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

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

*Yield Steepening Likely Leads To FRB Action: The recent turmoil in the US bond market has now led to expectations that the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) may announce interest rate policy tweaks as soon as its next meeting on March 16th. The FRB appears to seek inflation, and the question would appear to be when (not if) the FRB will become more aggressive in preventing the long end of the curve from further steepening; and*Watch Your Financial Positions: Coupled with a rapid economic recovery  - especially given the US lead with vaccination rollouts, the steep yield curve has led to YTD US financial sector outperformance. However, if the FRB begins flattening the yield curve, sentiment is likely to quickly turn. As such, near-term caution for financials is likely warranted ahead of next FRB meeting as the recent bond market volatility is likely to force the FRB’s hand on Yield Curve Control (YCC).

*Yield Steepening Likely Leads To FRB Action: The recent turmoil in the US bond market has now led to expectations that the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) may announce interest rate policy tweaks as soon as its next meeting on March 16th. The FRB appears to seek inflation, and the question would appear to be when (not if) the FRB will become more aggressive in preventing the long end of the curve from further steepening; and*Watch Your Financial Positions: Coupled with a rapid economic recovery  - especially given the US lead with vaccination rollouts, the steep yield curve has led to YTD US financial sector outperformance. However, if the FRB begins flattening the yield curve, sentiment is likely to quickly turn. As such, near-term caution for financials is likely warranted ahead of next FRB meeting as the recent bond market volatility is likely to force the FRB’s hand on Yield Curve Control (YCC).

Federal Reserve Board – Doing The Twist

Equity Bottom-Up

*Autohome’s Hong Kong Secondary: Autohome Inc. (ATHM. US) [Autohome], a leading online destination for automobile consumers, announced the launch an offering of 27.3 mn shares (including 10.1 mn shares to be sold by Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An]) on the Hong Kong Exchange (388.HK) [HKEX]. In this four share for one ADR deal, Ping An -  as Autohome’s largest shareholder with  49.0% of total shares – stands to crystallize a gain of HKD 7.0 bn or USD 893 mn based off its initial acquisition price per share of USD 29.55 from Telstra (TLS.AU); and  *Telegraphing Poor Insurance Going Forward: Fundamentals at Ping An’s traditional financial companies are expected to remain challenged for the longer-term. Offloading bits and pieces of their technology investments to offset its poor results should really come as no surprise. Given both the low rate and low growth environment which are major negatives for both P&amp;C and life, we question how some of the other major insurers in mainland China will remain in the black.

*Autohome’s Hong Kong Secondary: Autohome Inc. (ATHM. US) [Autohome], a leading online destination for automobile consumers, announced the launch an offering of 27.3 mn shares (including 10.1 mn shares to be sold by Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An]) on the Hong Kong Exchange (388.HK) [HKEX]. In this four share for one ADR deal, Ping An -  as Autohome’s largest shareholder with  49.0% of total shares – stands to crystallize a gain of HKD 7.0 bn or USD 893 mn based off its initial acquisition price per share of USD 29.55 from Telstra (TLS.AU); and  *Telegraphing Poor Insurance Going Forward: Fundamentals at Ping An’s traditional financial companies are expected to remain challenged for the longer-term. Offloading bits and pieces of their technology investments to offset its poor results should really come as no surprise. Given both the low rate and low growth environment which are major negatives for both P&amp;C and life, we question how some of the other major insurers in mainland China will remain in the black.  

