Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

*Weak Results Showing No Signs Of Improvement: Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An] reported abbreviated results for 3Q20, coming in at CNY 34.5 bn which declined CNY 8.2 bn (19.2%) on a linked quarter basis. The decline in earnings is attributed to a CNY 10.1 bn (8.7%) decline in Ping An Life (PAL) net earned premiums; a CNY 40.7 bn (43.7%) decline in investment income as rates and markets stabilized; and a CNY 8.5 bn (20.1%) increase in SG&amp;A;*Insurance Remains Fundamentally Challenged: Despite the Investor Day cheerleading session, PAL’s value of new business (VONB) declined 33% YOY in 3Q, driven by larger than expected margin decline associated with mix of reduced agent motivation during COVID-19 and demand weakness. Ping An P&amp;C’s combined ratio rose 1.0% to 99.1% in 3Q20 - barely allowing this business any breathing room. This increase would appear to be attributed to auto insurance reform, which is placing downward pressure on pricing; andBank Risk: Ping An Bank (000001.CH) [PAB], reported 3Q20 net income of CNY 8.7 bn – increasing CNY 3.6 bn or 70% linked quarter. One factor, and one factor alone, was responsible for the increase - provisions were pre-emptively reduced CNY 6.7 bn (29.5%) over the period despite a true decrease in credit risk. Net new NPLs have increased CNY 23.0 bn linked quarter or a massive 223.1% on an annualized basis. Assuming the credit break in the PAB portfolio holds – which it likely will given the economic weakness attributed to COVID-19 – reserves would appear light by CNY 178 bn if we assume a 2x NPL ratio. This shortfall represents 62% of stated equity.

*Weak Results Showing No Signs Of Improvement: Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An] reported abbreviated results for 3Q20, coming in at CNY 34.5 bn which declined CNY 8.2 bn (19.2%) on a linked quarter basis. The decline in earnings is attributed to a CNY 10.1 bn (8.7%) decline in Ping An Life (PAL) net earned premiums; a CNY 40.7 bn (43.7%) decline in investment income as rates and markets stabilized; and a CNY 8.5 bn (20.1%) increase in SG&amp;A;*Insurance Remains Fundamentally Challenged: Despite the Investor Day cheerleading session, PAL’s value of new business (VONB) declined 33% YOY in 3Q, driven by larger than expected margin decline associated with mix of reduced agent motivation during COVID-19 and demand weakness. Ping An P&amp;C’s combined ratio rose 1.0% to 99.1% in 3Q20 - barely allowing this business any breathing room. This increase would appear to be attributed to auto insurance reform, which is placing downward pressure on pricing; andBank Risk: Ping An Bank (000001.CH) [PAB], reported 3Q20 net income of CNY 8.7 bn – increasing CNY 3.6 bn or 70% linked quarter. One factor, and one factor alone, was responsible for the increase - provisions were pre-emptively reduced CNY 6.7 bn (29.5%) over the period despite a true decrease in credit risk. Net new NPLs have increased CNY 23.0 bn linked quarter or a massive 223.1% on an annualized basis. Assuming the credit break in the PAB portfolio holds – which it likely will given the economic weakness attributed to COVID-19 – reserves would appear light by CNY 178 bn if we assume a 2x NPL ratio. This shortfall represents 62% of stated equity. 

Ping An Insurance – The Drip Drop Of Bad News

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

So far the S&amp;P 500 has failed to overcome the 2,790-2,800 resistance level we first highlighted in our 6/5/18 Compass. However, while a breakdown below support remains possible, the S&amp;P 500 is currently at an area where we would expect to see some support. The wild card remains financials.  A breakdown of the sector has the potential to usher in another broad market selloff, which could cause the S&amp;P 500 to fall below 200-day moving average support and lead to more negative breadth signals for the indicators highlighted above. $26.50 on the XLF is the level we are watching.

So far the S&amp;P 500 has failed to overcome the 2,790-2,800 resistance level we first highlighted in our 6/5/18 Compass. However, while a breakdown below support remains possible, the S&amp;P 500 is currently at an area where we would expect to see some support. The wild card remains financials.  A breakdown of the sector has the potential to usher in another broad market selloff, which could cause the S&amp;P 500 to fall below 200-day moving average support and lead to more negative breadth signals for the indicators highlighted above. $26.50 on the XLF is the level we are watching.

U.S. Equities: Downgrading Manufacturing and Materials; Large-Cap Financials at Critical Support

Founder and Strategist, Entext Economics & Strategy

Sean Maher

Founder and Strategist

Entext Economics & Strategy

Entext provides institutional investors with distinctive, actionable asset allocation and thematic research, which typically challenges the market consensus. Our clients range from credit, equity and multi-asset hedge and pension funds to family offices and sovereign funds. 
 
