Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

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.

Event-Driven

<p>The government of China announced last week a set of rules aimed at the country’s gaming sector in order to reduce the long-term impact of gaming on the country’s younger population (those under 18 years of age). Those new rules on limiting the mobile gaming time, we think was taken lightly by the market, however, regulators continue to ramp up regulation and tighten their grip on the mobile gaming sector. Executives from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netease" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29030:1" rel="noopener">NetEase (9999 HK)</a>  and other mobile gaming companies were called in for a meeting on Wednesday and were instructed to end their “Solitary focus of pursuing profit” in order to prevent minors from getting addicted to games. This no doubt will require gaming companies to change their game rules and designs that induce addiction and at the same time, changes to operating models that will severely impact revenue and margins of games.</p><p>As China tackles to bring down gaming addiction among minor users, SCMP reports that the Chinese regulators will temporarily freeze approvals for new online games.</p>

The government of China announced last week a set of rules aimed at the country’s gaming sector in order to reduce the long-term impact of gaming on the country’s younger population (those under 18 years of age). Those new rules on limiting the mobile gaming time, we think was taken lightly by the market, however, regulators continue to ramp up regulation and tighten their grip on the mobile gaming sector. Executives from Tencent (700 HK) , NetEase (9999 HK)  and other mobile gaming companies were called in for a meeting on Wednesday and were instructed to end their “Solitary focus of pursuing profit” in order to prevent minors from getting addicted to games. This no doubt will require gaming companies to change their game rules and designs that induce addiction and at the same time, changes to operating models that will severely impact revenue and margins of games.As China tackles to bring down gaming addiction among minor users, SCMP reports that the Chinese regulators will temporarily freeze approvals for new online games.

Tencent: Temporary Freeze of New Game Approvals to Further Impact Slowing Games Business

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>, South-East Asia's largest market cap company, has announced that it aims to raise US$6.3bn in the largest equity offering of 2021. The deal will allow the company to accelerate its global expansion and give the company the financial firepower for potential acquisitions.</p>
<p>The company will offer 11m shares or a stake worth about US$3.8bn at the close on 8th September plus it intends to issue US$2.5bn in equity-linked debt to bring the total funds raised to circa US$6.8bn. </p>
<p>Apart from continuing to grow its business in South-East Asia, the company is now expanding its e-commerce presence in South America, with a focus on Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. </p>
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<div>According to local press reports, Shopee may also look to enter Eastern Europe, with Poland as its first target market.  Shopee has also launched a recruitment campaign for vendors to sell on what it called "Shopee India" and is ramping up hiring in the country. It has also been looking for office space in the country.</div>
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<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> continues to grow its ShopeeFood business both in Indonesia and Vietnam and has seen a very strong performance and positive reception from users as well as driver communities in both markets. There has also been some talk of the company expanding food delivery into Malaysia, as it has already been advertising for drivers.</p>
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<p>Assuming the completion of this fundraising goes smoothly <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> will have a war chest of around US$13bn at its disposal to finance its ongoing expansion, though it is not yet clear what it needs this money for.</p>
<p>This may be seen as opportunistic fundraising in some camps but given its aspiration to expand globally into other emerging markets plus growing its digital finance and food delivery arms quite aggressively, this will certainly give the company the financial firepower to do so. </p>
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<p>We continue to take a positive view on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> which currently trades on 16x FY21E EV/Sales, 10.4x FY22E EV/Sales, and 7.8x FY23E EV/Sales, justified by sales growth of +105% YoY in FY2021, +47% YoY in FY22E, and +32.8% YoY growth in FY2023. </p>
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Sea Ltd (SE US), South-East Asia's largest market cap company, has announced that it aims to raise US$6.3bn in the largest equity offering of 2021. The deal will allow the company to accelerate its global expansion and give the company the financial firepower for potential acquisitions.
The company will offer 11m shares or a stake worth about US$3.8bn at the close on 8th September plus it intends to issue US$2.5bn in equity-linked debt to bring the total funds raised to circa US$6.8bn. 
Apart from continuing to grow its business in South-East Asia, the company is now expanding its e-commerce presence in South America, with a focus on Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. 


According to local press reports, Shopee may also look to enter Eastern Europe, with Poland as its first target market.  Shopee has also launched a recruitment campaign for vendors to sell on what it called "Shopee India" and is ramping up hiring in the country. It has also been looking for office space in the country.



Sea Ltd (SE US) continues to grow its ShopeeFood business both in Indonesia and Vietnam and has seen a very strong performance and positive reception from users as well as driver communities in both markets. There has also been some talk of the company expanding food delivery into Malaysia, as it has already been advertising for drivers.


