ASEAN Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Angus Mackintosh

ASEAN Insight Provider

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Equity Bottom-Up

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> has launched the Shopee App for Mexico to offer online sales in what would be its second foray in the Americas after a pilot initiative in 2019 in Brazil, which has been scaling up operations.</p>
<p>The expansion to Mexico, Latin America's second-largest economy, could mark a major new growth opportunity in cross-border sales but it will also mean more cash burn and a longer runway to profitability.</p>
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<div id="sda-INARTICLE">Shopee will offer free shipping throughout Mexico, offering items including electronics, clothes, toys, and home goods, which would suggest immediate cash burn. The features will be similar to its South East Asia Shopee App, which has been a huge success. </div>
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<div>The company has already had huge success with its gaming business in Latin America through Garena but its e-commerce business has more moving parts and has yet to be tested in a big way in Latin America, which does introduce an element of uncertainty to this latest move. </div>
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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> faces the challenge of facing off against <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mercadolibre-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27954:1" rel="noopener">MercadoLibre Inc (MELI US)</a>, which is a formidable adversary that has seen off <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a> on its doorstep already. </div>
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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> does have a track record of winning share quickly seemingly "against all odds" in unseating <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokopedia-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24239:1" rel="noopener">Tokopedia PT (1087142D IJ)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lazada-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26148:1" rel="noopener">Lazada Group (LAZADA SP)</a> in Indonesia. </div>
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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> trades on a lofty 15.5x FY21E EV/sales and 11.1x FY22E EV/Sales with forecast sales growth of +56% and +30.3% for FY21E and FY22E respectively but is not expected to breakeven until 2023 under current estimates. We continue to like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> over the long-term for its leading position and rapid growth in gaming and e-commerce in South East Asia but this recent move may provide further leg to its long term growth. We would look to buy on any further weakness.</div>

Sea Ltd (SE US) has launched the Shopee App for Mexico to offer online sales in what would be its second foray in the Americas after a pilot initiative in 2019 in Brazil, which has been scaling up operations.
The expansion to Mexico, Latin America's second-largest economy, could mark a major new growth opportunity in cross-border sales but it will also mean more cash burn and a longer runway to profitability.

Shopee will offer free shipping throughout Mexico, offering items including electronics, clothes, toys, and home goods, which would suggest immediate cash burn. The features will be similar to its South East Asia Shopee App, which has been a huge success. 


The company has already had huge success with its gaming business in Latin America through Garena but its e-commerce business has more moving parts and has yet to be tested in a big way in Latin America, which does introduce an element of uncertainty to this latest move. 


Sea Ltd (SE US) faces the challenge of facing off against MercadoLibre Inc (MELI US), which is a formidable adversary that has seen off Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US) on its doorstep already. 


Sea Ltd (SE US) does have a track record of winning share quickly seemingly "against all odds" in unseating Tokopedia PT (1087142D IJ) and Lazada Group (LAZADA SP) in Indonesia. 


Sea Ltd (SE US) trades on a lofty 15.5x FY21E EV/sales and 11.1x FY22E EV/Sales with forecast sales growth of +56% and +30.3% for FY21E and FY22E respectively but is not expected to breakeven until 2023 under current estimates. We continue to like Sea Ltd (SE US) over the long-term for its leading position and rapid growth in gaming and e-commerce in South East Asia but this recent move may provide further leg to its long term growth. We would look to buy on any further weakness.

Sea Ltd (SE US) - Extending the Runway for a Bigger Plane?

