Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>We discuss the surging share cancellations in Korea in 2024. As of 8 February 2024, Korean companies have announced 3.3 trillion won worth of shares to be completed this year. </li>
<li>At current blistering pace, it is likely that the share cancellations in Korea could jump at least 100% YoY to jump more than 10 trillion won in 2024. </li>
<li>Some of the leading Korean companies including Samsung C&amp;T and KT&amp;G that have announced share cancellations this year continue to outperform the market on average. </li>
</ul>


We discuss the surging share cancellations in Korea in 2024. As of 8 February 2024, Korean companies have announced 3.3 trillion won worth of shares to be completed this year. 
At current blistering pace, it is likely that the share cancellations in Korea could jump at least 100% YoY to jump more than 10 trillion won in 2024. 
Some of the leading Korean companies including Samsung C&amp;T and KT&amp;G that have announced share cancellations this year continue to outperform the market on average. 


Korea: Surging Share Cancellations in 2024

Global Emerging Market Equities, Propitious Research

Wium Malan, CFA

Global Emerging Market Equities

Independent, Fundamental Quantitative Research

Propitious Research

Fully independent, fundamental and quantitative equity research, focused on companies in the Telecommunication, Media, Technology, Internet and Healthcare sectors in the Global Emerging Markets. Idea generation focused on Quality stocks, trading below their intrinsic Value, with sound Corporate Governance.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>During 4Q2023, the 200 largest weighted companies in the GEM index reported average EPS growth of +10.1%y/y, significantly up from the +3.5% reported during 3Q2023.</li>
<li>63% of companies delivered positive EPS surprises, and only 55% delivered positive Sales surprises, continuing the reacceleration trend witnessed during 2023.</li>
<li>Historically, there has been a significant difference in relative share price performance between the largest positive versus negative surprise generators, for 3 months after the reporting date.</li>
</ul>


During 4Q2023, the 200 largest weighted companies in the GEM index reported average EPS growth of +10.1%y/y, significantly up from the +3.5% reported during 3Q2023.
63% of companies delivered positive EPS surprises, and only 55% delivered positive Sales surprises, continuing the reacceleration trend witnessed during 2023.
Historically, there has been a significant difference in relative share price performance between the largest positive versus negative surprise generators, for 3 months after the reporting date.


Global Emerging Markets: Reporting Season Summary, 4Q2023

<ul>
<li>The total amount of share cancellations by Korean companies increased sharply in the past three years. Share cancellations of 6.1 trillion won in 2023 represented a 140% increase from 2021.</li>
<li>Although the total amount of share cancellations of 6.1 trillion won in 2023 seems fairly large, this represented only 0.24% of total market caps of Korean companies. </li>
<li>We also provide a list of seven Korean companies that have been targeted by activist investors  to cancel more shares and improve corporate governance. </li>
</ul>


The total amount of share cancellations by Korean companies increased sharply in the past three years. Share cancellations of 6.1 trillion won in 2023 represented a 140% increase from 2021.
Although the total amount of share cancellations of 6.1 trillion won in 2023 seems fairly large, this represented only 0.24% of total market caps of Korean companies. 
We also provide a list of seven Korean companies that have been targeted by activist investors  to cancel more shares and improve corporate governance. 


A 140% Increase in Share Cancellations by Korean Companies from 2021 to 2023

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing, Clepsydra Capital

Sanghyun Park

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing

Clepsydra Capital

Investigate special situations, pairs, and index rebalancing trades in Korea.

<ul>
<li>Samsung SDI and LG Chem are expected to be newly included in the index, while Hana Financial and KT&amp;G Corporation are predicted to be excluded.</li>
<li>The correlation between the price movement and the flow direction on the rebalancing trading day of constituent changes from the past reviews was quite high.</li>
<li>We can set the price impact expectation for the upcoming review even more aggressively, given that the size of the flow x DTV is more significant than in previous cases.</li>
</ul>


Samsung SDI and LG Chem are expected to be newly included in the index, while Hana Financial and KT&amp;G Corporation are predicted to be excluded.
The correlation between the price movement and the flow direction on the rebalancing trading day of constituent changes from the past reviews was quite high.
We can set the price impact expectation for the upcoming review even more aggressively, given that the size of the flow x DTV is more significant than in previous cases.


Price/Flow Impact on Four Constituent Changes in KODEX Top 5 Plus ETF Rebalancing in June

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>NPS adjusted holdings of 101 stocks in Korea as of 5 April 2023, of which it reduced ownership in 53 of them and raised ownership in 47 of them.</li>
<li>In this insight, we discuss 39 stocks major stocks in Korea which have experienced changes in their ownerships by the NPS in the past several weeks. </li>
<li>NPS has noticeably increased stakes in reopening related plays and it has also reduced stakes in numerous rechargeable battery related plays in the past several weeks. </li>
</ul>


NPS adjusted holdings of 101 stocks in Korea as of 5 April 2023, of which it reduced ownership in 53 of them and raised ownership in 47 of them.
In this insight, we discuss 39 stocks major stocks in Korea which have experienced changes in their ownerships by the NPS in the past several weeks. 
NPS has noticeably increased stakes in reopening related plays and it has also reduced stakes in numerous rechargeable battery related plays in the past several weeks. 


South Korea

KT&G Corporation processes, produces, and sells cigarettes and other tobacco products.  The Company, through its subsidiaries, manufactures ginseng products such as red ginseng tea and herbal medicines.  KT&G is also involved in real estate development of its former factory sites.

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KT&G Corporation (033780 KS)

Global Emerging Markets: Reporting Season Summary, 4Q2023

In this quarterly insight, we analyse recent GEM reporting trends with reference to Sales and EPS growth, size and percentage of positive...

Wium Malan, CFA

Price/Flow Impact on Four Constituent Changes in KODEX Top 5 Plus ETF Rebalancing in June

This post presents a Long Short basket trade idea on the four potential constituent changes in the KODEX Top 5 Plus TR ETF rebalancing in June.

Sanghyun Park

Recent NPS Buys and Sells in Korea

In this insight, we discuss 39 stocks major stocks in Korea which have experienced changes in their ownerships by the NPS in the past several weeks.

Douglas Kim

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Korea: Surging Share Cancellations in 2024

We discuss the surging share cancellations in Korea in 2024. As of 8 February 2024, Korean companies have announced 3.3 trillion won worth of...

Douglas Kim

Global Emerging Markets: Reporting Season Summary, 4Q2023

In this quarterly insight, we analyse recent GEM reporting trends with reference to Sales and EPS growth, size and percentage of positive...

Wium Malan, CFA

A 140% Increase in Share Cancellations by Korean Companies from 2021 to 2023

The total amount of share cancellations by Korean companies increased sharply in the past three years. Share cancellations of 6.1 trillion won in...

Douglas Kim

Price/Flow Impact on Four Constituent Changes in KODEX Top 5 Plus ETF Rebalancing in June

This post presents a Long Short basket trade idea on the four potential constituent changes in the KODEX Top 5 Plus TR ETF rebalancing in June.

Sanghyun Park

Recent NPS Buys and Sells in Korea

In this insight, we discuss 39 stocks major stocks in Korea which have experienced changes in their ownerships by the NPS in the past several weeks.

Douglas Kim