Ping An Insurance – Autohome’s Turn To Offset Bad Insurance Fundamentals

*Poor Set Of Results, Which Should Have Been Worse: Standard Chartered Plc (STAN.LN/2888.HK) [STAN] reported 2H20 losses of USD 315 mn, declining USD 1.4 bn (122.5%) HOH as it struggled across the board. Negative operating jaws for STAN are troublesome to say the least, as HOH we note that STAN’s revenues declined USD 1.4 bn (16.0%) whilst expenses increased USD 1.0 bn (20.4%); and*Credit Challenges Are Top Of Mind As Well: STAN had a HOH increase in unmarkable Level 3 assets of (20.1%), and level of net new NPLs during 2H20 amounted to USD 1.0 bn – increasing 23.8% on an annualized basis. By our analysis, STAN should not have cut provisions and instead should have ‘manned-up’and taken an addition USD 4.8 bn in provisions. This is prior to any risk assessment for its increasing level of Level 3 assets. The shortfall represents 10% of stated equity, which begs the question of why it’s paying dividends and buying back shares in this condition.

*Poor Set Of Results, Which Should Have Been Worse: Standard Chartered Plc (STAN.LN/2888.HK) [STAN] reported 2H20 losses of USD 315 mn, declining USD 1.4 bn (122.5%) HOH as it struggled across the board. Negative operating jaws for STAN are troublesome to say the least, as HOH we note that STAN’s revenues declined USD 1.4 bn (16.0%) whilst expenses increased USD 1.0 bn (20.4%); and*Credit Challenges Are Top Of Mind As Well: STAN had a HOH increase in unmarkable Level 3 assets of (20.1%), and level of net new NPLs during 2H20 amounted to USD 1.0 bn – increasing 23.8% on an annualized basis. By our analysis, STAN should not have cut provisions and instead should have ‘manned-up’and taken an addition USD 4.8 bn in provisions. This is prior to any risk assessment for its increasing level of Level 3 assets. The shortfall represents 10% of stated equity, which begs the question of why it’s paying dividends and buying back shares in this condition.     

*New Mainland China Deal Doesn’t Pass Smell Test: Link REIT (823.HK) [Link] announced the acquisition of a 50% stake in Qibao Vanke Plaza (QVP) - a retail shopping mall in Minhang, Shanghai, for CNY 2.8 bn. QVP will remain the shopping mall operator, while Link will have an equal number of board seats and committee representatives as the shopping mall operator. While its unclear if the numbers make any sense given the rental reversion and massive re-tenanting that would have to take place to cover the 3.0% plus per annum CNY financing cost, the lack of control over this property also raises significant risks for Link; and*Fundamental Risks Remain: Link remains in a real quandary - it continues to operate at a loss. Losses were attributed to negative fair value marks. While results on an operating basis were positive, the trend unfortunately remains negative for Link – declining HKD 564 mn (15.1%). The poor operating results were driven by weaker Hong Kong rental income which declined HKD 186 mn (5.4%) HOH; and a HKD 55 mn (9.8%) decline in mainland Chinese property-related revenues – begging the question of why mainland China acquisitions now?

*New Mainland China Deal Doesn’t Pass Smell Test: Link REIT (823.HK) [Link] announced the acquisition of a 50% stake in Qibao Vanke Plaza (QVP) - a retail shopping mall in Minhang, Shanghai, for CNY 2.8 bn. QVP will remain the shopping mall operator, while Link will have an equal number of board seats and committee representatives as the shopping mall operator. While its unclear if the numbers make any sense given the rental reversion and massive re-tenanting that would have to take place to cover the 3.0% plus per annum CNY financing cost, the lack of control over this property also raises significant risks for Link; and*Fundamental Risks Remain: Link remains in a real quandary - it continues to operate at a loss. Losses were attributed to negative fair value marks. While results on an operating basis were positive, the trend unfortunately remains negative for Link – declining HKD 564 mn (15.1%). The poor operating results were driven by weaker Hong Kong rental income which declined HKD 186 mn (5.4%) HOH; and a HKD 55 mn (9.8%) decline in mainland Chinese property-related revenues – begging the question of why mainland China acquisitions now?

