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

<ul>
<li>
Fundamental/Regulatory Constraints: Tencent Holdings (700.HK) [Tencent]  has many challenges: weaker revenues attributed to both a slowing economy and mainland China’s clampdown on internet companies, and the reining-in of Fintech;</li>
<li>
Litigation:A class action has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME.US) ADRs, alleging that two prime brokers illegally traded in TME shares; and</li>
<li>
Deniability: Tencent and TME have an awful lot of hair and the timing of the regulatory screw tightening on Tencent’s businesses was intensifying just as the Archegos situation unraveled.   </li>
</ul>



Fundamental/Regulatory Constraints: Tencent Holdings (700.HK) [Tencent]  has many challenges: weaker revenues attributed to both a slowing economy and mainland China’s clampdown on internet companies, and the reining-in of Fintech;

Litigation:A class action has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME.US) ADRs, alleging that two prime brokers illegally traded in TME shares; and

Deniability: Tencent and TME have an awful lot of hair and the timing of the regulatory screw tightening on Tencent’s businesses was intensifying just as the Archegos situation unraveled.   


<ul>
<li>
Default: Kaisa Group Holdings (1638.HK) [Kaisa] allegedly failed to pay its USD 400 mn bond;</li>
<li>
Obfuscation On F/S: Part of the problem with Kaisa is how the financial statements broken out, which, in our view, obfuscated the true nature of liquidity at Kaisa; and</li>
<li>
Other Creditors: In addition to offshore bondholders, Kaisa’s main banks include: Bank of China (3988.HK); ICBC (1398.HK); Ping An Bank (000001.CH); China Minsheng Bank (1988.HK); and China CITIC Bank (998.HK).</li>
</ul>



Default: Kaisa Group Holdings (1638.HK) [Kaisa] allegedly failed to pay its USD 400 mn bond;

Obfuscation On F/S: Part of the problem with Kaisa is how the financial statements broken out, which, in our view, obfuscated the true nature of liquidity at Kaisa; and

Other Creditors: In addition to offshore bondholders, Kaisa’s main banks include: Bank of China (3988.HK); ICBC (1398.HK); Ping An Bank (000001.CH); China Minsheng Bank (1988.HK); and China CITIC Bank (998.HK).


Kaisa Group Holdings – Second Domino Falls

<ul>
<li>
Default: On December 6, 2021, several investors appear to have confirmed that China Evergrande Group (3333.HK) [Evergrande] does not have the financial wherewithal to cover grace period payments;</li>
<li>
Fire Brigade Called: Evergrande established a risk-management committee (RMC) to assist in "mitigating and eliminating the future risks", in addition to Guangdong Province disseminating a team to Evergrande; and</li>
<li>
Intensified Bank Risk: Shenjing Bank (2066.HK) has CNY 129.4 bn exposure to Evergrande, implying stated NPLs of 24.4%. Other bank creditors: China Minsheng, China Zheshang, Shanghai Pudong, and Citic Trust.</li>
</ul>



Default: On December 6, 2021, several investors appear to have confirmed that China Evergrande Group (3333.HK) [Evergrande] does not have the financial wherewithal to cover grace period payments;

Fire Brigade Called: Evergrande established a risk-management committee (RMC) to assist in "mitigating and eliminating the future risks", in addition to Guangdong Province disseminating a team to Evergrande; and

Intensified Bank Risk: Shenjing Bank (2066.HK) has CNY 129.4 bn exposure to Evergrande, implying stated NPLs of 24.4%. Other bank creditors: China Minsheng, China Zheshang, Shanghai Pudong, and Citic Trust.


Alibaba Group Holding  / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
Management Shake-up: Alibaba Group Holding (BABA.US) [Alibaba] announced that long-time CFO Maggie Wu will be stepping down in April 2022;</li>
<li>
Restructure: Alibaba also announced that it will be reorganizing its international and domestic e-commerce businesses; and</li>
<li>
Further Pressure:Just last month, Alibaba reduced its revenue growth forecast. The formation of a financial holding company will cause earnings to compress while capital requirements increase.</li>
</ul>



Management Shake-up: Alibaba Group Holding (BABA.US) [Alibaba] announced that long-time CFO Maggie Wu will be stepping down in April 2022;

Restructure: Alibaba also announced that it will be reorganizing its international and domestic e-commerce businesses; and

Further Pressure:Just last month, Alibaba reduced its revenue growth forecast. The formation of a financial holding company will cause earnings to compress while capital requirements increase.


Alibaba Group Holding – Palace Intrigue

<ul>
<li>
Another Weak Number: Waterdrop (WDH.US) reported a third set of losses since its IPO, coming in at a negative CNY 477 mn  - improving CNY 227 mn (32.5%) QOQ; </li>
<li>
High Cumulative Losses: Cumulative losses since its IPO are over CNY 1.5 bn, and represent about 57% of IPO funds raised. Challenges come from weaker revenues and excessive costs; and    </li>
<li>
Notice” To Online Insurers: The CBIRC's roll out of the internet insurance revision plan aims to scrutinize mainland China’s insurance technology platforms. </li>
</ul>



Another Weak Number: Waterdrop (WDH.US) reported a third set of losses since its IPO, coming in at a negative CNY 477 mn  - improving CNY 227 mn (32.5%) QOQ; 

High Cumulative Losses: Cumulative losses since its IPO are over CNY 1.5 bn, and represent about 57% of IPO funds raised. Challenges come from weaker revenues and excessive costs; and    

Notice” To Online Insurers: The CBIRC's roll out of the internet insurance revision plan aims to scrutinize mainland China’s insurance technology platforms. 


Hong Kong

iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF's objective seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the performance of publicly traded securities in the Hong Kong market, as measured by the MSCI Hong Kong Index. The ETF invests in a representative sample of index stocks using a "portfolio sampling" technique.

iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH US)

Tencent Holdings – Dirty Birds

TENCENT: Tencent has many challenges already. A class action has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Tencent Music ADRs, alleging that...

Thomas J. Monaco

Kaisa Group Holdings – Second Domino Falls

KAISA: Kaisa allegedly failed to pay its USD 400 mn bond. Part of the problem with Kaisa is how the financial statements broken out, which, in our...

Thomas J. Monaco

China Evergrande Group – Fire Sale

EVERGRANDE: Several investors appear to have confirmed that Evergrande failed to cover grace period payments. Shenjing Bank has CNY 129.4 bn...

Thomas J. Monaco

Alibaba Group Holding – Palace Intrigue

ALIBABA: Alibaba announced that long-time CFO Maggie Wu will be stepping down in April 2022, and that it will be reorganizing its international and...

Thomas J. Monaco

Waterdrop – Still Bleeding

WATERDROP: Waterdrop reported losses of CNY 477 mn - improving CNY 227 mn or 32.5% linked quarter and bringing cumulative losses since its IPO to...

Thomas J. Monaco