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><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/coupang" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28425:1" rel="noopener">Coupang (CPNG US)</a> , the largest product e-commerce player in Korea, aims to raise around US$3bn in its US listing via a mix of selling primary and secondary shares. As per media reports, the company has earlier obtained investments from Sequoia, Softbank, Blackrock and Fidelity.</p></div><div><p>Coupang offers its 14.8m customers a wide range of owned-inventory selection. In addition, on its marketplace it also offers millions of SKUs sourced from over 200,000 merchants. Apart from normal e-commerce operation, it also provides its customers with: grocery offering, Rocket Fresh; logistics food delivery offering, Coupang Eats; and digital financial services, Coupang Pay.</p></div><p>In my earlier insight,  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-pre-ipo-the-positives-fast-growth-sticky-customers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang Pre-IPO - The Positives - Fast Growth, Sticky Customers</a>, I spoke about the positive aspects of the deal. In this insight, I'll talk about the not so pleasing aspects of the deal.</p>

Coupang (CPNG US) , the largest product e-commerce player in Korea, aims to raise around US$3bn in its US listing via a mix of selling primary and secondary shares. As per media reports, the company has earlier obtained investments from Sequoia, Softbank, Blackrock and Fidelity.Coupang offers its 14.8m customers a wide range of owned-inventory selection. In addition, on its marketplace it also offers millions of SKUs sourced from over 200,000 merchants. Apart from normal e-commerce operation, it also provides its customers with: grocery offering, Rocket Fresh; logistics food delivery offering, Coupang Eats; and digital financial services, Coupang Pay.In my earlier insight,  Coupang Pre-IPO - The Positives - Fast Growth, Sticky Customers, I spoke about the positive aspects of the deal. In this insight, I'll talk about the not so pleasing aspects of the deal.

Coupang Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Horrendous Data Disclosures, Including No Mention of OTT Launch

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.

<div><p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/coupang" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28425:1" rel="noopener">Coupang (CPNG US)</a> is the largest e-commerce platform in South Korea, according to Euromonitor. Coupang is best known for Rocket Delivery, which provides free, next-day delivery for orders placed any time of the day.</p></div><div><p>Coupang is seeking to raise up to $2 billion at a $50 billion valuation, according to Reuters. The rumoured valuation is a significant increase to the December 2018 fundraising at a $9 billion valuation, according to press reports. </p></div><div><div><div class="content-highlight"><p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-ipo-initiation-delivering-the-goods" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:48125" rel="noopener">Coupang IPO Initiation: Delivering the Goods</a>, we opined that Coupang's fundamentals tick all the right boxes and worth a look, in our view. In this note, we take a first look at Coupang's valuation. Overall, based on our valuation analysis, we think that the rumoured IPO valuation can be justified.</p></div></div></div>

Coupang (CPNG US) is the largest e-commerce platform in South Korea, according to Euromonitor. Coupang is best known for Rocket Delivery, which provides free, next-day delivery for orders placed any time of the day.Coupang is seeking to raise up to $2 billion at a $50 billion valuation, according to Reuters. The rumoured valuation is a significant increase to the December 2018 fundraising at a $9 billion valuation, according to press reports. In Coupang IPO Initiation: Delivering the Goods, we opined that Coupang's fundamentals tick all the right boxes and worth a look, in our view. In this note, we take a first look at Coupang's valuation. Overall, based on our valuation analysis, we think that the rumoured IPO valuation can be justified.

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Quantitative Analysis

<div><p>In this report, we screen for the largest overweight Country/Sectors across Global EM by analysing the allocations of long-only active Emerging Market funds.</p></div><div>
<div><p>In part two of the series, we focus on the Argentinian Consumer Discretionary sector.  We look at current allocations and how they have spiked over the last 12-months, the managers who have been ramping up allocations and how <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mercadolibre-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27954:1" rel="noopener">MercadoLibre Inc (MELI US)</a> has become a dominant out-of-benchmark holding for EM active investors.</p></div>
<div><p><em>Our Emerging Market fund universe consists of 242 Global Emerging Market active long-only funds, with combined AUM of $450bn.</em></p></div>
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In this report, we screen for the largest overweight Country/Sectors across Global EM by analysing the allocations of long-only active Emerging Market funds.
In part two of the series, we focus on the Argentinian Consumer Discretionary sector.  We look at current allocations and how they have spiked over the last 12-months, the managers who have been ramping up allocations and how MercadoLibre Inc (MELI US) has become a dominant out-of-benchmark holding for EM active investors.
Our Emerging Market fund universe consists of 242 Global Emerging Market active long-only funds, with combined AUM of $450bn.


