Asia Consumer Research, Investory

Devi Subhakesan

Asia Consumer Research

ASIA CONSUMER: INSIGHTS AND INVESTMENT IDEAS

Investory

Investory is a Singapore-based boutique independent equity research firm founded in January 2017 with a primary focus on consumption themes across Asia-Pacific.

We aim to generate investible ideas based on consumption trends and outlook. We screen our ideas on several parameters - product potential, long-term growth and management commitment being the most critical.  We follow a fundamental analysis approach in our stock selection process and are not restricted by market cap.

We aspire to grow into a leading source of unbiased research, free of conflict of interest, for investors yearning for independent and disciplined analysis. 

We also undertake bespoke research mandates to support our Institutional clients’ investment needs.

Our team comprises of professionals with extensive experience in the Asian equity markets, in areas ranging from research, servicing institutional clients and investment management.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>An unprecedented pace of expansion is underway at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trent-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8410:1" rel="noopener">Trent Ltd</a> (a TATA group company) with the rapid roll-out of Zudio, a youth-fashion retail store chain across India, beyond big cities.</li>
<li>STAR Bazaar, its 50:50 JV with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tesco-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22187:1" rel="noopener">Tesco PLC (TSCO LN)</a>, in grocery retail, has the potential to drive long term growth given the segment's immense size and scope. </li>
<li>Trent could emerge as one of the leading players in India's fast-growing organized retail sector as it rapidly expands its pan-India network in apparel and plans to grow in grocery. </li>
</ul>


An unprecedented pace of expansion is underway at Trent Ltd (a TATA group company) with the rapid roll-out of Zudio, a youth-fashion retail store chain across India, beyond big cities.
STAR Bazaar, its 50:50 JV with Tesco PLC (TSCO LN), in grocery retail, has the potential to drive long term growth given the segment's immense size and scope. 
Trent could emerge as one of the leading players in India's fast-growing organized retail sector as it rapidly expands its pan-India network in apparel and plans to grow in grocery. 


2023 High Conviction: Trent Ltd (TRENT IN) - Transformational Growth in Progress.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Despite a strong surge in sales in the Sept. quarter, most Indian consumer companies reported weak profit growth given negative impact of inflation, currency and interest rates.</li>
<li>Inflationary pressures from higher raw material costs, rise in fuel costs and higher wages have affected volume growth as companies attempted to effect price hikes to mitigate margin impact.</li>
<li>Leading FMCG companies have temporarily cut back on marketing spend during the quarter to offset the impact of cost pressures on operating margins.</li>
</ul>


Despite a strong surge in sales in the Sept. quarter, most Indian consumer companies reported weak profit growth given negative impact of inflation, currency and interest rates.
Inflationary pressures from higher raw material costs, rise in fuel costs and higher wages have affected volume growth as companies attempted to effect price hikes to mitigate margin impact.
Leading FMCG companies have temporarily cut back on marketing spend during the quarter to offset the impact of cost pressures on operating margins.


Inflation Bites: India Consumer Sector - Rising Revenues, Dipping Margins in Sept. Quarter

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trent-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8410:1" rel="noopener">Trent Ltd (TRENT IN)</a>, one of India's leading apparel retailers led by the Tatas, is on an accelerated growth path helped by its recently expanded apparel retail chain, Zudio.</li>
<li>Zudio sells value fashion through its own stores targeted at India's burgeoning youth that is high on aspiration while low on budget, a hitherto severely underserved category.</li>
<li>Star Bazaar, Trent's grocery retail JV with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tesco-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22187:1" rel="noopener">Tesco PLC (TSCO LN)</a>, is also beginning to gain traction and has the potential to expand and grow its presence across the country.</li>
</ul>



Trent Ltd (TRENT IN), one of India's leading apparel retailers led by the Tatas, is on an accelerated growth path helped by its recently expanded apparel retail chain, Zudio.
Zudio sells value fashion through its own stores targeted at India's burgeoning youth that is high on aspiration while low on budget, a hitherto severely underserved category.
Star Bazaar, Trent's grocery retail JV with Tesco PLC (TSCO LN), is also beginning to gain traction and has the potential to expand and grow its presence across the country.


