Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The KOSPI Index has done well in recent weeks, months, but financials are hardly participating</li>
<li>There are vast differences amongst the financial in Korea, not only large Chaebol-like banks</li>
<li>Kakaobank, one of few listed internet banks in the world, is unique with ROA expansion</li>
</ul>


The KOSPI Index has done well in recent weeks, months, but financials are hardly participating
There are vast differences amongst the financial in Korea, not only large Chaebol-like banks
Kakaobank, one of few listed internet banks in the world, is unique with ROA expansion


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>The review period for the March rebalance of the KOSPI Size Indices commences on 1 December and will end on 28 February.</li>
<li>We see 5 migrations from MidCap to LargeCap, 1 new addition to LargeCap, 8 stocks moving from SmallCap to MidCap and 1 new addition to MidCap.</li>
<li>The migrations from MidCap to LargeCap have outperformed the other migration categories. Four potential LargeCap to MidCap migrations will be deleted from a global index later this month.</li>
</ul>


The review period for the March rebalance of the KOSPI Size Indices commences on 1 December and will end on 28 February.
We see 5 migrations from MidCap to LargeCap, 1 new addition to LargeCap, 8 stocks moving from SmallCap to MidCap and 1 new addition to MidCap.
The migrations from MidCap to LargeCap have outperformed the other migration categories. Four potential LargeCap to MidCap migrations will be deleted from a global index later this month.


KOSPI Size Indices: Global Index Selling Leads to Potential Downward Migration

Hyosung Heavy Industries Corp / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>With the review period for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX)</a> December rebalance complete, there should be 4 adds and 5 deletes at the review.</li>
<li>The impact on the potential inclusions ranges from 2.3-23 days of ADV while the impact on the potential deletions varies from 5-16 days of ADV.</li>
<li>The forecast adds outperformed the forecast deletes early in the review period but there has been little to see over the last few months.</li>
</ul>


With the review period for the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX) December rebalance complete, there should be 4 adds and 5 deletes at the review.
The impact on the potential inclusions ranges from 2.3-23 days of ADV while the impact on the potential deletions varies from 5-16 days of ADV.
The forecast adds outperformed the forecast deletes early in the review period but there has been little to see over the last few months.


KOSPI200 Index Rebalance Preview: Potential Changes as Review Period Ends

<ul>
<li>The KRX announced the 100 constituents of the much-awaited Korea Value-Up Index on 24 September. There were hits and misses but broad consensus was that the index is a miss.</li>
<li>Following market feedback, the KRX could conduct a special rebalance of the index in December. But this could be after the launch of ETFs tracking the index.</li>
<li>With a big overlap and similar characteristics as the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200 Index</a>, there could be limited assets benchmarked to the Korea Value-Up Index in the short-term.</li>
</ul>


The KRX announced the 100 constituents of the much-awaited Korea Value-Up Index on 24 September. There were hits and misses but broad consensus was that the index is a miss.
Following market feedback, the KRX could conduct a special rebalance of the index in December. But this could be after the launch of ETFs tracking the index.
With a big overlap and similar characteristics as the KOSPI 200 Index, there could be limited assets benchmarked to the Korea Value-Up Index in the short-term.


Korea Value-Up Index: Estimated Passive Flows as ETF Launches Coming

<ul>
<li>85% of the way through the review period, there could be 4 adds and 5 deletes for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX)</a> in December.</li>
<li>The impact on the potential inclusions ranges from 1.4-17 days of ADV while the impact on the potential deletions varies from 4-8 days of ADV.</li>
<li>The potential adds outperformed the potential deletes early in the review period before giving up all the gains over the following months.</li>
</ul>


85% of the way through the review period, there could be 4 adds and 5 deletes for the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX) in December.
The impact on the potential inclusions ranges from 1.4-17 days of ADV while the impact on the potential deletions varies from 4-8 days of ADV.
The potential adds outperformed the potential deletes early in the review period before giving up all the gains over the following months.


KOSPI200 Index Rebalance Preview: 4 Adds, 5 Deletes Likely in December

South Korea

The KOSPI Index is a capitalization-weighted index of all common shares on the Korean Stock Exchanges. The Index was developed with a base value of 100 as of January 4, 1980. Note: The preferred shares are excluded in calculating the KOSPI Index from June 14, 2002. 

Korea Stock Exchange Kospi Index (KOSPI INDEX)

Korea Stock Exchange Kospi Index (KOSPI INDEX)

KOSPI Index - Banks Hardly Participating

KOSPI index has done well, but banks are hardly participating. Kakaobank may be most interesting given its ROA expansion and size, while Woori may...

Daniel Tabbush

KOSPI Size Indices: Global Index Selling Leads to Potential Downward Migration

There could be 29 migrations for the KOSPI Size indices in March, plus 1 LargeCap and 1 MidCap inclusion. The MidCap to LargeCap migrations have...

Brian Freitas

KOSPI200 Index Rebalance Preview: Potential Changes as Review Period Ends

Review period complete. We forecast 4 adds, 5 deletes with some close names. Passive trading impact is 2.3-16x ADV. Adds outperformed deletes early...

Brian Freitas

Korea Value-Up Index: Estimated Passive Flows as ETF Launches Coming

The Korea Value-Up Index is very similar to the KOSPI200 Index. That could mean not a lot of passive assets tracking the index. Stocks with the...

Brian Freitas

KOSPI200 Index Rebalance Preview: 4 Adds, 5 Deletes Likely in December

There could be 4 adds, 5 deletes for the KOSPI200 in December. Passive impact ranges from 1.4-17 days of ADV. The adds outperformed the deletes...

Brian Freitas