Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

<div><p>Kakao Pay (KP), one of South Korea’s largest payment and financial services apps, aims to raise up to US$1.3bn in its South Korean IPO. Kakao held a 55% stake prior to listing, with Ant Financial holding the balance 45% stake.</p></div><div><p>We have covered most aspects of the deal in our earlier notes:</p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kakao-pay-ipo-guided-by-ant-financial-to-be-a-mini-ant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kakao Pay IPO - Guided by Ant Financial to be a mini Ant,</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kakao-pay-ipo-peer-comparison-local-and-international" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kakao Pay IPO - Peer comparison - local and international, and</a></li>
</ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kakao-pay-ipo-valuation-and-likely-impact-of-latest-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kakao Pay IPO - Valuation and Likely Impact of Latest Announcement</a></li></ul></div><ul><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kakao-pay-ipo-low-end-still-appear-reasonable-but-stock-will-more-likely-be-driven-by-sentiment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kakao Pay IPO - Low-End Still Appear Reasonable but Stock Will More Likely Be Driven by Sentiment</a></li></ul><div><p>In this note we will compare KP with its sister company, Kakao Bank.</p></div>

Kakao Pay (KP), one of South Korea’s largest payment and financial services apps, aims to raise up to US$1.3bn in its South Korean IPO. Kakao held a 55% stake prior to listing, with Ant Financial holding the balance 45% stake.We have covered most aspects of the deal in our earlier notes:
Kakao Pay IPO - Guided by Ant Financial to be a mini Ant,
Kakao Pay IPO - Peer comparison - local and international, and
Kakao Pay IPO - Valuation and Likely Impact of Latest AnnouncementKakao Pay IPO - Low-End Still Appear Reasonable but Stock Will More Likely Be Driven by SentimentIn this note we will compare KP with its sister company, Kakao Bank.

Kakao Pay IPO - Comparison with Kakao Bank and an Alternate Look at Valuation

Equity Research in HK and Mainland China

Li Tang

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>China plans to elevate the status of its antitrust bureau as it steps up its campaign against anti-competitive behaviour. The antitrust bureau is likely to become the National Antimonopoly Bureau and be elevated to deputy-ministerial status, while remaining within the SAMR, according to news reported.</p>
<p>Antitrust mechanism and systems will be improved with capacity of regulatory team expanded, in order to step up law enforcement, particularly in the key areas including platform economy, technological innovation, and data security. Both the anti-monopoly policy and the "common prosperity" policy are going to hit some firms such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:787:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (BABA US)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pinduoduo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27250:1" rel="noopener">Pinduoduo (PDD US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-com-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:446:1" rel="noopener">JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US)</a> ,  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a> .</p>

China plans to elevate the status of its antitrust bureau as it steps up its campaign against anti-competitive behaviour. The antitrust bureau is likely to become the National Antimonopoly Bureau and be elevated to deputy-ministerial status, while remaining within the SAMR, according to news reported.
Antitrust mechanism and systems will be improved with capacity of regulatory team expanded, in order to step up law enforcement, particularly in the key areas including platform economy, technological innovation, and data security. Both the anti-monopoly policy and the "common prosperity" policy are going to hit some firms such as Alibaba Group (BABA US)Pinduoduo (PDD US) , Tencent Holdings (700 HK) , JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US) ,  Meituan (3690 HK) .

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/coupang-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28425:1" rel="noopener">Coupang (CPNG US)</a>, the largest e-commerce company in South Korea with <a target="_blank">US$ 15.6bn in trailing twelve months revenue</a>, has seen its share price drop more than 61% from the post IPO peak of $69.0 per share to $26.65. Coupang is currently trading 24% below its IPO price despite beating the street revenue and EBITDA estimates over the last two quarters.</p><p>Coupang’s demise after the first day pop could be down to factors such as the antitrust investigations, legal disputes with vendors, employee health and safety concerns and the disposals of 57.0m shares by the majority owner, Softbank.</p><p>The extent of the drop in the share price suggests that there could be another factor at play here, which is the excessive IPO valuation. Coupang was able to ride the IPO wave to obtain an IPO valuation of 2.8x FY+2 revenue. During our Coupang IPO coverage, we mentioned that Coupang’s 1P heavy business model makes Coupang’s revenue multiples incomparable to peers posing significant downside risks once the market comes to realise this situation.</p>

Coupang (CPNG US), the largest e-commerce company in South Korea with US$ 15.6bn in trailing twelve months revenue, has seen its share price drop more than 61% from the post IPO peak of $69.0 per share to $26.65. Coupang is currently trading 24% below its IPO price despite beating the street revenue and EBITDA estimates over the last two quarters.Coupang’s demise after the first day pop could be down to factors such as the antitrust investigations, legal disputes with vendors, employee health and safety concerns and the disposals of 57.0m shares by the majority owner, Softbank.The extent of the drop in the share price suggests that there could be another factor at play here, which is the excessive IPO valuation. Coupang was able to ride the IPO wave to obtain an IPO valuation of 2.8x FY+2 revenue. During our Coupang IPO coverage, we mentioned that Coupang’s 1P heavy business model makes Coupang’s revenue multiples incomparable to peers posing significant downside risks once the market comes to realise this situation.

