HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Global EdTech venture funding surged 29% YoY to US$20.8bn in 2021. China saw c.75% YoY decline in EdTech venture funding but India recorded over 60% growth.</li>
<li>Into 2022, we expect EdTech spending and market will continue to grow, venture funding becoming more selective and Asia and workforce are the fastest growing markets.</li>
<li>China stays weak in 1H22 and India will thrive. India has 4 new unicorns in 2021 while none for China. We stick to higher education, not EdTech (tutoring) in China.</li>
</ul>


Global EdTech venture funding surged 29% YoY to US$20.8bn in 2021. China saw c.75% YoY decline in EdTech venture funding but India recorded over 60% growth.
Into 2022, we expect EdTech spending and market will continue to grow, venture funding becoming more selective and Asia and workforce are the fastest growing markets.
China stays weak in 1H22 and India will thrive. India has 4 new unicorns in 2021 while none for China. We stick to higher education, not EdTech (tutoring) in China.


Asia EdTech and China Education: An Update

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The 42% collapse in share price of <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> (CEG) seems to be overreaction to the speculated regulatory measures which we think many of them are counter-intuitive.</li>
<li>These measures center around the legality of Variable Interest Entity, ban on future M&amp;As, ownership of school assets and prohibition of increase in tuition fee at will.</li>
<li>Higher education, unlike after school tutoring, supports government policy, lightens governments' financial pressure and enhances common prosperity; and CEG remains the best play on this angle. </li>
</ul>


The 42% collapse in share price of China Education Group (839 HK) (CEG) seems to be overreaction to the speculated regulatory measures which we think many of them are counter-intuitive.
These measures center around the legality of Variable Interest Entity, ban on future M&amp;As, ownership of school assets and prohibition of increase in tuition fee at will.
Higher education, unlike after school tutoring, supports government policy, lightens governments' financial pressure and enhances common prosperity; and CEG remains the best play on this angle. 


China Education Group (839 HK): Further Regulatory Headwinds?

<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>'s 1H24 result is impressive with a 58% YoY increase in adjusted net profit. Good cost control is a key contributing factor. </li>
<li>Profitability has improved in all business segments. Its strategy to focus on higher-value courses has led to further improvement in annualised tuition per student. </li>
<li>The 1H24 result equals 68% of the full-year consensus, implying an upside in market expectations. Its net cash, at 35% of market capitalisation, is unmatched by peers.</li>
</ul>



China East Education (667 HK)'s 1H24 result is impressive with a 58% YoY increase in adjusted net profit. Good cost control is a key contributing factor. 
Profitability has improved in all business segments. Its strategy to focus on higher-value courses has led to further improvement in annualised tuition per student. 
The 1H24 result equals 68% of the full-year consensus, implying an upside in market expectations. Its net cash, at 35% of market capitalisation, is unmatched by peers.


China East Education (667 HK): Rock Solid Improvements

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

<ul>
<li>There are 38 adds and 29 deletes for the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI) at the September rebalance to take the number of index constituents up to 518.</li>
<li>We expect 33 of the 38 HSCI inclusions to be added to Stock Connect while we expect 27 of the 29 HSCI deletions to be removed from Southbound Stock Connect.</li>
<li>Since the start of the calendar year, shares held though Southbound Connect have increased in 22 of the 27 HSCI deletions that will also be removed from Stock Connect.</li>
</ul>


There are 38 adds and 29 deletes for the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI) at the September rebalance to take the number of index constituents up to 518.
We expect 33 of the 38 HSCI inclusions to be added to Stock Connect while we expect 27 of the 29 HSCI deletions to be removed from Southbound Stock Connect.
Since the start of the calendar year, shares held though Southbound Connect have increased in 22 of the 27 HSCI deletions that will also be removed from Stock Connect.


HSCI Index Rebalance: 38 Adds, 29 Deletes & Changes to Southbound Stock Connect

<ul>
<li>We see 37 potential adds (including plenty of new listings) and 25 potential deletes (on market cap and liquidity) for the Hang Seng Composite Index in September.</li>
<li>We expect 32 stocks to be added to Southbound Stock Connect following the rebalance while 24 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 37 potential adds (including plenty of new listings) and 25 potential deletes (on market cap and liquidity) for the Hang Seng Composite Index in September.
We expect 32 stocks to be added to Southbound Stock Connect following the rebalance while 24 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: Potential Changes in September

Hong Kong

Hope Education Group Co, Ltd. offers educational services. The Company provides educational training, knowledge point sharing, activities arrangement, and other services. Hope Education Group offers its services throughout China.

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Hope Education Group Co Ltd (1765 HK)

Asia EdTech and China Education: An Update

China's EdTech venture funding lagged behind India's in 2021. We expect regulatory concerns to keep China underperforming in 1H22, with India...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Education Group (839 HK): Further Regulatory Headwinds?

Regulatory speculations have beaten down CEG but may concerns are counter-intuitive and share price has over-reacted. Private participation in...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China East Education (667 HK): Rock Solid Improvements

China East Education impresses with a 58% increase in adjusted net profit in 1H24, driven by good cost control and a focus on higher-value...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HSCI Index Rebalance: 38 Adds, 29 Deletes & Changes to Southbound Stock Connect

There are 38 adds and 29 deletes for the HSCI at the September rebalance to take the number of index constituents up to 518. There will be a lot of...

Brian Freitas

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: Potential Changes in September

There could be nearly 80 adds/deletes for the HSCI in September. That will trigger changes to the Southbound Stock Connect list and increase flows...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Asia EdTech and China Education: An Update

China's EdTech venture funding lagged behind India's in 2021. We expect regulatory concerns to keep China underperforming in 1H22, with India...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Education Group (839 HK): Further Regulatory Headwinds?

Regulatory speculations have beaten down CEG but may concerns are counter-intuitive and share price has over-reacted. Private participation in...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China East Education (667 HK): Rock Solid Improvements

​China East Education impresses with a 58% increase in adjusted net profit in 1H24, driven by good cost control and a focus on higher-value...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HSCI Index Rebalance: 38 Adds, 29 Deletes & Changes to Southbound Stock Connect

There are 38 adds and 29 deletes for the HSCI at the September rebalance to take the number of index constituents up to 518. There will be a lot of...

Brian Freitas

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: Potential Changes in September

There could be nearly 80 adds/deletes for the HSCI in September. That will trigger changes to the Southbound Stock Connect list and increase flows...

Brian Freitas

China East Education impresses with a 58% increase in adjusted net profit in 1H24, driven by good cost control and a focus on higher-value...