Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Leonard Law, CFA

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Credit

In this month’s “In-Focus” section, we look at key developments in the global oil & gas markets in 2018 and consider the 2019 outlook. We also review recent performance and prospects for the O&G issuers under our coverage. The Asia Monthly focuses on providing updates on recent events, information on new issues and spread movements, as well as summarising our top picks, and discussing specific areas of interest in the "In-Focus” section. The Asia Monthly is intended to broaden investors' understanding of the Asian USD high-yield market.

   In this month’s “In-Focus” section, we look at key developments in the global oil & gas markets in 2018 and consider the 2019 outlook. We also review recent performance and prospects for the O&G issuers under our coverage.    The Asia Monthly focuses on providing updates on recent events, information on new issues and spread movements, as well as summarising our top picks, and discussing specific areas of interest in the "In-Focus” section. The Asia Monthly is intended to broaden investors' understanding of the Asian USD high-yield market. 

Asia HY Monthly - Oil & Gas Overview - Lucror Analytics

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Supun Walpola

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/22772" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22772:1">LINE Corp (3938 JP)</a> is one of the top Japanese names in our "Watchlist" of listed companies in Japan and South Korea that are adopting blockchain technologies or have exposure to cryptocurrencies. 
Since being added to the "Watchlist" in May last year (2018), LINE has launched a cryptocurrency, a cryptocurrency exchange, and a blockchain venture fund. In this note, we revisit LINE's blockchain and cryptocurrency plans.
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In our opinion, potential synergies between LINE’s cryptocurrency business and its other business ventures are quite enticing. LINE could very well lure “millions” of its existing messaging and LINE Pay users to be a part of its blockchain eco-system. 
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LINE Corp (3938 JP) is one of the top Japanese names in our "Watchlist" of listed companies in Japan and South Korea that are adopting blockchain technologies or have exposure to cryptocurrencies. 
Since being added to the "Watchlist" in May last year (2018), LINE has launched a cryptocurrency, a cryptocurrency exchange, and a blockchain venture fund. In this note, we revisit LINE's blockchain and cryptocurrency plans.

In our opinion, potential synergies between LINE’s cryptocurrency business and its other business ventures are quite enticing. LINE could very well lure “millions” of its existing messaging and LINE Pay users to be a part of its blockchain eco-system. 


This Week in Blockchain & Cryptos: Revisiting LINE's Crypto Plans

The Asia HY Trade Recommendations report for February includes a summary of our recommendations, as well as our high-conviction ideas. We also provide relative-value charts and lists of the bonds in the Lucror Asia HY index.

   The Asia HY Trade Recommendations report for February includes a summary of our recommendations, as well as our high-conviction ideas. We also provide relative-value charts and lists of the bonds in the Lucror Asia HY index. 

Asia HY Trade Recommendations - February 2019 - Lucror Analytics

Differentiated global TMT & Internet Research

New Street Research Insights

New Street Research

Research is provided by our team of experienced analysts. Our work is idea driven, based on independence of thought, sector expertise, and firmly focused on fundamentals and valuation of telecoms and internet names globally. New Street is headquartered in London with offices in New York, Singapore and Australia. 

New Street Research is an independent, partner-owned, research firm specialising in equity and debt research. Our equity research embraces the following sectors:

Pan European Telecom Services and Cable
US Telecoms, Cable, Satellite and Towers
Global Emerging Market Telecoms
Japan Telecoms
Asian Internet
Pan European Healthcare
US Healthcare
Japanese Healthcare

We also provide debt research on:
Pan European Telecom Services and Cable

Recently, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">Softbank's (9984 JP)</a> shares jumped +18% after announcing a $5.5bn share buyback. Using Smartkarma's holdco monitor, the discount to NAV had widened to around 55% prior to the announcement but is now sitting around 40-45%. There were a few key reasons for the buyback: (1) the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/27445" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1">Softbank Corp (9434 JP)</a> (KK) IPO netted $20bn, giving the company the flexibility to do the buyback, and (2) Softbank is taking a more disciplined approach to further platform investments.Both these arguments are also available to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21085" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21085:1">Naspers (NPN SJ)</a> management and a move to buy back 5% of market cap is feasible and we believe would narrow the discount. The question is whether management are listening. They have been dismissive of buybacks in the past but this could change.

Recently, Softbank's (9984 JP) shares jumped +18% after announcing a $5.5bn share buyback. Using Smartkarma's holdco monitor, the discount to NAV had widened to around 55% prior to the announcement but is now sitting around 40-45%. There were a few key reasons for the buyback: (1) the Softbank Corp (9434 JP) (KK) IPO netted $20bn, giving the company the flexibility to do the buyback, and (2) Softbank is taking a more disciplined approach to further platform investments.Both these arguments are also available to Naspers (NPN SJ) management and a move to buy back 5% of market cap is feasible and we believe would narrow the discount. The question is whether management are listening. They have been dismissive of buybacks in the past but this could change.

Naspers: Softbank Buyback a Guide for Naspers?

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar. 

Lucror Analytics - Morning Views Asia - 20 Feb 2019

Japan

SoftBank Group Corp provides telecommunication services.  The Company also operates ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and fiber optic high-speed Internet connection, e-Commerce businesses, and Internet based advertising and auction businesses.

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Softbank Group (ADR) (SFTBY US)

Asia HY Monthly - Oil & Gas Overview - Lucror Analytics

In this month’s “In-Focus” section, we look at key developments in the global oil & gas markets in 2018 and consider the 2019 outlook. We...

Lucror Analytics

This Week in Blockchain & Cryptos: Revisiting LINE's Crypto Plans

LINE Corp (3938 JP) is one of the top Japanese names in our "Watchlist" of listed companies in Japan and South Korea that are adopting blockchain...

Supun Walpola

Asia HY Trade Recommendations - February 2019 - Lucror Analytics

The Asia HY Trade Recommendations report for February includes a summary of our recommendations, as well as our high-conviction ideas. We also...

Lucror Analytics

Naspers: Softbank Buyback a Guide for Naspers?

Recently, Softbank's (9984 JP) shares jumped +18% after announcing a $5.5bn share buyback. Using Smartkarma's holdco monitor, the discount to NAV...

New Street Research

Lucror Analytics - Morning Views Asia - 20 Feb 2019

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

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