Coupang: Down 61% From the Peak, Further 60% Downside Is a Possibility

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gome-retail-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:170:1" rel="noopener">Gome Electrical Appliances (493 HK)</a> is one of China’s largest electronic retailers with a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of CNY 113 billion. Due to the competition from e-commerce platforms, Gome endured a tough time during the last four years with revenue declining at an annual compound rate of 12.9%. The company’s operating losses peaked at CNY 3.8 billion in 2020.</p><p>Nevertheless, the future looks bright for Gome Retail as they have managed to transform the traditional brick and mortar retail business to an omni-channel model. In addition, the shift in government policy to eradicate unfair competition and encourage domestic consumption, especially in lower-tier cities could accelerate Gome’s omni-channel revival.</p>

Gome Electrical Appliances (493 HK) is one of China’s largest electronic retailers with a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of CNY 113 billion. Due to the competition from e-commerce platforms, Gome endured a tough time during the last four years with revenue declining at an annual compound rate of 12.9%. The company’s operating losses peaked at CNY 3.8 billion in 2020.Nevertheless, the future looks bright for Gome Retail as they have managed to transform the traditional brick and mortar retail business to an omni-channel model. In addition, the shift in government policy to eradicate unfair competition and encourage domestic consumption, especially in lower-tier cities could accelerate Gome’s omni-channel revival.

Shanghai MicroPort MedBot Group / Equity Capital Markets

<div><p>MicroPort MedBot (MM), a surgical robot company, aims to raise up to US$1bn in its Hong Kong IPO. It is a subsidiary of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/microport-scientific-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4487:1" rel="noopener">Microport Scientific (853 HK)</a> and is backed by Hillhouse and other  mainly domestic investors.</p></div><div><p>MicroPort MedBot (MM) is a surgical robot company which designs, develops and commercializes surgical robots to assist surgeons in performing complex surgical procedures. It is the only company with a product portfolio covering the five major and fast-growing surgical specialties of laparoscopic, orthopedic, panvascular, natural orifice and percutaneous surgical procedures, as per Frost &amp; Sullivan (F&amp;S).</p></div><div><p>Its flagship products, Toumai Laparoscopic Surgical Robot, DFVision 3D Electronic Laparoscope and Honghu Orthopedic Surgical Robot, have all been admitted to the NMPA’s Green Path. Toumai and Honghu are at or near the registration approval stage, and DFVision has recently received NMPA approval.</p></div><p>We have looked at the company’s background and products in our earlier note, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/microport-medbot-pre-ipo-robodoc-pre-revenue-has-a-large-competitor-but-a-large-market-as-well" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MicroPort MedBot Pre-IPO - RoboDoc - pre-revenue, has a large competitor but a large market as well</a>. </p><p>In this note, we will talk about the PHIP updates and look at the performance of its largest competitor.</p>

MicroPort MedBot (MM), a surgical robot company, aims to raise up to US$1bn in its Hong Kong IPO. It is a subsidiary of Microport Scientific (853 HK) and is backed by Hillhouse and other  mainly domestic investors.MicroPort MedBot (MM) is a surgical robot company which designs, develops and commercializes surgical robots to assist surgeons in performing complex surgical procedures. It is the only company with a product portfolio covering the five major and fast-growing surgical specialties of laparoscopic, orthopedic, panvascular, natural orifice and percutaneous surgical procedures, as per Frost &amp; Sullivan (F&amp;S).Its flagship products, Toumai Laparoscopic Surgical Robot, DFVision 3D Electronic Laparoscope and Honghu Orthopedic Surgical Robot, have all been admitted to the NMPA’s Green Path. Toumai and Honghu are at or near the registration approval stage, and DFVision has recently received NMPA approval.We have looked at the company’s background and products in our earlier note, MicroPort MedBot Pre-IPO - RoboDoc - pre-revenue, has a large competitor but a large market as well. In this note, we will talk about the PHIP updates and look at the performance of its largest competitor.

MicroPort MedBot Pre-IPO - RoboDoc - PHIP Updates and a Look at Its Largest Competitor

China

JD.com Inc is an online direct sales company in China.  The Company offers a wide selection of products through its website and mobile applications.  JD.com sells appliances, computers, digital products, communication products, garments, books, and household items to consumers and vendors.

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JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US)

Kakao Pay IPO - Comparison with Kakao Bank and an Alternate Look at Valuation

Kakao Pay (KP), one of South Korea’s largest payment and financial services apps, aims to raise up to US$1.3bn in its South Korean IPO. In this...

Sumeet Singh

China Plans to Strengthen Power of SAMR

The move of antitrust and anti-unfair competition shows China intends to maintain its strict stance on monopolistic and uncompetitive practices in...

Li Tang

Coupang: Down 61% From the Peak, Further 60% Downside Is a Possibility

At 0.80x, Coupang’s EV/ (Gross Merchandise Value + Retail Revenue) remains 0.58x, 0.66x and 0.64x above Alibaba’s, JD.com’s and Pinduoduo’s EV/...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Gome Retail: Time to Shop

At 1.96x price to book, Gome does not look especially cheap considering it’s current liquidity levels. However, we believe the worst has passed for...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

MicroPort MedBot Pre-IPO - RoboDoc - PHIP Updates and a Look at Its Largest Competitor

MicroPort MedBot, a surgical robot company, aims to raise up to US$1bn in its Hong Kong IPO. It is a subsidiary of Microport Scientific (853 HK)...

Sumeet Singh

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