China/Asia TMT

Shawn Yang

China growth and global non-US Internet equities

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Blue Lotus Research is a Hong Kong Type 4 Licensed investment advisory firm focusing on Chinese growth equities and global non-US Internet equities

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We expect CPNG to report C1Q23 top-line and non-GAAP net income 2.0% and 4.8% vs. consensus, respectively. </li>
<li>AliExpress became S. Korea’s most downloaded app after increasing spending, but product overlap with Coupang is limited, while other S. Korean competitors recorded declining MAU, in our understanding.</li>
<li>South Korean economic indicators, including CPI and retail data, point towards a recovery. We maintain our BUY rating and US$19 TP.</li>
</ul>


We expect CPNG to report C1Q23 top-line and non-GAAP net income 2.0% and 4.8% vs. consensus, respectively. 
AliExpress became S. Korea’s most downloaded app after increasing spending, but product overlap with Coupang is limited, while other S. Korean competitors recorded declining MAU, in our understanding.
South Korean economic indicators, including CPI and retail data, point towards a recovery. We maintain our BUY rating and US$19 TP.


[Coupang Inc. (CPNG US) Earnings Preview]: Market Share Solid Given Limited Competitive Threat

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Record number of active EM funds overweight in Internet Retail, with 60.9% of funds overweight the iShares EEM ETF.</li>
<li>Alibaba Group Holdings is the most widely held stock in Internet Retail, followed by JD.com Inc. and MercadoLibre.</li>
<li>Growth investors remain optimistic about Internet Retail, while recent price declines prompt Value investors to raise allocations</li>
</ul>


Record number of active EM funds overweight in Internet Retail, with 60.9% of funds overweight the iShares EEM ETF.
Alibaba Group Holdings is the most widely held stock in Internet Retail, followed by JD.com Inc. and MercadoLibre.
Growth investors remain optimistic about Internet Retail, while recent price declines prompt Value investors to raise allocations


Internet Retail: EM Funds Raise Overweights

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

<ul>
<li>In our view, the Korean government could allow a fourth major telco in Korea in the next 1-2 years. </li>
<li>The launch of the fourth major telco in Korea would have a significant negative impact on the three existing Korean telcos. </li>
<li>In the local media, the following companies have been mentioned as potential candidates to inject capital into the 4th telecom operator in Korea: Coupang, Naver, Kakao, Viva Republica, and Shinsegae.</li>
</ul>


In our view, the Korean government could allow a fourth major telco in Korea in the next 1-2 years. 
The launch of the fourth major telco in Korea would have a significant negative impact on the three existing Korean telcos. 
In the local media, the following companies have been mentioned as potential candidates to inject capital into the 4th telecom operator in Korea: Coupang, Naver, Kakao, Viva Republica, and Shinsegae.


When Will the Korean Government Allow the Fourth Telco in Korea?

Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Softbank Vision Funds 1 and 2 were the biggest combined holdings at December 2022, accounting for 30% of group equity value; SVF private companies accounted for 73% of equity value</li>
<li>To December-end 2022, public companies in SVF2 were marked down by 52% versus investment cost, whereas SVF2 private companies were marked down by a more modest 33% versus investment cost</li>
<li>We believe that SVF2 private company valuations are at risk of further markdowns in 4QFY22 results, with many of these investments made close to the period of peak pandemic valuations</li>
</ul>


Softbank Vision Funds 1 and 2 were the biggest combined holdings at December 2022, accounting for 30% of group equity value; SVF private companies accounted for 73% of equity value
To December-end 2022, public companies in SVF2 were marked down by 52% versus investment cost, whereas SVF2 private companies were marked down by a more modest 33% versus investment cost
We believe that SVF2 private company valuations are at risk of further markdowns in 4QFY22 results, with many of these investments made close to the period of peak pandemic valuations


Softbank (9984 JP) – Focus on the SVFs, Are the Private Companies Appropriately Marked?

<ul>
<li>PDD: Temu launches in Australia and New Zealand (+); CPNG: Coupang withdraws from delivery service in Japan (+)</li>
<li>ZTO/PDD: Logistics companies increased parcel prices in Yiwu City (+/-)</li>
<li>BILI:BILI hold content creator seminar to discuss video metrics (+)</li>
</ul>


PDD: Temu launches in Australia and New Zealand (+); CPNG: Coupang withdraws from delivery service in Japan (+)
ZTO/PDD: Logistics companies increased parcel prices in Yiwu City (+/-)
BILI:BILI hold content creator seminar to discuss video metrics (+)


China/Asia TMT Update(Mar.14): PDD/CPNG/BILI/ZTO - Logistics Companies Increased Prices;

South Korea

Coupang, Inc. operates as an e-commerce company. The Company offers dynamic end-to-end e-commerce and logistic solutions. Coupang serves customers worldwide.

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Coupang (CPNG US)

Internet Retail: EM Funds Raise Overweights

The percentage of funds positioned overweight the Internet Retail sector hits record highs as Value funds enter the picture.

Steven Holden

When Will the Korean Government Allow the Fourth Telco in Korea?

The Korean government could allow a fourth major telco in Korea in the next 1-2 years which would have a significant negative impact on the three...

Douglas Kim

Softbank (9984 JP) – Focus on the SVFs, Are the Private Companies Appropriately Marked?

The NAV could be 10%-15% lower than stated now at the mid-May results release, due to a further squeeze in private company valuations; this would...

Victor Galliano

China/Asia TMT Update(Mar.14): PDD/CPNG/BILI/ZTO - Logistics Companies Increased Prices;

PDD: Temu launches in Australia and New Zealand (+); CPNG: Coupang withdraws from Japan (+)l ZTO/PDD: Logistics companies increased prices (+/-)l...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

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[Coupang Inc. (CPNG US) Earnings Preview]: Market Share Solid Given Limited Competitive Threat

AliExpress became S. Korea’s most downloaded app after increasing spending, but product overlap with Coupang is limited, while other S. Korean...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Internet Retail: EM Funds Raise Overweights

The percentage of funds positioned overweight the Internet Retail sector hits record highs as Value funds enter the picture.

Steven Holden

When Will the Korean Government Allow the Fourth Telco in Korea?

The Korean government could allow a fourth major telco in Korea in the next 1-2 years which would have a significant negative impact on the three...

Douglas Kim

Softbank (9984 JP) – Focus on the SVFs, Are the Private Companies Appropriately Marked?

The NAV could be 10%-15% lower than stated now at the mid-May results release, due to a further squeeze in private company valuations; this would...

Victor Galliano

China/Asia TMT Update(Mar.14): PDD/CPNG/BILI/ZTO - Logistics Companies Increased Prices;

PDD: Temu launches in Australia and New Zealand (+); CPNG: Coupang withdraws from Japan (+)l ZTO/PDD: Logistics companies increased prices (+/-)l...

Blue Lotus Research Institute