Research on Tech Companies

Evelyn Zhang

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ol><li>The top 3 live streaming ecommerce platforms in China:</li></ol><ul>
<li>
<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> Alibaba’s Taobao Live</li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-kuaishou-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29725:1" rel="noopener">Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK)</a></li>
<li>and ByteDance’s Douyin (aka Tiktok)</li>
</ul><ol start="2">
<li>User trust, traffic/algorithms to find right users and supply chain/ fulfillment capability are considering as the 3 most important factors to success.</li>
<li>Influencers take the largest piece of the pie (10-20%). Social media platforms are just a traffic funnel for traditional ecommerce platforms, taking in &lt;10% commission rate.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijing-kuaishou-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29725:1" rel="noopener">Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK)</a> and Douyin are both building their own ecommerce shops to retain users and fulfill the orders within their own platform by using algorithms to change the traditional “people looking for products” model to “products looking for people” model.</li>
<li>
<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> will  give up its restrictions on trading (“one out of two”）, this allow those brands that have signed exclusive platform agreements to switch to other ecommerce and social media platform. <section class="figure"></section>
</li>
</ol>

The top 3 live streaming ecommerce platforms in China:

Alibaba Group (BABA US) Alibaba’s Taobao Live
Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK)
and ByteDance’s Douyin (aka Tiktok)

User trust, traffic/algorithms to find right users and supply chain/ fulfillment capability are considering as the 3 most important factors to success.
Influencers take the largest piece of the pie (10-20%). Social media platforms are just a traffic funnel for traditional ecommerce platforms, taking in &lt;10% commission rate.

Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK) and Douyin are both building their own ecommerce shops to retain users and fulfill the orders within their own platform by using algorithms to change the traditional “people looking for products” model to “products looking for people” model.

Alibaba Group (BABA US) will  give up its restrictions on trading (“one out of two”）, this allow those brands that have signed exclusive platform agreements to switch to other ecommerce and social media platform. 



Show and Sell – China’s Live Streaming E-Commerce

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

The ride-hailing giant <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grabtaxi-holdings-pte-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab (0967655D SP)</a>  announced on Tuesday (13th April 2021) that it plans to go public in the US via a SPAC merger with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/altimeter-growth-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33007:1" rel="noopener">Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US)</a>  at a proposed valuation (pro-forma) of approx. US$39.6bn.As per the proposed transaction, Altimeter Growth and Grab will become wholly-owned subsidiaries of a new holding company and the combined company will have an equity-value of approx. US$39.6bn on a pro-forma basis.Grab will receive about US$4.5bn in cash, including more than US$4.0bn from a fully committed PIPE (private investment in public equity arrangement) offering that will be managed by BlackRock, Counterpoint Global, T.Rowe Price Associates, Fidelity International, Fidelity Management and Research, Mubadala, Temasek and several others.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/200/522/original/image_77815607321618386359074.png?1618386363" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="200522"></figure><div style="text-align: left;" class="content-caption">Source: Company disclosures</div>Altimeter Capital has committed to US$750m to the PIPE Financing and also also has committed to a 3-year lock-up period for its sponsor promote shares offering investors confidence over Grab’s future prospects.

The ride-hailing giant Grab (0967655D SP)  announced on Tuesday (13th April 2021) that it plans to go public in the US via a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US)  at a proposed valuation (pro-forma) of approx. US$39.6bn.As per the proposed transaction, Altimeter Growth and Grab will become wholly-owned subsidiaries of a new holding company and the combined company will have an equity-value of approx. US$39.6bn on a pro-forma basis.Grab will receive about US$4.5bn in cash, including more than US$4.0bn from a fully committed PIPE (private investment in public equity arrangement) offering that will be managed by BlackRock, Counterpoint Global, T.Rowe Price Associates, Fidelity International, Fidelity Management and Research, Mubadala, Temasek and several others.Source: Company disclosuresAltimeter Capital has committed to US$750m to the PIPE Financing and also also has committed to a 3-year lock-up period for its sponsor promote shares offering investors confidence over Grab’s future prospects.

Grab Goes Public: Expanding Top Line but No Profits; Proposed Valuation Seems Excessively Ambitious

Global TMT analyst with Asia ex-Japan focus.

