HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We stay bearish on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a> despite record net profit in FY22. The collapse in spot freight rate will take a toll on FY23 earnings.</li>
<li>Management is also conservative on outlook, citing both demand and supply issues. It expects gross margin to return to pre-pandemic levels (17-20%) in the future, vs. 41.8% in 2H22.</li>
<li>Market consensus is just too optimistic, projecting just 37% YoY decline in earnings for FY23. We believe actual earnings may be at least 18-27% lower than current street forecasts. </li>
</ul>


We stay bearish on SITC International (1308 HK) despite record net profit in FY22. The collapse in spot freight rate will take a toll on FY23 earnings.
Management is also conservative on outlook, citing both demand and supply issues. It expects gross margin to return to pre-pandemic levels (17-20%) in the future, vs. 41.8% in 2H22.
Market consensus is just too optimistic, projecting just 37% YoY decline in earnings for FY23. We believe actual earnings may be at least 18-27% lower than current street forecasts. 


SITC International (1308 HK): Still Not Easy to Find the Bright Spot

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

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.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the latest HK SFC report for aggregate short position as of Dec 16th. </li>
<li>Top short increases and decreases were tabulated for one week and four week period. </li>
<li>We highlight short changes in SITC, CMB, Hua Hong Semiconductor, Yum China, Wharf Real Estate.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the latest HK SFC report for aggregate short position as of Dec 16th. 
Top short increases and decreases were tabulated for one week and four week period. 
We highlight short changes in SITC, CMB, Hua Hong Semiconductor, Yum China, Wharf Real Estate.


HK Short Interest Weekly: SITC, CMB, Hua Hong Semiconductor, Yum China, Wharf Real Estate

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Weaker OECD demand, diversification of supply chain out of China, lesser room for Rmb depreciation and high base effects all suggest challenging export environment for China in 2023. </li>
<li>We expect 5-10% drop in China's export in next year, against consensus of 0.2% growth. Except ASEAN, exports to all major trading partners are already deep in negative in Nov.</li>
<li>Long-Haul container shipping is the most disastrous, while port and logistics sectors are less vulnerable. We think <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sinotrans-limited-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1321:1" rel="noopener">Sinotrans (598 HK)</a> will fare better than others.</li>
</ul>


Weaker OECD demand, diversification of supply chain out of China, lesser room for Rmb depreciation and high base effects all suggest challenging export environment for China in 2023. 
We expect 5-10% drop in China's export in next year, against consensus of 0.2% growth. Except ASEAN, exports to all major trading partners are already deep in negative in Nov.
Long-Haul container shipping is the most disastrous, while port and logistics sectors are less vulnerable. We think SITC International (1308 HK) and Sinotrans (598 HK) will fare better than others.


China's Export Outlook 2023: How Port, Shipping and Logistics Fare?

Orient Overseas International / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>1H22 is a fantastic period for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/orient-overseas-international" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:801:1" rel="noopener">Orient Overseas International (316 HK)</a> with record earnings. However, with retreat in freight rates YTD, it is likely to mark the cycle peak.</li>
<li>OOIL has not seen the usual peak season for transpacific market yet.  Also, supply pressure is mounting as record vessel delivery is scheduled for the next two years.</li>
<li>The elevated share price has not reflected that profitability will decline in FY23 and FY24. We see significant downside risk as the market becomes more realistic on earnings.</li>
</ul>


1H22 is a fantastic period for Orient Overseas International (316 HK) with record earnings. However, with retreat in freight rates YTD, it is likely to mark the cycle peak.
OOIL has not seen the usual peak season for transpacific market yet.  Also, supply pressure is mounting as record vessel delivery is scheduled for the next two years.
The elevated share price has not reflected that profitability will decline in FY23 and FY24. We see significant downside risk as the market becomes more realistic on earnings.


Orient Overseas Intl (316 HK): Don't Overlook the Downhill Risks

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Currently at 69 constituents, it is unlikely that we reach 80 member by year end. Hang Seng Indexes is finding it tough to reach the target by excluding unprofitable companies.</li>
<li>We list 11 stocks that could be added to the index in September - with one-way turnover just over 5%, the actual number of inclusions will be lower.</li>
<li>There are a few potential inclusions where short interest is over 5% of the free float. These stocks could see short covering ahead of announcement of the changes.</li>
</ul>


Currently at 69 constituents, it is unlikely that we reach 80 member by year end. Hang Seng Indexes is finding it tough to reach the target by excluding unprofitable companies.
We list 11 stocks that could be added to the index in September - with one-way turnover just over 5%, the actual number of inclusions will be lower.
There are a few potential inclusions where short interest is over 5% of the free float. These stocks could see short covering ahead of announcement of the changes.


HSI Index Rebalance Preview: Finding the Balance

Hong Kong

SITC International Holdings Company Ltd. offers marine shipping services.  The Company offers container liner shipping, freight forwarding, customs clearance, shipping agency, and ship brokerage services.  SITC operates in Asia.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

SITC International (1308 HK)