Assuming the completion of this fundraising goes smoothly Sea Ltd (SE US) will have a war chest of around US$13bn at its disposal to finance its ongoing expansion, though it is not yet clear what it needs this money for.
This may be seen as opportunistic fundraising in some camps but given its aspiration to expand globally into other emerging markets plus growing its digital finance and food delivery arms quite aggressively, this will certainly give the company the financial firepower to do so. 


We continue to take a positive view on Sea Ltd (SE US) which currently trades on 16x FY21E EV/Sales, 10.4x FY22E EV/Sales, and 7.8x FY23E EV/Sales, justified by sales growth of +105% YoY in FY2021, +47% YoY in FY22E, and +32.8% YoY growth in FY2023. 



Sea Ltd (SE US) - The Runway Just Got Longer

Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

<p>We said a couple of weeks ago that the restrictions on the gaming sector imposed by China were far more severe than the market reaction indicated. However, our view was mostly a call on the long-term impact of the gaming time restrictions on minors. The latest updates suggest that even the short-term outlook could get dire fast.</p>

We said a couple of weeks ago that the restrictions on the gaming sector imposed by China were far more severe than the market reaction indicated. However, our view was mostly a call on the long-term impact of the gaming time restrictions on minors. The latest updates suggest that even the short-term outlook could get dire fast.

China Gaming Restrictions Redux – Market Seems to Be in Denial

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

<p>This insight provides the output, and an overview of our, machine learning-driven, proprietary GEM screening model, which takes a three-pronged approach to find the best medium-term long ideas within the top100 largest stocks in the MSCI GEM Index. </p><p>The model is based on 1) a typical quantitative multifactor screening model, enhanced by two Artificial Intelligence Technology-based approaches using 2) a Deep Neural Network model, and 3) a Recurrent Neural Network model. </p><p>This model, which has been developed and tweaked over the past 24 months (and implemented in its current state for &gt;12 months), has a solid real-world performance track record, which I set out in the detail below. </p><p>Notable new entrants to the top decile this month include a host of energy plays (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gazprom-pjsc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23749:1" rel="noopener">Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RX)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lukoil-pjsc-2bfe0130-461e-4ff3-af12-93bec12e6325" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27148:1" rel="noopener">LUKOIL (LKOH RM)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ptt-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:197:1" rel="noopener">PTT PCL (PTT TB)</a>,  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a>) as well as a return for South African banking group <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/firstrand-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24971:1" rel="noopener">FirstRand Ltd (FSR SJ)</a>, and a recovery call for Chinese online gaming powerhouse <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netease" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29030:1" rel="noopener">NetEase (9999 HK)</a>.</p><table class="table table-striped">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 48pt;">rank</td>
<td style="width: 169pt;">Name</td>
<td style="width: 119pt;">Sector</td>
<td style="width: 95pt;">Location</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 48pt;">prev.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">1</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gazprom-pjsc-6a7231a9-d5e4-4da4-bf21-aa1b9d50fbf8" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27578:1" rel="noopener">Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RM)</a> </td>
<td>Energy</td>
<td>Russian Federation</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">2</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lukoil-pjsc-2bfe0130-461e-4ff3-af12-93bec12e6325" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27148:1" rel="noopener">LUKOIL (LKOH RM)</a> </td>
<td>Energy</td>
<td>Russian Federation</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">28</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">3</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ptt-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:197:1" rel="noopener">PTT PCL (PTT TB)</a> </td>
<td>Energy</td>
<td>Thailand</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">4</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-resources-land-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:418:1" rel="noopener">China Resources Land (1109 HK)</a> </td>
<td>Real Estate</td>
<td>China</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">5</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netease" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29030:1" rel="noopener">NetEase (9999 HK)</a> </td>
<td>Communication</td>
<td>China</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">6</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/firstrand-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24971:1" rel="noopener">FirstRand Ltd (FSR SJ)</a> </td>
<td>Financials</td>
<td>South Africa</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">68</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">7</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a> </td>
<td>Energy</td>
<td>China</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">8</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:656:1" rel="noopener">Bank Of China Ltd (H) (3988 HK)</a> </td>
<td>Financials</td>
<td>China</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">51</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">9</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mmc-norilsk-nickel-pjsc-dcb09449-eb24-4747-b1c9-77fbf35e8398" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33242:1" rel="noopener">MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC (GMKN RX)</a> </td>
<td>Materials</td>
<td>Russian Federation</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">10</td>
<td>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/new-oriental-education-technology-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32210:1" rel="noopener">New Oriental Education &amp; Technology Group (9901 HK)</a> </td>
<td>Consumer Discretionary</td>
<td>China</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">3</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="5" style="text-align: left;"><em>Source: FactSet financial data and analytics, my estimates and calculations, Tensorflow, Keras, Google Colaboratory, pandas</em></td></tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><em>As usual, please feel free to reach out for the full output table, any questions, clarifications needed or suggestions. </em></p>

