HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

CK Infrastructure Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ck-infrastructure-holdings-l" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:163:1" rel="noopener">CK Infrastructure Holdings (1038 HK)</a> should thrive in the volatile market environment in 2025, given its stable earnings, diversified geography, low gearing, and consistent dividends.</li>
<li>Further reduction in US interest rate should potentially be positive to other currencies, and CKI has diversified exposure in the UK, Australia, Europe, and Canada to benefit.</li>
<li>Investors may turn more risk-averse in the next year. CKI's high earnings visibility, with many regulatory resets happening beyond 2025, is highly welcome in the market. </li>
</ul>



CK Infrastructure Holdings (1038 HK) should thrive in the volatile market environment in 2025, given its stable earnings, diversified geography, low gearing, and consistent dividends.
Further reduction in US interest rate should potentially be positive to other currencies, and CKI has diversified exposure in the UK, Australia, Europe, and Canada to benefit.
Investors may turn more risk-averse in the next year. CKI's high earnings visibility, with many regulatory resets happening beyond 2025, is highly welcome in the market. 


2025 High Conviction: CKI (1038 HK) - Perfect Harmony

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>With the HSI surging 21.2% since 24 Sep and many stocks have even doubled, the strategy in the HK and China markets will move to chase the laggards.</li>
<li>Among the underperforming HSI constituents, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-resources-power-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5385:1" rel="noopener">China Resources Power (836 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> are the better candidates to pick up performance. </li>
<li>For HSCEI, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zijin-mining-group-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6358:1" rel="noopener">Zijin Mining Group Co Ltd H (2899 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-shenhua-energy-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:382:1" rel="noopener">China Shenhua Energy Co H (1088 HK)</a> have lagged but their stories are interesting and should regain momentum.</li>
</ul>


With the HSI surging 21.2% since 24 Sep and many stocks have even doubled, the strategy in the HK and China markets will move to chase the laggards.
Among the underperforming HSI constituents, China Resources Power (836 HK) and China Mobile (941 HK) are the better candidates to pick up performance. 
For HSCEI, Zijin Mining Group Co Ltd H (2899 HK) and China Shenhua Energy Co H (1088 HK) have lagged but their stories are interesting and should regain momentum.


<ul>
<li>With the US interest rate heading lower, the HSI constituent companies with the highest gearing levels are the prime beneficiaries as their interest burden will lessen.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sands-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:182:1" rel="noopener">Sands China (1928 HK)</a>, while it has the highest leverage, is not a near-term gain. This is because its debt structure with 100% fixed rate borrowings. </li>
<li>Based on the gearing level, floating rate proportion, and YTD performance, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/new-world-development" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7037:1" rel="noopener">New World Development (17 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:49:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung Properties (101 HK)</a> are the two potential best bets.</li>
</ul>


With the US interest rate heading lower, the HSI constituent companies with the highest gearing levels are the prime beneficiaries as their interest burden will lessen.

Sands China (1928 HK), while it has the highest leverage, is not a near-term gain. This is because its debt structure with 100% fixed rate borrowings. 
Based on the gearing level, floating rate proportion, and YTD performance, New World Development (17 HK) and Hang Lung Properties (101 HK) are the two potential best bets.


HK Strategy: Rate Cut Beneficiaries - Fixed & Floating Rate Debt Analysis

<ul>
<li>At 5.4% for FY24-26F, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-china-gas-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:375:1" rel="noopener">Hong Kong &amp; China Gas (3 HK)</a> has the second-highest dividend yield among its HK utility peers. A lower US rate makes it attractive.</li>
<li>An unchanged interim DPS of HK$0.12 despite a decline in reported net profit suggests the resilience of its dividend stream. Core operating profit has increased 2%.</li>
<li>While gearing has gone up, HKCG still has excellent cash-generating ability (FY23: HK$10.9bn). It has also cut back in capex with a 33% YoY drop for 1H24. </li>
</ul>


At 5.4% for FY24-26F, Hong Kong &amp; China Gas (3 HK) has the second-highest dividend yield among its HK utility peers. A lower US rate makes it attractive.
An unchanged interim DPS of HK$0.12 despite a decline in reported net profit suggests the resilience of its dividend stream. Core operating profit has increased 2%.
While gearing has gone up, HKCG still has excellent cash-generating ability (FY23: HK$10.9bn). It has also cut back in capex with a 33% YoY drop for 1H24. 


