Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Fresh after the courts rejected new share issuance, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15002:1" rel="noopener">Kakao (035720 KS)</a> has launched an Offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-m-entertainment-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3500:1" rel="noopener">S.M.Entertainment (041510 KS)</a>, less than a week after <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hybe-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28959:1" rel="noopener">HYBE (352820 KS)</a>'s deal closed.</li>
<li>Kakao, holding 4.9%, is seeking to lift its stake to ~40% via a tender offer at ₩150,000/share, a 25% premium to HYBE's offer price. </li>
<li>The key question is - will HYBE counter? I would not be so sure. </li>
</ul>


Fresh after the courts rejected new share issuance, Kakao (035720 KS) has launched an Offer for S.M.Entertainment (041510 KS), less than a week after HYBE (352820 KS)'s deal closed.
Kakao, holding 4.9%, is seeking to lift its stake to ~40% via a tender offer at ₩150,000/share, a 25% premium to HYBE's offer price. 
The key question is - will HYBE counter? I would not be so sure. 


K-Pop Battle, Round 2: Kakao’s Tender Offer For S.M. Entertainment

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing, Clepsydra Capital

Sanghyun Park

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing

Clepsydra Capital

Investigate special situations, pairs, and index rebalancing trades in Korea.

<ul>
<li>Kakao and Kakao Entertainment each plan to purchase 4.167 million shares at ₩150,000 per share, totaling 8.33 million. This is a 14.5% premium to the last close.</li>
<li>The tendering ending date is March 26th, Sunday, so the actual ending date is March 24th. Since Korea adopts the T+2 settlement system, stocks must be purchased by the 22nd.</li>
<li>The price of SM may decline towards below the tender price relatively quickly as a large number of retail investors will likely bet on the prolonged proxy battle.</li>
</ul>


Kakao and Kakao Entertainment each plan to purchase 4.167 million shares at ₩150,000 per share, totaling 8.33 million. This is a 14.5% premium to the last close.
The tendering ending date is March 26th, Sunday, so the actual ending date is March 24th. Since Korea adopts the T+2 settlement system, stocks must be purchased by the 22nd.
The price of SM may decline towards below the tender price relatively quickly as a large number of retail investors will likely bet on the prolonged proxy battle.


Kakao's Tender Offer to SM Ent Shareholders: Key Details of Disclosure Filed This Morning

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

<ul>
<li>On 7 March, Kakao Corp (035720 KS) announced a tender offer of up to 35% of outstanding shares of SM Entertainment at 150,000 won per share.</li>
<li>We believe that this will be a successful tender offer and the share price of SM Entertainment is likely to surge to near 150,000 won per share. </li>
<li>The minority shareholders of SM Entertainment are cheering on as its share price appreciation will be nearly 96% from end of 2022 to the tender offer price of 150,000 won. </li>
</ul>


On 7 March, Kakao Corp (035720 KS) announced a tender offer of up to 35% of outstanding shares of SM Entertainment at 150,000 won per share.
We believe that this will be a successful tender offer and the share price of SM Entertainment is likely to surge to near 150,000 won per share. 
The minority shareholders of SM Entertainment are cheering on as its share price appreciation will be nearly 96% from end of 2022 to the tender offer price of 150,000 won. 


Kakao Announces a Tender Offer of SM Entertainment at 150,000 Won Per Share

<ul>
<li>On 3 March, it was announced that a Korean court has ruled against SM Entertainment from issuing new shares and CB to Kakao Corp (035720 KS).</li>
<li>HYBE's tender offer period ended on 1 March. It is highly unlikely for HYBE to have successfully completed the tender offer reaching the entire 25% of outstanding shares.</li>
<li>We maintain our position of a high probability of Kakao initiating its own tender offer of SM Entertainment shares in the coming weeks at about 140,000/150,000 won or more.</li>
</ul>


On 3 March, it was announced that a Korean court has ruled against SM Entertainment from issuing new shares and CB to Kakao Corp (035720 KS).
HYBE's tender offer period ended on 1 March. It is highly unlikely for HYBE to have successfully completed the tender offer reaching the entire 25% of outstanding shares.
We maintain our position of a high probability of Kakao initiating its own tender offer of SM Entertainment shares in the coming weeks at about 140,000/150,000 won or more.