This insight provides the output, and an overview of our, machine learning-driven, proprietary GEM screening model, which takes a three-pronged approach to find the best medium-term long ideas within the top100 largest stocks in the MSCI GEM Index. The model is based on 1) a typical quantitative multifactor screening model, enhanced by two Artificial Intelligence Technology-based approaches using 2) a Deep Neural Network model, and 3) a Recurrent Neural Network model. This model, which has been developed and tweaked over the past 24 months (and implemented in its current state for &gt;12 months), has a solid real-world performance track record, which I set out in the detail below. Notable new entrants to the top decile this month include a host of energy plays (Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RX), LUKOIL (LKOH RM), PTT PCL (PTT TB),  and CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)) as well as a return for South African banking group FirstRand Ltd (FSR SJ), and a recovery call for Chinese online gaming powerhouse NetEase (9999 HK).









rank
Name
Sector
Location
prev.


1

Gazprom PJSC (GAZP RM) 
Energy
Russian Federation
12


2

LUKOIL (LKOH RM) 
Energy
Russian Federation
28


3

PTT PCL (PTT TB) 
Energy
Thailand
30


4

China Resources Land (1109 HK) 
Real Estate
China
5


5

NetEase (9999 HK) 
Communication
China
47


6

FirstRand Ltd (FSR SJ) 
Financials
South Africa
68


7

CNOOC Ltd (883 HK) 
Energy
China
25


8

Bank Of China Ltd (H) (3988 HK) 
Financials
China
51


9

MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC (GMKN RX) 
Materials
Russian Federation
22


10

New Oriental Education &amp; Technology Group (9901 HK) 
Consumer Discretionary
China
3

Source: FactSet financial data and analytics, my estimates and calculations, Tensorflow, Keras, Google Colaboratory, pandas

As usual, please feel free to reach out for the full output table, any questions, clarifications needed or suggestions. 

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

<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><p>As of 1H21, KP had a total of 36m users and around 20m monthly active users (MAU). It processed a total GMV of KRW66.9tn in 2020 and it had already generated KRW47.9tn GMV in 1H21 itself. As of the end of 1H21, it had dealings with more than 610,000 affiliated stores and 100 financial institutions.</p><p>KP began operation in Sep 2014 as a fintech division of Kakao to facilitate online payments. Ant Financial invested US$200m in the company in Feb 2017 and the division was spun out of Kakao in Apr 2017. Since spinning out, the number of MAUs have grown 14x from 2Q17 to 2Q21, while the quarterly transaction amount grew 61x from KRW0.4tn in 2Q17 to KRW24.5tn in 2Q21. </p><p>Over the past few years the company has been expanding its offering beyond payment processing to include other financial products. On the back of this, its revenue has been growing faster than its GMV.</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.As of 1H21, KP had a total of 36m users and around 20m monthly active users (MAU). It processed a total GMV of KRW66.9tn in 2020 and it had already generated KRW47.9tn GMV in 1H21 itself. As of the end of 1H21, it had dealings with more than 610,000 affiliated stores and 100 financial institutions.KP began operation in Sep 2014 as a fintech division of Kakao to facilitate online payments. Ant Financial invested US$200m in the company in Feb 2017 and the division was spun out of Kakao in Apr 2017. Since spinning out, the number of MAUs have grown 14x from 2Q17 to 2Q21, while the quarterly transaction amount grew 61x from KRW0.4tn in 2Q17 to KRW24.5tn in 2Q21. Over the past few years the company has been expanding its offering beyond payment processing to include other financial products. On the back of this, its revenue has been growing faster than its GMV.

Kakao Pay IPO - Guided by Ant Financial to Be a Mini Ant

China

NetEase, Inc. operates as an leading internet technology company providing online services including content, community, communication, and commerce. The Company develops and operates online games, electronic commerce, internet media, innovative business, and other businesses. NetEase expands its businesses to Japan, North American, and other other international markets.

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NetEase (9999 HK)

Tencent: Temporary Freeze of New Game Approvals to Further Impact Slowing Games Business

The new video game approval freeze in China in 2018 severely impacted Tencent’s online games revenues where it declined YoY for three consecutive...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Sea Ltd (SE US) - The Runway Just Got Longer

Sea Ltd just announced a US$6.8bn fundraise which gives the company a war chest of US$13bn to expand both geographically and into new areas such as...

Angus Mackintosh

China Gaming Restrictions Redux – Market Seems to Be in Denial

While we felt the market overlooked the long-term implications of previous gaming restrictions the latest updates on China's crackdown suggest that...

Mio Kato

Screening for GEMs: September 2021

This insight provides an overview of our, machine learning-driven, proprietary GEM screening model, based on a Multifactor model, a Deep Neural...

Wium Malan, CFA

Kakao Pay IPO - Guided by Ant Financial to Be a Mini Ant

Kakao Pay, 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 holds a...

Sumeet Singh

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