HK & China Gas (3 HK): A Yield Play Back in Favour

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

<ul>
<li>We are seeing snap-back rallies in the largest global economies -- notably the U.S. and Japan, and also Europe to a lesser extent. However...</li>
<li>We're expecting to see lower highs develop at prior breakdown levels at 2690-2700 on the TOPIX and 4884 on the EURO STOXX 50, which are significant resistance levels.</li>
<li>Watching SPX resistance at 5585, or possible test of YTD highs/marginal new high, all fitting with our ongoing belief (since July 25) that ACWI-US going through 1-to 4-month pullback/consolidation.</li>
</ul>


We are seeing snap-back rallies in the largest global economies -- notably the U.S. and Japan, and also Europe to a lesser extent. However...
We're expecting to see lower highs develop at prior breakdown levels at 2690-2700 on the TOPIX and 4884 on the EURO STOXX 50, which are significant resistance levels.
Watching SPX resistance at 5585, or possible test of YTD highs/marginal new high, all fitting with our ongoing belief (since July 25) that ACWI-US going through 1-to 4-month pullback/consolidation.


MSCI ACWI Consolidation Continues; Outlook Remains Neutral; Buys Across Defensives & Other Sectors

Hong Kong

Power Assets Holdings Limited invests in power generation, transmission and distribution as well as gas distribution. The Company has investments in Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand and Thailand.

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Power Assets Holdings (6 HK)

2025 High Conviction: CKI (1038 HK) - Perfect Harmony

CKI should thrive in a volatile market with stable earnings, diversified geography, low gearing, and consistent dividends. Further, a lower US...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China & HK Strategy: What to Grab?

Hong Kong and China markets are seeing a surge, prompting a shift towards chasing underperforming stocks like CR Power and China Mobile in HSI,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HK Strategy: Rate Cut Beneficiaries - Fixed & Floating Rate Debt Analysis

US interest rate decline benefits HSI companies with high gearing levels, like New World Development and Hang Lung Properties, while Sands China's...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HK & China Gas (3 HK): A Yield Play Back in Favour

HKCG offers an attractive dividend yield of 5.4% for FY24-26F, backed by its strong cash generation and reduced capex. Lower US interest rates...

Osbert Tang, CFA

MSCI ACWI Consolidation Continues; Outlook Remains Neutral; Buys Across Defensives & Other Sectors

MSCI $ACWI Consolidation Continues; Outlook Remains Neutral; Snap-Back Rallies in Japan $Nikkei $TOPIX, U.S. $SPX, Europe $STOXX fits with our view...

Vermilion Research

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

2025 High Conviction: CKI (1038 HK) - Perfect Harmony

CKI should thrive in a volatile market with stable earnings, diversified geography, low gearing, and consistent dividends. Further, a lower US...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China & HK Strategy: What to Grab?

​Hong Kong and China markets are seeing a surge, prompting a shift towards chasing underperforming stocks like CR Power and China Mobile in HSI,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HK Strategy: Rate Cut Beneficiaries - Fixed & Floating Rate Debt Analysis

​US interest rate decline benefits HSI companies with high gearing levels, like New World Development and Hang Lung Properties, while Sands China's...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HK & China Gas (3 HK): A Yield Play Back in Favour

HKCG offers an attractive dividend yield of 5.4% for FY24-26F, backed by its strong cash generation and reduced capex. Lower US interest rates...

Osbert Tang, CFA

MSCI ACWI Consolidation Continues; Outlook Remains Neutral; Buys Across Defensives & Other Sectors

MSCI $ACWI Consolidation Continues; Outlook Remains Neutral; Snap-Back Rallies in Japan $Nikkei $TOPIX, U.S. $SPX, Europe $STOXX fits with our view...

Vermilion Research

Hong Kong and China markets are seeing a surge, prompting a shift towards chasing underperforming stocks like CR Power and China Mobile in HSI,...

US interest rate decline benefits HSI companies with high gearing levels, like New World Development and Hang Lung Properties, while Sands China's...