Trent Ltd: Trending Multi-Brand, Multi-Format Retailer. Value Fashion to Home Grocery

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>There was a lot of confusion around how NSE Indices would handle the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/housing-development-finance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:252:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Limited (HDFC IN)</a> / <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hdfc-bank-ltd-4b6b7a92-9087-468d-9dbe-ab169e77f014" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:558:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Bank (HDFCB IN)</a> merger in its indices.</li>
<li>The market consultation seeks to change the index methodology to bring it in line with other index providers. That will result in much lower turnover than the existing index methodology.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pidilite-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20573:1" rel="noopener">Pidilite Industries (PIDI IN)</a> is a high probability add to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nifty-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23617:1" rel="noopener">NIFTY Index</a> possibly in the first quarter of 2023. There will also be changes to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nifty-next-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36053:1" rel="noopener">Nifty Next 50 Index</a>.</li>
</ul>


There was a lot of confusion around how NSE Indices would handle the HDFC Limited (HDFC IN) / HDFC Bank (HDFCB IN) merger in its indices.
The market consultation seeks to change the index methodology to bring it in line with other index providers. That will result in much lower turnover than the existing index methodology.

Pidilite Industries (PIDI IN) is a high probability add to the NIFTY Index possibly in the first quarter of 2023. There will also be changes to Nifty Next 50 Index.


NIFTY Indices: HDFC/HDFCB Merger Driven Market Consultation

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

S&P BSE SENSEX Index / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Many major indexes are still testing (and holding above) critical supports. This includes MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), TOPIX/TOPIX Small/Nikkei 225, EURO STOXX 50, STOXX Europe 600, and the DAX</li>
<li>Our overall outlook remains neutral, and we continue to see many attractive buying opportunities, especially out of Japan, India, and a new one -- Brazil.</li>
<li>Buy ideas focus on the Consumer Discretionary and Financials Sectors, with the vast majority of stock recommendations from Japan, India, and Brazil</li>
</ul>


Many major indexes are still testing (and holding above) critical supports. This includes MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), TOPIX/TOPIX Small/Nikkei 225, EURO STOXX 50, STOXX Europe 600, and the DAX
Our overall outlook remains neutral, and we continue to see many attractive buying opportunities, especially out of Japan, India, and a new one -- Brazil.
Buy ideas focus on the Consumer Discretionary and Financials Sectors, with the vast majority of stock recommendations from Japan, India, and Brazil


Europe, Japan, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising DXY, Global Sovereign Yields a Major Headwind

India

Trent Limited operates a chain of retail stores that sell fashion apparel, cosmetics, perfumery products and toiletry items. The Company sells apparel for men, women and children. Trent sells its cosmetics products under the "Westside" and "Trent" brand names.

Price Gauge
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Trent Ltd (TRENT IN)

2023 High Conviction: Trent Ltd (TRENT IN) - Transformational Growth in Progress.

Trent can emerge as one of the leading players in India's fast-growing organized retail segment; Better visibility and conviction of growth from...

Devi Subhakesan

Inflation Bites: India Consumer Sector - Rising Revenues, Dipping Margins in Sept. Quarter

Cost pressures could continue to impact volume and margins for most India consumer stocks. Impact of Inflation, currency and interest rates are key...

Devi Subhakesan

NIFTY Indices: HDFC/HDFCB Merger Driven Market Consultation

NSE Indices' market consultation on merger/demerger treatment will significantly reduce index turnover. We expect the HDFC/HDFCB merger to complete...

Brian Freitas

Europe, Japan, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising DXY, Global Sovereign Yields a Major Headwind

Europe $STOXX 50, Japan $TOPIX $Nikkei 225, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising $DXY, Global Sovereign Yields Remain Major Headwinds for global...

Vermilion Research

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

2023 High Conviction: Trent Ltd (TRENT IN) - Transformational Growth in Progress.

Trent can emerge as one of the leading players in India's fast-growing organized retail segment; Better visibility and conviction of growth from...

Devi Subhakesan

Inflation Bites: India Consumer Sector - Rising Revenues, Dipping Margins in Sept. Quarter

Cost pressures could continue to impact volume and margins for most India consumer stocks. Impact of Inflation, currency and interest rates are key...

Devi Subhakesan

Trent Ltd: Trending Multi-Brand, Multi-Format Retailer. Value Fashion to Home Grocery

Better positioned to ride the growth in personal discretionary consumption in India with its youth-focused, highly affordable Zudio brand of retail...

Devi Subhakesan

NIFTY Indices: HDFC/HDFCB Merger Driven Market Consultation

NSE Indices' market consultation on merger/demerger treatment will significantly reduce index turnover. We expect the HDFC/HDFCB merger to complete...

Brian Freitas

Europe, Japan, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising DXY, Global Sovereign Yields a Major Headwind

Europe $STOXX 50, Japan $TOPIX $Nikkei 225, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising $DXY, Global Sovereign Yields Remain Major Headwinds for global...

Vermilion Research