing mainland Chinese economy. For 2Q21, PAB reported results of CNY 7.5 bn – decreasing CNY 2.7 bn (26.4%) linked quarter. From our vantage point, higher loss provisions and weaker net interest income weighed heavily on results; and*Negative Credit Delta Could Accelerate Capital Raise: By our analysis, we find that credit remains incredibly challenged as net new NPLs have accelerated 102.2% annualized - up from 53.6% in 1Q21. Assuming the accelerated credit break in the PAB portfolio continues to remain at its current level, we find that PAB’s reserves still remain quite light by CNY 16 bn. This shortfall represents about two quarter of pre-tax earnings.   

Ping An Insurance – Credit Mixed, But Still Worrisome

China Merchants Bank H / Equity Bottom-Up

*2Q21 Bottom-Line Sees Cracks: China Merchants Bank (3968.HK) [CMB] reported 2Q21 results of CNY 29.1 bn, decreasing CNY 2.9 bn (9.0%) linked quarter, driven by negative operating jaws, a decline net fees and commissions, and higher provisions, tracking weaker credit quality; and *Credit Wall of Worry Continues To Grow: Net new problem loans continue to accelerate at an Indian bank pace of CNY 20.3 bn or 150.2% annualized versus CNY 18.9 bn or 138.5% at 1Q21. Although CMB’s reserve cover still remains quite robust, the net new NPL ratio trajectory suggests that reserve cover of NPLs will drop to something more in line with a typical mainland Chinese bank.

*2Q21 Bottom-Line Sees Cracks: China Merchants Bank (3968.HK) [CMB] reported 2Q21 results of CNY 29.1 bn, decreasing CNY 2.9 bn (9.0%) linked quarter, driven by negative operating jaws, a decline net fees and commissions, and higher provisions, tracking weaker credit quality; and *Credit Wall of Worry Continues To Grow: Net new problem loans continue to accelerate at an Indian bank pace of CNY 20.3 bn or 150.2% annualized versus CNY 18.9 bn or 138.5% at 1Q21. Although CMB’s reserve cover still remains quite robust, the net new NPL ratio trajectory suggests that reserve cover of NPLs will drop to something more in line with a typical mainland Chinese bank.

China Merchants Bank – Now Negative Operating Jaws

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

The Ping An A-shares <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH)</a> are trading at a 2.75% discount versus the H-shares <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a>. This continues the cycle of premiums and discounts going back to 2015.The last time the A-shares traded at a discount to the H-shares was in April this year. By mid May, the A-shares traded at a 5% premium to the H-shares before moving lower again.With <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH)</a> trading at a 2.75% discount to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a> the risk/reward is favourable to setting up a premium expansion trade. The current discount lies at the 82nd percentile over the last 5 years and the discount has been widening as the premium of the overall market continues to increase.Northbound holdings of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH)</a> have increased over the last couple of months, while the Southbound shareholding on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a> has dropped sharply. This implies that mainland China investors have been selling the A-shares a lot more aggressively than the H-shares.In this Insight, we look at the historical premium for Ping An and compare it to the premium on the AH index and other large caps, and look at some catalysts that could lead to an expansion of the premium.

The Ping An A-shares Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) are trading at a 2.75% discount versus the H-shares Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK). This continues the cycle of premiums and discounts going back to 2015.The last time the A-shares traded at a discount to the H-shares was in April this year. By mid May, the A-shares traded at a 5% premium to the H-shares before moving lower again.With Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) trading at a 2.75% discount to Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK) the risk/reward is favourable to setting up a premium expansion trade. The current discount lies at the 82nd percentile over the last 5 years and the discount has been widening as the premium of the overall market continues to increase.Northbound holdings of Ping An Insurance Group Co Of China (601318 CH) have increased over the last couple of months, while the Southbound shareholding on Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK) has dropped sharply. This implies that mainland China investors have been selling the A-shares a lot more aggressively than the H-shares.In this Insight, we look at the historical premium for Ping An and compare it to the premium on the AH index and other large caps, and look at some catalysts that could lead to an expansion of the premium.

Ping An A/H: Discount Widens and Diverges from Broader Market

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

*Document 15: Recently the China Bank and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued guidance to both banks and insurers on implicit debt of local government financing vehicles (LGFV) via Document 15 – tightening the screws even further;  and*No Let Up In Sight: Coupled with the structural reforms of an increase in risk-based capital minimums for certain state banks, the partial bank Wealth Management Product (WMP) resolution, and the recent reserve requirement ratio (RRR) reduction, these tightening measures should act to contain some of the out of control financial risk within the mainland Chinese financial system.