We focus on identifying key inflection points in macro data and relative asset performance amid the 'groupthink'  and confirmation bias that characterizes most investment bank analysis.

Macro Driven Investment Insight

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The Republican replacement for ‘Obamacare’ has been announced and looks an incoherent mess – resurgent healthcare inflation will be a drag on discretionary spending.</li>
<li>The US yield curve is flattening, overall bank credit growth has been negative for two months and yesterday’s January consumer lending data was about half consensus expectations.</li>
<li>The global mining sector has been selling off as expected with iron ore/copper prices – I remain tactically short the FTSE 350 mining index.</li>
<li>Overall, the US…</li>
</ul>


The Republican replacement for ‘Obamacare’ has been announced and looks an incoherent mess – resurgent healthcare inflation will be a drag on discretionary spending.
The US yield curve is flattening, overall bank credit growth has been negative for two months and yesterday’s January consumer lending data was about half consensus expectations.
The global mining sector has been selling off as expected with iron ore/copper prices – I remain tactically short the FTSE 350 mining index.
Overall, the US…


US Healthcare Overhaul Stumbling, Singapore Cyclical Rally Looking Premature

Stewart Paterson

Taurus Advisors LLP

Macroeconomics

Eurozone inflation announced today came in "on target" at 2% for the first time in 4 years!! To give credit where credit is due, between 2001 and October 2007 the ECB had a pretty impeccable record when it came to inflation targeting. CPI as measured by Eurostat oscillated between a low of 1.6% and a high of 2.5% and averaged 2.1%. However, 2007 seems a long time ago now and in the past decade or so CPI has been at 2% on just four occasions prior to today: on each of these CPI passed through 2%…

Eurozone inflation announced today came in "on target" at 2% for the first time in 4 years!! To give credit where credit is due, between 2001 and October 2007 the ECB had a pretty impeccable record when it came to inflation targeting. CPI as measured by Eurostat oscillated between a low of 1.6% and a high of 2.5% and averaged 2.1%. However, 2007 seems a long time ago now and in the past decade or so CPI has been at 2% on just four occasions prior to today: on each of these CPI passed through 2%…

ASEAN (Indo) & China-focused. Ex-Deputy HoR UBS.

Johannes Salim, CFA

<ul>
<li>There was nothing new in Trump's speech last night, but the US stock market surged to new highs (again).</li>
<li>Global reflation trade over next few months is likely to continue.</li>
<li>Prime beneficiaries of global reflation trade in Asian market are financial, commodity, and infrastructure plays.</li>
</ul>We were watching live (on TV) US President Trump's speech, which was addressed to the Congress last night (9 pm EST). This was the first formal speech by Trump after his inauguration speech on 1/20. Our first…


There was nothing new in Trump's speech last night, but the US stock market surged to new highs (again).
Global reflation trade over next few months is likely to continue.
Prime beneficiaries of global reflation trade in Asian market are financial, commodity, and infrastructure plays.
We were watching live (on TV) US President Trump's speech, which was addressed to the Congress last night (9 pm EST). This was the first formal speech by Trump after his inauguration speech on 1/20. Our first…

Asia Market Strategy: Is There No Stopping This Bull Run?

United States

Prudential Financial, Inc. provides financial services throughout the United States and several locations worldwide. The Company offers a variety of products and services, including life insurance, mutual funds, annuities, pension, and retirement related services, as well as administration and asset management.

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Prudential Financial (PRU US)

Ping An Insurance – The Drip Drop Of Bad News

PING AN INSURANCE: First It Was The Bank Who Reported Manufactured Results, As Credit Worsened. Now The Insurers Continue To Struggle With No End...

Thomas J. Monaco

U.S. Equities: Downgrading Manufacturing and Materials; Large-Cap Financials at Critical Support

So far the S&P 500 has failed to overcome the 2,790-2,800 resistance level we first highlighted in our 6/5/18 Compass. However, while a...

Vermilion Research

US Healthcare Overhaul Stumbling, Singapore Cyclical Rally Looking Premature

The Republican replacement for ‘Obamacare’ has been announced and looks an incoherent mess – resurgent healthcare inflation will be a drag on...

Sean Maher

Money Matters: Deutschland Über Alles?

Eurozone inflation announced today came in "on target" at 2% for the first time in 4 years!! To give credit where credit is due, between 2001 and...

Stewart Paterson

Asia Market Strategy: Is There No Stopping This Bull Run?

There was nothing new in Trump's speech last night, but the US stock market surged to new highs (again). Global reflation trade over next few...

Johannes Salim, CFA

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