*Negative Jaws:  Oversea Chinese Banking Corp. (OCBC.SP) [OCBC] reported 4Q20 net profit of SGD 1.1 bn, a SGD 102 mn (9.9%) increase on a linked quarter basis. Were it not for the 0.7% tax rate as opposed to the 12.2% tax rate during 3Q20, OCBC’s bottom-line performance would have come in at SGD 994 mn  - down SGD 34 mn (3.3%). In addition, OCBC continues to suffer from negative operating jaws, with revenues declining 2.6% and costs increasing 2.3%;*Credit Improving In Reality: We have become more optimistic. By our calculation, we find that net new NPL growth continued to be negative on an annualized basis at SGD 78 mn or 8.0% annualized (versus 2.3% annualized).  We also find that reserves are now where they need to be, which is a far cry from where currently DBS Group Holdings (DBS.SP) is; and*Insurance Weakness: Great Eastern Holdings (GE.SP) [Great Eastern] reported 2H20 bottom-line results of SGD 688.5 mn, improving SGD 348.6 mn (102.5%) HOH. However, when we exclude 2H20’s net gains on sale of SGD 3.8 bn, core operating results were far from impressive at a loss of SGD 3.1 bn versus operating income SGD 217.3 mn in 1H20.

*Negative Jaws:  Oversea Chinese Banking Corp. (OCBC.SP) [OCBC] reported 4Q20 net profit of SGD 1.1 bn, a SGD 102 mn (9.9%) increase on a linked quarter basis. Were it not for the 0.7% tax rate as opposed to the 12.2% tax rate during 3Q20, OCBC’s bottom-line performance would have come in at SGD 994 mn  - down SGD 34 mn (3.3%). In addition, OCBC continues to suffer from negative operating jaws, with revenues declining 2.6% and costs increasing 2.3%;*Credit Improving In Reality: We have become more optimistic. By our calculation, we find that net new NPL growth continued to be negative on an annualized basis at SGD 78 mn or 8.0% annualized (versus 2.3% annualized).  We also find that reserves are now where they need to be, which is a far cry from where currently DBS Group Holdings (DBS.SP) is; and*Insurance Weakness: Great Eastern Holdings (GE.SP) [Great Eastern] reported 2H20 bottom-line results of SGD 688.5 mn, improving SGD 348.6 mn (102.5%) HOH. However, when we exclude 2H20’s net gains on sale of SGD 3.8 bn, core operating results were far from impressive at a loss of SGD 3.1 bn versus operating income SGD 217.3 mn in 1H20. 

Oversea Chinese Banking Corp. – Mixed Bag, But AQ Improving

China

iShares FTSE A50 China Index ETF is an exchanged-traded fund established in Hong Kong. The investment objective of the iShares FTSE A50 China Index ETF is to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, closely correspond to the performance of A50 Index.

iShares FTSE/Xinhua A50 China (2823 HK)

Federal Reserve Board – Doing The Twist

FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD: There are expectations of FRB interest rate policy tweaks as soon as its next meeting. If the FRB flattens the curve,...

Thomas J. Monaco

Ping An Insurance – Autohome’s Turn To Offset Bad Insurance Fundamentals

PING AN INSURANCE: Autohome announced the launch a secondary offering of 27.3 mn shares on the HKEX. Ping An stands to crystallize USD 893 mn based...

Thomas J. Monaco

Standard Chartered - What A Mess

STANDARD CHARTERED: STAN reported 2H20 losses of USD 315 mn, declining 122.5% HOH as it struggled across the board. Negative operating jaws for...

Thomas J. Monaco

Link REIT – Same Old, Same Old

LINK REIT: Link is acquiring a 50% stake in Qibao Vanke Plaza (QVP) in China. Its unclear if the numbers make sense given the variables, the lack...

Thomas J. Monaco

Oversea Chinese Banking Corp. – Mixed Bag, But AQ Improving

OVERSEA CHINESE BANKING CORP: Were it not for the 0.7% tax rate as opposed to the 12.2% tax rate during 3Q20, OCBC’s bottom-line would've declined...

Thomas J. Monaco