Global Emerging Market Equities, Propitious Research

Wium Malan, CFA

Global Emerging Market Equities

Equity Bottom-Up

Over the past two weeks, there have been two significant negative catalytic events (SEC moved forward on the road to a potential US delisting and missed margin calls by Archegos Capital Management created a forced seller) which has placed significant pressure on the Baidu share price, listed in the US <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a> and Hong Kong <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc-a55ca720-5968-48f0-8194-ac94390d065c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32212:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (9888 HK)</a>.  
In this insight, I analyse the impact of recent share price movements on Baidu’s valuation and what that implies for the Core Search and Non-marketing Core operations.

Over the past two weeks, there have been two significant negative catalytic events (SEC moved forward on the road to a potential US delisting and missed margin calls by Archegos Capital Management created a forced seller) which has placed significant pressure on the Baidu share price, listed in the US Baidu (BIDU US) and Hong Kong Baidu (9888 HK).  
In this insight, I analyse the impact of recent share price movements on Baidu’s valuation and what that implies for the Core Search and Non-marketing Core operations. 

Baidu: Attractive Short Term Entry Point Following SEC Statement and Block Sales

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

Major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, EM, and EAFE) continue to hold above critical support levels and market dynamics remain largely positive. Until this changes, we believe global equities are headed higher in the coming weeks and months. Additionally, we are reiterating our overweight recommendations on small-caps and value as we believe outperformance from these areas is likely to continue.

Major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, EM, and EAFE) continue to hold above critical support levels and market dynamics remain largely positive. Until this changes, we believe global equities are headed higher in the coming weeks and months. Additionally, we are reiterating our overweight recommendations on small-caps and value as we believe outperformance from these areas is likely to continue.

Global Equity Strategy: Small-Caps and Value Stocks Remain in Focus

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

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 Capital Markets

The Chinese search giant <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a>  has set the terms for its IPO where it plans to issue 95m shares at a maximum indicative price of HK$295 per share. At the above price, Baidu will raise net proceeds of HK$27.6bn (approx. US$3.6bn). Each ADS represents eight ordinary shares of the company, and the maximum HK offer price implies approx. US$304.3 per ADS, about 12% premium to Baidu’s last close price of US$272.38 per ADS. The Hong Kong offering of 95m shares will constitute approx. 3.4% of the extended share capital of the company.In our previous insight on Baidu’s secondary listing, we discussed Baidu’s business segments and highlighted that the next phase of growth for the company will be driven by its AI Cloud business that includes self-driving and intelligent EVs. The top line from AI Cloud business has more than tripled over the past three years. Baidu plans to use 50% of its net IPO proceeds on investing in enhancing its AI and autonomous driving capabilities.

The Chinese search giant Baidu (BIDU US)  has set the terms for its IPO where it plans to issue 95m shares at a maximum indicative price of HK$295 per share. At the above price, Baidu will raise net proceeds of HK$27.6bn (approx. US$3.6bn). Each ADS represents eight ordinary shares of the company, and the maximum HK offer price implies approx. US$304.3 per ADS, about 12% premium to Baidu’s last close price of US$272.38 per ADS. The Hong Kong offering of 95m shares will constitute approx. 3.4% of the extended share capital of the company.In our previous insight on Baidu’s secondary listing, we discussed Baidu’s business segments and highlighted that the next phase of growth for the company will be driven by its AI Cloud business that includes self-driving and intelligent EVs. The top line from AI Cloud business has more than tripled over the past three years. Baidu plans to use 50% of its net IPO proceeds on investing in enhancing its AI and autonomous driving capabilities.

Baidu Secondary: SOTP Offers Decent Upside with Conservative Assumptions

Our bullish outlook remains intact and is supported by the absence of breakdowns across major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, EM, and EAFE) and ongoing positive market dynamics. Until this changes, we believe global equities are headed higher in the coming weeks and months.

Our bullish outlook remains intact and is supported by the absence of breakdowns across major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, EM, and EAFE) and ongoing positive market dynamics. Until this changes, we believe global equities are headed higher in the coming weeks and months.

Global Equity Strategy: Stick With Reflation & Reopening Theme

Since my last detailed look at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a>’s valuation back in September last year (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/baidu-strategies-for-operating-in-an-industry-in-decline" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:43393" rel="noopener">Baidu: Strategies for Operating in an Industry in Decline</a>) Baidu’s share price has witnessed a meteoric rise of 170%, re-rating from 6.2x to 16.9x NTM EV/EBITDA.This has been driven by several catalysts, such as M&amp;A into live streaming, increased share buybacks, the continued prospect of a Hong Kong listing, and improved reported earnings, but most-of-all, by their announcement that they plan to start an intelligent electric vehicle company in strategic partnership with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/geely-automobile-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:127:1" rel="noopener">Geely Auto (175 HK)</a>. Following their recent 4Q20 results, management also went to great lengths to highlight the revenue growth acceleration in their “Non-marketing Baidu Core” sub-segment, emphasising the shift away from their traditional Core Search Advertising, or mobile ecosystem, to diversify revenue streams. In this insight, I take a closer look at this sub-segment and analyse what the current market value implies for those operations, as well as their future “intelligent electric vehicle” venture.

Since my last detailed look at Baidu (BIDU US)’s valuation back in September last year (Baidu: Strategies for Operating in an Industry in Decline) Baidu’s share price has witnessed a meteoric rise of 170%, re-rating from 6.2x to 16.9x NTM EV/EBITDA.This has been driven by several catalysts, such as M&amp;A into live streaming, increased share buybacks, the continued prospect of a Hong Kong listing, and improved reported earnings, but most-of-all, by their announcement that they plan to start an intelligent electric vehicle company in strategic partnership with Geely Auto (175 HK). Following their recent 4Q20 results, management also went to great lengths to highlight the revenue growth acceleration in their “Non-marketing Baidu Core” sub-segment, emphasising the shift away from their traditional Core Search Advertising, or mobile ecosystem, to diversify revenue streams. In this insight, I take a closer look at this sub-segment and analyse what the current market value implies for those operations, as well as their future “intelligent electric vehicle” venture.

Baidu: A Closer Look at Non-Marketing Baidu Core. What Are We Paying for EV?

China

Trip.com Group Ltd. provides online travel agency services. The Company offers mobile applications, hotel reservations, flight ticketing, package tours, corporate travel management, and train ticketing services.

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Trip.com (TCOM US)

Baidu: Attractive Short Term Entry Point Following SEC Statement and Block Sales

In this insight, I analyse the impact of recent share price movements on Baidu’s valuation and what that implies for the Core Search and Non...

Wium Malan, CFA

Global Equity Strategy: Small-Caps and Value Stocks Remain in Focus

We are reiterating our overweight recommendations on small-caps and value as we believe outperformance from these areas is likely to continue.

Vermilion Research

Baidu Secondary: SOTP Offers Decent Upside with Conservative Assumptions

Our SOTP Valuation implies HK$303.7 per ordinary share outstanding, a 3% premium to the company’s maximum HK offer price of HK$295 per share and we...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Global Equity Strategy: Stick With Reflation & Reopening Theme

Our bullish outlook remains intact supported by the absence of breakdowns across major global indexes. Until this changes, we believe global...

Vermilion Research

Baidu: A Closer Look at Non-Marketing Baidu Core. What Are We Paying for EV?

In this insight, I take a closer look at “Non-marketing Baidu Core” and analyse what the current market value implies for those operations, as well...

Wium Malan, CFA

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