Emerging Market Overweights Series.  Part 2:  Argentinian Consumer Discretionary

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Supun Walpola

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.

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pinduoduo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27250:1" rel="noopener">Pinduoduo (PDD US)</a> plans to raise around $5bn through an issue of ADS and convertible bonds. PDD will offer $1.75bn worth of 5-year bonds convertible from 2023-25 and around 22m ADS worth around $3bn (at the market price of $132.4 as of 17/11/2020).</p>
<p>Proceeds from the placement will be used to invest in agricultural logistics infrastructure and responsive manufacturing as a part of the company’s broader strategy to take on e-commerce giants like <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> and <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> by tapping into the emerging online grocery shopping market.</p>
<p>In this note, we revisit our thesis on PDD ahead of the proposed placement.</p>
<p><strong>PDD’s valuation looks bit of a stretch against Chinese e-commerce peers, however, not so much against other high-growth large-cap names. PDD’s share price has increased by more than 200% YTD and the momentum is still quite strong. With PDD potentially nearing profitability, we believe there could be further gains to be made on good news over the next few quarters. We would participate in the placement at the current valuation.  </strong></p>

Pinduoduo (PDD US) plans to raise around $5bn through an issue of ADS and convertible bonds. PDD will offer $1.75bn worth of 5-year bonds convertible from 2023-25 and around 22m ADS worth around $3bn (at the market price of $132.4 as of 17/11/2020).
Proceeds from the placement will be used to invest in agricultural logistics infrastructure and responsive manufacturing as a part of the company’s broader strategy to take on e-commerce giants like Alibaba Group (BABA US) and JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US) by tapping into the emerging online grocery shopping market.
In this note, we revisit our thesis on PDD ahead of the proposed placement.
PDD’s valuation looks bit of a stretch against Chinese e-commerce peers, however, not so much against other high-growth large-cap names. PDD’s share price has increased by more than 200% YTD and the momentum is still quite strong. With PDD potentially nearing profitability, we believe there could be further gains to be made on good news over the next few quarters. We would participate in the placement at the current valuation.  

Pinduoduo Placement: As Expensive As It May Seem, There Could Be More Upside

Brazil

MercadoLibre, Inc. operates an online trading site for the Latin American markets. The Company's website allows businesses and individuals to list items, conduct sales, and purchases online in either a fixed-price and auction format. MercadoLibre offers classified advertisements for motor vehicles, vessels, aircraft, and real estate, as well as online payment services.

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MercadoLibre (MELI US)

Sea Ltd (SE US) - Extending the Runway for a Bigger Plane?

Sea Ltd (SE US) remains the listed key proxy for the explosive growth in e-commerce in South East Asia, fuelled by growing revenues from its gaming...

Angus Mackintosh

Coupang Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Horrendous Data Disclosures, Including No Mention of OTT Launch

Coupang (CPNG US) , the largest product e-commerce player in Korea, aims to raise around US$3bn in its US listing via a mix of selling primary and...

Sumeet Singh

Coupang IPO: Valuation First Look

Coupang is seeking a $50 billion valuation, according to Reuters. Overall, based on our valuation analysis, we think that the rumoured IPO...

Arun George

Emerging Market Overweights Series. Part 2: Argentinian Consumer Discretionary

In part two of our EM Overweight series, we focus on the Argentinian Consumer Discretionary sector. We analyse the holding picture in detail,...

Steven Holden

Pinduoduo Placement: As Expensive As It May Seem, There Could Be More Upside

Pinduoduo (PDD US) plans to raise around $5bn through an issue of ADS and convertible bonds. In this note, we revisit our thesis on PDD ahead of...

Supun Walpola

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