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.

Event-Driven

<p>On 22nd March 2018, after market close in Hong Kong one of the largest overnight placements was launched. On that day, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/naspers-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21085:1" rel="noopener">Naspers (NPN SJ)</a> reluctantly sold US$10bn worth of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a> shares. </p><p>I say reluctantly because Naspers provided a three year lock-up at the time of the deal. That lock-up will expire next month. </p><p>We have covered the previous placement in our earlier note, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/tencent-placement-huge-deal-in-size-small-in-relative-terms-succumbing-to-the-holdco-discount" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tencent Placement - Huge Deal in Size, Small in Relative Terms - Succumbing to the HoldCo Discount</a>. </p><p>In this note, I’ll talk about the upcoming lock-up expiry, its implications and the updates since then.</p>

On 22nd March 2018, after market close in Hong Kong one of the largest overnight placements was launched. On that day, Naspers (NPN SJ) reluctantly sold US$10bn worth of Tencent Holdings (700 HK) shares. I say reluctantly because Naspers provided a three year lock-up at the time of the deal. That lock-up will expire next month. We have covered the previous placement in our earlier note, Tencent Placement - Huge Deal in Size, Small in Relative Terms - Succumbing to the HoldCo Discount. In this note, I’ll talk about the upcoming lock-up expiry, its implications and the updates since then.

Tencent Placement Lock-Up Expiry - US$10bn+ Block and Buyback Linked Holdco Trade

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><div>
<p>I've covered various aspects of the deal in my earlier insights: </p>
<ul>
<li>
<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>, </li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-pre-ipo-the-negatives-horrendous-data-disclosures-including-no-mention-of-ott-launch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Horrendous Data Disclosures, Including No Mention of OTT Launch</a></li>
</ul>
<p>In this insight, I'll talk about the local competition and how Coupang has been fairing.</p>
</div>

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.
I've covered various aspects of the deal in my earlier insights: 


Coupang Pre-IPO - The Positives - Fast Growth, Sticky Customers, 
Coupang Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Horrendous Data Disclosures, Including No Mention of OTT Launch

In this insight, I'll talk about the local competition and how Coupang has been fairing.


Coupang Pre-IPO - Fair Bit of Competition but It's Doing Better than Most Local Peers

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

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/coupang" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28425:1" rel="noopener">Coupang (CPNG US)</a>, the largest e-commerce company in South Korea with $12.0bn in annual revenue and 14.9m in quarterly active customers, filed for an NYSE IPO under the ticker “CPNG” with a placeholder value of $1.0bn.</p><p>In our two previous insights on the IPO; <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-ipo-not-worth-subscribing-at-rumoured-50-0bn-valuation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang IPO: Not Worth Subscribing at Rumoured 50.0bn Valuation</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/coupang-ipo-lacks-margin-upside" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coupang IPO: Lacks Margin Upside</a>, we looked at the company’s business model, future prospects, and revenue and earnings estimates. In this insight, we assess the fairness of the company's rumoured $50.0bn valuation.</p>

Coupang (CPNG US), the largest e-commerce company in South Korea with $12.0bn in annual revenue and 14.9m in quarterly active customers, filed for an NYSE IPO under the ticker “CPNG” with a placeholder value of $1.0bn.In our two previous insights on the IPO; Coupang IPO: Not Worth Subscribing at Rumoured 50.0bn Valuation, Coupang IPO: Lacks Margin Upside, we looked at the company’s business model, future prospects, and revenue and earnings estimates. In this insight, we assess the fairness of the company's rumoured $50.0bn valuation.

Coupang IPO: Initial Thoughts on Rumoured $50.0bn Valuation

<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

<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 e-commerce company in South Korea with $12.0bn in annual revenue, filed for an NYSE IPO under the ticker “CPNG” with a placeholder value of $1.0bn.</p><p>Coupang is fundamentally different from other e-commerce companies as it generates around 92.2% of the total revenue from the owned inventory segment. The company’s COGS is over 83% of revenue compared to marketplace players 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>’s 57% and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pinduoduo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27250:1" rel="noopener">Pinduoduo (PDD US)</a>’s 22%. Inherently, Coupang is incapable of generating gross margins comparable with e-commerce marketspace players due to its dependence on own inventory sales.</p><p>Around 29% of South Korea’s total population is active Coupang customers, yet the company made an operating loss of $528m in 2020. Moreover, the company’s revenue increased 91% YoY in 2020 to $12.0bn driven by 25.9% YoY and 59% YoY active customer growth and revenue per active customer growth respectively. However, 2020 operating loss declined just $116m. It is an indication that Coupang’s margin expansion potential is greatly exhausted.</p><p>There is significant revenue growth potential in Coupang. However, we don’t expect revenue growth to translate into profits. Thus, the $50.0bn valuation suggested by various media reports seems extremely optimistic.</p>

Coupang (CPNG US), the largest e-commerce company in South Korea with $12.0bn in annual revenue, filed for an NYSE IPO under the ticker “CPNG” with a placeholder value of $1.0bn.Coupang is fundamentally different from other e-commerce companies as it generates around 92.2% of the total revenue from the owned inventory segment. The company’s COGS is over 83% of revenue compared to marketplace players like Alibaba Group (BABA US)’s 57% and Pinduoduo (PDD US)’s 22%. Inherently, Coupang is incapable of generating gross margins comparable with e-commerce marketspace players due to its dependence on own inventory sales.Around 29% of South Korea’s total population is active Coupang customers, yet the company made an operating loss of $528m in 2020. Moreover, the company’s revenue increased 91% YoY in 2020 to $12.0bn driven by 25.9% YoY and 59% YoY active customer growth and revenue per active customer growth respectively. However, 2020 operating loss declined just $116m. It is an indication that Coupang’s margin expansion potential is greatly exhausted.There is significant revenue growth potential in Coupang. However, we don’t expect revenue growth to translate into profits. Thus, the $50.0bn valuation suggested by various media reports seems extremely optimistic.

China

PDD Holdings Inc. is a multinational commerce group that owns and operates a portfolio of businesses. The Company focuses on digital economy so that local communities and small businesses can benefit from the increased productivity and new opportunities. PDD Holdings has built a network of sourcing, logistics, and fulfillment capabilities for its underlying businesses.

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PDD Holdings (PDD US)

Tencent Placement Lock-Up Expiry - US$10bn+ Block and Buyback Linked Holdco Trade

On 22nd March 2018, after market close, one of the largest overnight placements was launched. On that day, Naspers reluctantly sold US$10bn worth...

Sumeet Singh

Coupang Pre-IPO - Fair Bit of Competition but It's Doing Better than Most Local Peers

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: Initial Thoughts on Rumoured $50.0bn Valuation

Coupang is fundamentally different from other e-commerce platforms as it generates over 92% of revenue from own inventory retail. Therefore a EV...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

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: Lacks Margin Upside

Coupang is not the typical e-commerce company that enjoys margin expansion with volume and revenue growth. The company’s revenue increased 91% YoY...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

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