Korean Court Rules Against SM Entertainment From Issuing New Shares to Kakao

<ul>
<li>It was reported on 22 February in numerous local Korean media that Oasis Management has invested about 1.5% stake in KT&amp;G Corporation (033780 KS).</li>
<li>This investment in KT&amp;G is reportedly Oasis Mgmt's first investment in Korea. For now, Oasis Mgmt has not made any public announcement about its investment in KT&amp;G.</li>
<li>With Oasis Mgmt investing 1.5% stake in KT&amp;G, we believe it is increasingly likely that it could start its activist campaign on KT&amp;G sometime in 2023.</li>
</ul>


It was reported on 22 February in numerous local Korean media that Oasis Management has invested about 1.5% stake in KT&amp;G Corporation (033780 KS).
This investment in KT&amp;G is reportedly Oasis Mgmt's first investment in Korea. For now, Oasis Mgmt has not made any public announcement about its investment in KT&amp;G.
With Oasis Mgmt investing 1.5% stake in KT&amp;G, we believe it is increasingly likely that it could start its activist campaign on KT&amp;G sometime in 2023.


South Korea

S.M.Entertainment Co. plans, produces, promotes, and markets Korean rock and roll music in several formats, such as compact discs (CD), concert tours, television productions, and music videos.  The Company also operates artist management business as well as licensing and copyright business from the company's music records.

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S.M.Entertainment Co (041510 KS)

K-Pop Battle, Round 2: Kakao’s Tender Offer For S.M. Entertainment

Trading tight at a <1% gross spread to terms. HYBE may bid higher. And Kakao can counter. I think Kakao wants this more than HYBE. I would not...

David Blennerhassett

Kakao's Tender Offer to SM Ent Shareholders: Key Details of Disclosure Filed This Morning

This post details Kakao's latest tender offer to SM Entertainment shareholders at a 15% premium to the last close and discusses trading angles that...

Sanghyun Park

Korean Court Rules Against SM Entertainment From Issuing New Shares to Kakao

On 3 March, it was announced that a Korean court has ruled against SM Entertainment from issuing new shares and CB to Kakao Corp (035720 KS).

Douglas Kim

Oasis Management Invests in KT&G

With Oasis Mgmt investing 1.5% stake in KT&G, we believe it is increasingly likely that it could start its activist campaign on KT&G sometime in 2023.

Douglas Kim

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K-Pop Battle, Round 2: Kakao’s Tender Offer For S.M. Entertainment

Trading tight at a <1% gross spread to terms. HYBE may bid higher. And Kakao can counter. I think Kakao wants this more than HYBE. I would not...

David Blennerhassett

Kakao's Tender Offer to SM Ent Shareholders: Key Details of Disclosure Filed This Morning

This post details Kakao's latest tender offer to SM Entertainment shareholders at a 15% premium to the last close and discusses trading angles that...

Sanghyun Park

Kakao Announces a Tender Offer of SM Entertainment at 150,000 Won Per Share

On 7 March, Kakao Corp (035720 KS) announced a tender offer of up to 35% of outstanding shares of SM Entertainment at 150,000 won per share. We...

Douglas Kim

Korean Court Rules Against SM Entertainment From Issuing New Shares to Kakao

On 3 March, it was announced that a Korean court has ruled against SM Entertainment from issuing new shares and CB to Kakao Corp (035720 KS).

Douglas Kim

Oasis Management Invests in KT&G

With Oasis Mgmt investing 1.5% stake in KT&G, we believe it is increasingly likely that it could start its activist campaign on KT&G sometime in 2023.

Douglas Kim