Mitchell Kim

Equity Bottom-Up

Alibaba Group Holding  / Equity Bottom-Up

PBoC (People's Bank of China) said on Monday that a "comprehensive, viable rectification plan" for Ant Group had been agreed to and Ant Group will overhaul its business in compliance with higher regulations for Internet finance platform companies.  As a result, Ant Group will apply to become a financial holding company. Similar to the AML fine on Alibaba, we believe this directive will now allow Ant Group to move forward possibly with a slightly lower valuation but share overhang lifted.  At the same time, I believe the market will be relieved to hear the regulator's carefully crafted supportive tone towards the Internet platforms.   Impact: <ul>
<li>The impact on <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> is nominal, in my view.  Alibaba owns 33% of Ant Group.  With the market already having priced-in a bear case scenario, we believe this news has minimal impact on Alibaba's valuation.  </li>
<li>I believe the market already valued Ant Group at USD170-180 billion after the failed IPO.  This news does not change the valuation significantly.  </li>
</ul>Implications: <ul>
<li>As a holding company, Ant will be subject to higher capital requirements.  But the market is well aware of this already.  (Please see our report, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/alibaba-baba-us-ant-group-woes-overly-priced-in" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:48648" rel="noopener">Alibaba (BABA US): Ant Group Woes Overly Priced-In</a>, dated 27 February 2021)
</li>
<li> Ant will have to reduce the liquidity risks of its investment products including the InsureTech products and specifically rein-in the AUM of Yue'bao, its money-market mutual fund.  This was broader than expected.  It is difficult to imagine how to stop consumers from selecting an investment product.  </li>
<li>Set up a consumer credit reporting company and strengthen the protection of personal information.  </li>
</ul>

PBoC (People's Bank of China) said on Monday that a "comprehensive, viable rectification plan" for Ant Group had been agreed to and Ant Group will overhaul its business in compliance with higher regulations for Internet finance platform companies.  As a result, Ant Group will apply to become a financial holding company. Similar to the AML fine on Alibaba, we believe this directive will now allow Ant Group to move forward possibly with a slightly lower valuation but share overhang lifted.  At the same time, I believe the market will be relieved to hear the regulator's carefully crafted supportive tone towards the Internet platforms.   Impact: 
The impact on Alibaba Group (BABA US) is nominal, in my view.  Alibaba owns 33% of Ant Group.  With the market already having priced-in a bear case scenario, we believe this news has minimal impact on Alibaba's valuation.  
I believe the market already valued Ant Group at USD170-180 billion after the failed IPO.  This news does not change the valuation significantly.  
Implications: 
As a holding company, Ant will be subject to higher capital requirements.  But the market is well aware of this already.  (Please see our report, Alibaba (BABA US): Ant Group Woes Overly Priced-In, dated 27 February 2021)

 Ant will have to reduce the liquidity risks of its investment products including the InsureTech products and specifically rein-in the AUM of Yue'bao, its money-market mutual fund.  This was broader than expected.  It is difficult to imagine how to stop consumers from selecting an investment product.  
Set up a consumer credit reporting company and strengthen the protection of personal information.  


Alibaba (BABA US): Ant Group - Pay, Get Out, Move Forward

Overseas Chinese Equities, Aequitas Research

Ming Lu

Overseas Chinese Equities

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.

<ul>
<li>State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) fined Alibaba RMB18 billion.</li>
<li>Alibaba had forced retailers to leave competitors via an “either-or” choice since 2015.</li>
<li>The penalty amount is not significant to Alibaba.</li>
<li>We believe that the penalty is just part of SAMR’s action after the new law, but not especially against Alibaba.</li>
<li>We do not believe the penalty will impact Alibaba’s long-term value.</li>
<li>We set an upside of 37% and a price target of USD$306 according to the 3-year P/E average.</li>
</ul>
Our previous coverage on Alibaba:
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/alibaba-baba-many-positive-signals-in-december-quarter-27-upside" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:47726" rel="noopener">Alibaba (BABA): Many Positive Signals in December Quarter, 27% Upside</a>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/alibaba-baba-this-online-antitrust-wave-a-risk-but-not-a-massacre" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:46377" rel="noopener">Alibaba (BABA): This Online Antitrust Wave, A Risk, But Not A Massacre</a>


State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) fined Alibaba RMB18 billion.
Alibaba had forced retailers to leave competitors via an “either-or” choice since 2015.
The penalty amount is not significant to Alibaba.
We believe that the penalty is just part of SAMR’s action after the new law, but not especially against Alibaba.
We do not believe the penalty will impact Alibaba’s long-term value.
We set an upside of 37% and a price target of USD$306 according to the 3-year P/E average.