*Document 15: Recently the China Bank and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued guidance to both banks and insurers on implicit debt of local government financing vehicles (LGFV) via Document 15 – tightening the screws even further;  and*No Let Up In Sight: Coupled with the structural reforms of an increase in risk-based capital minimums for certain state banks, the partial bank Wealth Management Product (WMP) resolution, and the recent reserve requirement ratio (RRR) reduction, these tightening measures should act to contain some of the out of control financial risk within the mainland Chinese financial system.

Founder of Antler Capital

Stanley Tsai, CFA

In the spirit of the long-awaited UEFA Euro 2020, we present our inaugural "China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook", which summarizes our views on the names that are best positioned to navigate an environment of progressively slower credit growth, tighter liquidity and rising defaults. 
Our screen consists of 100+ stocks in the A/H share universe, as well as a select number of international / non-traditional names that have significant exposures to China's financial system. We have a preference for larger-cap and liquid names, which are then filtered by our opinions on their fundamentals, value, momentum and recent trading volumes. We also try to make our selections versatile and less vulnerable to single-factor movements.
Each player's position on the pitch and the team formation itself convey incremental information about our thoughts on the sector's performance over a three to six-month horizon. To the extent possible, we intend to update our ideas on a periodic basis. This provides a feedback loop with our other ongoing research on the industry.
However, our team selections are not investment recommendations. Instead, they are meant to give structure to our analysis. The playbook allows us to articulate our views on the sector in a timely, concise manner. Our objective is to ensure we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as sentiments on the sector remain bleak.
With that out of the way, the following is our starting XI. We will dive deeper into our rationale for our selections in the remainder of this insight (Exhibit 1).
<table class="table table-striped">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 726.047px;">Exhibit 1: China Financials | Silver Linings Playbook</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 726.047px;">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/213/768/original/image_768460236451623962508577.png?1623962508" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="213768"></figure>

Source: Our analysis
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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In the spirit of the long-awaited UEFA Euro 2020, we present our inaugural "China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook", which summarizes our views on the names that are best positioned to navigate an environment of progressively slower credit growth, tighter liquidity and rising defaults. 
Our screen consists of 100+ stocks in the A/H share universe, as well as a select number of international / non-traditional names that have significant exposures to China's financial system. We have a preference for larger-cap and liquid names, which are then filtered by our opinions on their fundamentals, value, momentum and recent trading volumes. We also try to make our selections versatile and less vulnerable to single-factor movements.
Each player's position on the pitch and the team formation itself convey incremental information about our thoughts on the sector's performance over a three to six-month horizon. To the extent possible, we intend to update our ideas on a periodic basis. This provides a feedback loop with our other ongoing research on the industry.
However, our team selections are not investment recommendations. Instead, they are meant to give structure to our analysis. The playbook allows us to articulate our views on the sector in a timely, concise manner. Our objective is to ensure we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as sentiments on the sector remain bleak.
With that out of the way, the following is our starting XI. We will dive deeper into our rationale for our selections in the remainder of this insight (Exhibit 1).



Exhibit 1: China Financials | Silver Linings Playbook





Source: Our analysis




Related Insights
China Macro: Consumers Remain on the Sidelines, as Their Home Equity Grows 
Glut and Famine: We Might See Snow in China This Summer 
China Macro: PPI Peaks, while CPI Eases Tightening Fears 
China Macro: Exports Disappoint, but It's Still Early in the Game 
Glut and Famine: China's Monetary Conditions a Notch Tighter in May 
ICBC: The Bond Identity | A Zero-Growth Dividend Discount Story 
BOC Aviation (2588 HK): The Stars Don't Look Bigger, but They Do Look Brighter

China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook

China

China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd. operates in commercial banking businesses. The Bank provides deposit, loan, settlement, discount, financial bond issuance, government bond underwriting and trading, letter of credit, bank guarantee, and other related financial services.

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China Minsheng Banking H (1988 HK)

Ping An Insurance – Credit Mixed, But Still Worrisome

PING AN INSURANCE: Ping An Bank reported a 26.4% QOQ results decline for 2Q21 reflecting higher provisions. Credit is challenged as net new NPLs...

Thomas J. Monaco

China Merchants Bank – Now Negative Operating Jaws

CHINA MERCHANTS BANK: CMB reported QOQ 2Q21 results decline of 9.0% driven by negative operating jaws, a decline net fees and commissions, and...

Thomas J. Monaco

Ping An A/H: Discount Widens and Diverges from Broader Market

The Ping An A/H spread is trading at a discount and has diverged from the spread on the overall market. Set up for a premium expansion trade that...

Brian Freitas

China Banks – Screws Tighten On LGFVs

CHINA BANKS: Recently the CBIRC issued guidance on implicit LGFV debt via Document 15 – further tightening the screws on mainland China's financial...

Thomas J. Monaco

China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook

Our Silver Linings Playbook outlines our views on the China financials names that are most likely to remain resilient in the face of macro...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

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Market Cap (USDm)

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