Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

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

Kindstar Globalgene Technology / Equity Capital Markets

Kindstar is a leading esoteric test service provider in China. The company has a dominant market in the independent hematological test segment and is looking to raise up to USD 200m in  H-share listing in Hong Kong. In our previous note, we discussed Kindstar's business segment. The company has a strong footprint in the hematology test segment with the majority of its revenue is derived from the hematological tests, particularly for lymphoma and myeloma related diseases. The company is relatively weak in other areas such as oncology and maternity related businesses. We think the company can continue to grow the existing pie of hematological tests for which the public hospitals do not want to invest in the test equipment and processes but it will be challenging for the company to expand the business into the area where public hospitals are willing to invest in. We think the company has a decent line-up of investors but there is still a lack of international healthcare investors. The management's experience is also decent.In this note, we compare the company's key financial metrics with other leading listed ICL. We also discuss the company's pre-IPO valuation in the context of its growth potential and concerns we raised in our previous note.<h2>Our previous coverage on Kindstar</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kindstar-pre-ipo-issues-with-scalability" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kindstar (康圣环球) Pre-IPO: Issues with Scalability</a></li></ul>

Kindstar is a leading esoteric test service provider in China. The company has a dominant market in the independent hematological test segment and is looking to raise up to USD 200m in  H-share listing in Hong Kong. In our previous note, we discussed Kindstar's business segment. The company has a strong footprint in the hematology test segment with the majority of its revenue is derived from the hematological tests, particularly for lymphoma and myeloma related diseases. The company is relatively weak in other areas such as oncology and maternity related businesses. We think the company can continue to grow the existing pie of hematological tests for which the public hospitals do not want to invest in the test equipment and processes but it will be challenging for the company to expand the business into the area where public hospitals are willing to invest in. We think the company has a decent line-up of investors but there is still a lack of international healthcare investors. The management's experience is also decent.In this note, we compare the company's key financial metrics with other leading listed ICL. We also discuss the company's pre-IPO valuation in the context of its growth potential and concerns we raised in our previous note.Our previous coverage on KindstarKindstar (康圣环球) Pre-IPO: Issues with Scalability

Kindstar (康圣环球) Pre-IPO: Is It Worth the Premium?

Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden recently announced four "Day One" priorities for his administration. The first of those priorities is an aggressive seven-point COVID-19 response plan, the first point of which is COVID-19 testing. Testing is Biden's near-term focus, and testing stocks stand to gain.As noted in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/biden-covid-19-response-plan-overview-of-its-inherent-investment-themes" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45631" rel="noopener">Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Overview of Its Inherent Investment Themes</a>, testing stocks represent the largest, most tangible, and nearest-term investment opportunity amongst the various themes inherent in Biden's COVID-19 plan (summarised in the Insight linked to above).Don't just back up the truck, however. The plan could be boon for testing stocks,  but it is harldy a "rising tide lifts all boats" scenario. It creates a window of upside for some of testing stocks, though not all, and it's a brief window replete with nuances and caveats. Selectivity and timing are key.This Insight presents an investment thesis for the COVID-19 testing stock theme, specifically vis-à-vis the details of the plan. It consists of two phases (time horizons), and two types of stocks:<ol>
<li>
Nearer-Term: Focus on diagnostic (versus antibody) testing stocks, especially those whose tests have fit best with Biden's "rapid deployment, rapid results" testing strategy. For example, rapid antigent tests, others with fast time-to-results, point-of-care and at-home collection, etc.</li>
<li>
Medium-Term: COVID-19 vaccine progress is a major catalyst for this theme. Vaccines will not end testing altogether (at least not soon), but as mass-vaccination becomes more reality than a dream, it would be wise to shift out of from diagnostic stocks into antibody testing stocks.</li>
</ol>

U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden recently announced four "Day One" priorities for his administration. The first of those priorities is an aggressive seven-point COVID-19 response plan, the first point of which is COVID-19 testing. Testing is Biden's near-term focus, and testing stocks stand to gain.As noted in Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Overview of Its Inherent Investment Themes, testing stocks represent the largest, most tangible, and nearest-term investment opportunity amongst the various themes inherent in Biden's COVID-19 plan (summarised in the Insight linked to above).Don't just back up the truck, however. The plan could be boon for testing stocks,  but it is harldy a "rising tide lifts all boats" scenario. It creates a window of upside for some of testing stocks, though not all, and it's a brief window replete with nuances and caveats. Selectivity and timing are key.This Insight presents an investment thesis for the COVID-19 testing stock theme, specifically vis-à-vis the details of the plan. It consists of two phases (time horizons), and two types of stocks:

Nearer-Term: Focus on diagnostic (versus antibody) testing stocks, especially those whose tests have fit best with Biden's "rapid deployment, rapid results" testing strategy. For example, rapid antigent tests, others with fast time-to-results, point-of-care and at-home collection, etc.

Medium-Term: COVID-19 vaccine progress is a major catalyst for this theme. Vaccines will not end testing altogether (at least not soon), but as mass-vaccination becomes more reality than a dream, it would be wise to shift out of from diagnostic stocks into antibody testing stocks.


Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Its Largest Near-Term Opportunity Is In Testing Stocks

The Biden-Harris administration recently announced four "Day One" priorities, the first of which is their COVID-19 response plan. COVID-19 response is first, because it is a prerequisite to economic recovery, which is the second of their four "Day One" priorities.Several investment themes are inherent in Biden's COVID-19 plan, some more direct and obvious than others. This Insight overviews more significant themes and their most representative stocks, in three sections (the first two will be expanded on in separate upcoming reports):<ol>
<li>
COVID-19 Testing: Testing is the largest, most tangible, nearest-term investment opportunity created by Biden's plan. An estimated US$75-100 billion for testing could be windfall for certain stocks, but not all. Selectivity is key, and timing is critical (related to vaccine development).</li>
<li>
Vaccine Delivery: Biden's plan emphasises vaccine manufacturing and delivery, versus vaccine development (Trump had allocated <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/explaining-operation-warp-speed/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">billions</a> to vaccine development companies). Some might go to big pharma companies for M&amp;D, but most should benefit other "cold chain" stocks.</li>
<li>
PPE Supply/Other: PPE manufacturing, of course, but that is largely old news. I will address it, but do so along with other more interesting collateral themes. For example, retail drugs chains, elder-care, medical technologies, and a few other related industries.</li>
</ol>

The Biden-Harris administration recently announced four "Day One" priorities, the first of which is their COVID-19 response plan. COVID-19 response is first, because it is a prerequisite to economic recovery, which is the second of their four "Day One" priorities.Several investment themes are inherent in Biden's COVID-19 plan, some more direct and obvious than others. This Insight overviews more significant themes and their most representative stocks, in three sections (the first two will be expanded on in separate upcoming reports):

COVID-19 Testing: Testing is the largest, most tangible, nearest-term investment opportunity created by Biden's plan. An estimated US$75-100 billion for testing could be windfall for certain stocks, but not all. Selectivity is key, and timing is critical (related to vaccine development).

Vaccine Delivery: Biden's plan emphasises vaccine manufacturing and delivery, versus vaccine development (Trump had allocated billions to vaccine development companies). Some might go to big pharma companies for M&amp;D, but most should benefit other "cold chain" stocks.

PPE Supply/Other: PPE manufacturing, of course, but that is largely old news. I will address it, but do so along with other more interesting collateral themes. For example, retail drugs chains, elder-care, medical technologies, and a few other related industries.


Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Overview of Its Inherent Investment Themes

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Major indexes broke below the key support levels we were watching on the Nasdaq Composite (8,264), S&amp;P 500 (2,855), DJI (24,681) and Russell 2000 (1,448), ushering-in additional downside. We view these levels as logical areas of potential short-term resistance moving forward.   In today’s report we highlight attractive Groups and stocks within Health Care and Services: Pharmaceuticals, Mega- &amp; Large-Cap , Biotech , Diagnostic &amp; Test Products, Diagnostic &amp; Test Services, and Education Svcs., China

Major indexes broke below the key support levels we were watching on the Nasdaq Composite (8,264), S&amp;P 500 (2,855), DJI (24,681) and Russell 2000 (1,448), ushering-in additional downside. We view these levels as logical areas of potential short-term resistance moving forward.   In today’s report we highlight attractive Groups and stocks within Health Care and Services: Pharmaceuticals, Mega- &amp; Large-Cap , Biotech , Diagnostic &amp; Test Products, Diagnostic &amp; Test Services, and Education Svcs., China

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Frontage Holdings / Equity Capital Markets

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/27754" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27754:1">Frontage Holdings (1521 HK)</a> has launched its Hong Kong IPO at a price range of HK$2.55-3.20 per share to raise HK$1.27-1.60 billion ($160-200 million). Three cornerstone investors, Hillhouse Capital, Greenwoods Asset Management and OrbiMed Advisors, intend to purchase $90 million of the offering.<div class="content-highlight">In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/frontage-holdings-ipo-preview-an-uncertain-transition" target="_blank">our IPO initiation note</a>, we cautioned that while the market backdrop is favourable, Frontage is a business in the middle of an uncertain transition. Overall, with the caveat that Frontage has yet to prove that it can reaccelerate organic revenue growth, we believe that the risk-reward profile is favourable at the low-end of IPO price range. </div>

Frontage Holdings (1521 HK) has launched its Hong Kong IPO at a price range of HK$2.55-3.20 per share to raise HK$1.27-1.60 billion ($160-200 million). Three cornerstone investors, Hillhouse Capital, Greenwoods Asset Management and OrbiMed Advisors, intend to purchase $90 million of the offering.In our IPO initiation note, we cautioned that while the market backdrop is favourable, Frontage is a business in the middle of an uncertain transition. Overall, with the caveat that Frontage has yet to prove that it can reaccelerate organic revenue growth, we believe that the risk-reward profile is favourable at the low-end of IPO price range. 

Frontage Holdings IPO: Risk-Reward Is Favourable at the Low-End of Price Range

United States

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings is a clinical laboratory company that offers clinical laboratory tests used by the medical profession in routine testing, patient diagnosis, and in the monitoring and treatment of disease. The Company develops specialty testing operations, such as oncology testing, HIV genotyping and phenotyping, diagnostic genetics and clinical trials.

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH US)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings

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Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH US)

Kindstar (康圣环球) Pre-IPO: Is It Worth the Premium?

We compare the company's key financial metrics with other leading listed ICL. We also discuss the company's pre-IPO valuation in the context of its...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Its Largest Near-Term Opportunity Is In Testing Stocks

COVID-19 testing stocks represent the largest, most tangible, and nearest-term investment opportunity inherent in Biden's recently-announced COVID...

Kyle Rudden

Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Overview of Its Inherent Investment Themes

Biden's recently-announced COVID-19 response plan suggests a number of investment themes. This Insight overviews the more significant of those...

Kyle Rudden

S&P 500: Long-Term Oversold

Major indexes broke below the key support levels we were watching on the Nasdaq Composite (8,264), S&P 500 (2,855), DJI (24,681) and Russell...

Vermilion Research

Frontage Holdings IPO: Risk-Reward Is Favourable at the Low-End of Price Range

Frontage Holdings (1521 HK) has launched its Hong Kong IPO at a price range of HK$2.55-3.20 per share to raise HK$1.27-1.60 billion ($160-200...

Arun George

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