Our previous coverage on Alibaba:
Alibaba (BABA): Many Positive Signals in December Quarter, 27% Upside
Alibaba (BABA): This Online Antitrust Wave, A Risk, But Not A Massacre 

Alibaba (BABA): Fined $2.78 Billion for “Either Or”, But Impact Is Neither Big Nor Long Term

Chinese regulators announced a record fine for <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> amounting to USD2.75 billion for violations related to antitrust regulations.  While the final amount for the fine was previously unknown, the fine itself is not a surprise.  We believe this is a positive outcome for Alibaba: <ol>
<li>
We did not see any hint of additional rectifications related to AML (Anti-monopoly law) other than the penalty amount. (Alibaba has already pledged to modify its "exclusivity" practice to allow for merchants to have greater freedom to list their products on multiple platforms. Share overhang related to this issue should dissipate. 
</li>
<li>
Alibaba could have been penalized more severely (as much as 10% of its revenues for antitrust violations).  The penalty amount represents only about 3.5% of Alibaba's FY20 revenues (4% of CY2019 revenues).</li>
<li>The lower-than-expected fine amount appears to signal that the regulators are not trying to excessively debilitate the industry.  </li>
</ol>We have highlighted the AML and the consumer lending regulation risks to be key share overhang on the BABA shares in our February report, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/alibaba-baba-us-ant-group-woes-overly-priced-in" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:48648" rel="noopener">Alibaba (BABA US): Ant Group Woes Overly Priced-In</a>.   We believe BABA shares are undervalued due to the overhang.  The latest regulatory announcement signals the lifting of share overhang related to AML, in our view.

Chinese regulators announced a record fine for Alibaba Group (BABA US) amounting to USD2.75 billion for violations related to antitrust regulations.  While the final amount for the fine was previously unknown, the fine itself is not a surprise.  We believe this is a positive outcome for Alibaba: 

We did not see any hint of additional rectifications related to AML (Anti-monopoly law) other than the penalty amount. (Alibaba has already pledged to modify its "exclusivity" practice to allow for merchants to have greater freedom to list their products on multiple platforms. Share overhang related to this issue should dissipate. 


Alibaba could have been penalized more severely (as much as 10% of its revenues for antitrust violations).  The penalty amount represents only about 3.5% of Alibaba's FY20 revenues (4% of CY2019 revenues).
The lower-than-expected fine amount appears to signal that the regulators are not trying to excessively debilitate the industry.  
We have highlighted the AML and the consumer lending regulation risks to be key share overhang on the BABA shares in our February report, Alibaba (BABA US): Ant Group Woes Overly Priced-In.   We believe BABA shares are undervalued due to the overhang.  The latest regulatory announcement signals the lifting of share overhang related to AML, in our view.  

Alibaba (BABA US): Record Fine - Grin and Bear It as Better Days Are Ahead

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)

Show and Sell – China’s Live Streaming E-Commerce

Livestreaming is quietly revolutionizing e-commerce in China. Who are the winners? How does the industry work? How is it different from the plain...

Evelyn Zhang

Grab Goes Public: Expanding Top Line but No Profits; Proposed Valuation Seems Excessively Ambitious

Grab announced on Tuesday that it plans to go public in the US via a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp. at a proposed valuation (pro-forma) of...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Alibaba (BABA US): Ant Group - Pay, Get Out, Move Forward

Ant Group announced its restructuring plans on Monday. Find out what is the actual impact on Ant Group and Alibaba and how Ant Group's valuations...

Mitchell Kim

Alibaba (BABA): Fined $2.78 Billion for “Either Or”, But Impact Is Neither Big Nor Long Term

The penalty amount is not significant to Alibaba. We believe the penalty is just part of authorities’ action after the new law, but not especially...

Ming Lu

Alibaba (BABA US): Record Fine - Grin and Bear It as Better Days Are Ahead

A record-setting fine related to the antitrust violations was imposed on Alibaba on Friday. Find out why we think this is a positive outcome for...

Mitchell Kim

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