ASEAN Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Angus Mackintosh

ASEAN Insight Provider

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grab-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab</a>'s focus last year was offering more affordable products, which helped to increase its addressable market. FY2024 will see the rollout of a broader range of initiatives across economic segments. </li>
<li>This year Grab is rolling out more premium offerings and new initiatives, including advance bookings, family accounts, increased reviews, and new merchant features to grow revenue streams from advertising.</li>
<li>The upcoming results are likely to reflect seasonal factors but should also reveal something about Grab's new initiatives and the changing competitive environment, with GoTo investing more aggressively. </li>
</ul>



Grab's focus last year was offering more affordable products, which helped to increase its addressable market. FY2024 will see the rollout of a broader range of initiatives across economic segments. 
This year Grab is rolling out more premium offerings and new initiatives, including advance bookings, family accounts, increased reviews, and new merchant features to grow revenue streams from advertising.
The upcoming results are likely to reflect seasonal factors but should also reveal something about Grab's new initiatives and the changing competitive environment, with GoTo investing more aggressively. 


Grab Holdings (GRAB US) - Rich in Initiatives

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Equity Capital Markets

Lalatech Holdings Co Ltd / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>In this insight we show drivers of LalaTech's +US$1bn turnaround in OpInc</li>
<li>We also evaluate which drivers are likely to generate future improvements</li>
<li>Lalatech won't repeat incredible 2021-23 CoR, OpEx performances, in our view</li>
</ul>


In this insight we show drivers of LalaTech's +US$1bn turnaround in OpInc
We also evaluate which drivers are likely to generate future improvements
Lalatech won't repeat incredible 2021-23 CoR, OpEx performances, in our view


Lalatech IPO: New Filing Shows March From Losses To Profits Between 2021 and 2023

<ul>
<li>In an updated HKEX filing posted on September 28th, Lalatech disclosed H123 financial results</li>
<li>Solid Revenue growth plus sharp expense reductions led to +28 ppt OP margin expansion</li>
<li>Is this progress sustainable, defendable? Lalatech management needs to explain gains</li>
</ul>


In an updated HKEX filing posted on September 28th, Lalatech disclosed H123 financial results
Solid Revenue growth plus sharp expense reductions led to +28 ppt OP margin expansion
Is this progress sustainable, defendable? Lalatech management needs to explain gains


Lalatech IPO: New Filing's H123 P&L Shows Impressive Growth, Unanswered Questions

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist, Ingenuity

William Keating

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist

Ingenuity

Our focus is exclusively on in-depth research & consulting in the broader semiconductor industry. We focus on the key players, namely Intel, Micron, Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, NVIDIA, AMD, TSMC & Global Foundries - as well as some of the lesser known, but nonetheless critical, companies such as ASML (for EUV), Mellanox, Cavium, Xilinx etc. We specialise in their products, roadmaps, process technologies, competitive advantages & threats etc. We also help our clients understand the implications of new and emerging technologies, e.g. 3D X-Point, 3D NAND, Carbon Nanotubes, Autonomous Driving, Graphene, Silicon Photonics, Wafer-Level Optics, Artificial Intelligence, FPGA, GPU, ASIC etc. 

Semiconductor Analysis & Research

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Autonomous Driving represents the perfect fusion of our love affair with automobiles and our fascination with artificial intelligence. It has been part of our collective imagination for decades, first epitomized at the 1939 New York World Fair Futurama exhibit which posited an automated highway system (AHS), sponsored by General Motors. Research on AHS conducted at The Ohio State University led to the development of the world's first partially autonomous vehicle in 1962. Fast forward half a century and the goal of achieving autonomous driving is firmly fixed in the glare of our automobile headlights. Leading automakers, as well as technology companies, are promising autonomous or at least highly autonomous automobiles within the next three years. At the forefront, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/11369" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11369:1">Alphabet Inc Cl C (GOOG US)</a> represented by its automotive spin-off Waymo, is in the process of launching the world's first driverless taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/18811" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18811:1">General Motors Co (GM US)</a>, arguably the closest to Waymo in technology terms, has announced similar plans to launch an autonomous ride-sharing service in 2019.Not all is rosy in the autonomous driving garden, however. The sector has been plagued by high-profile defections of key staff leaving to either create their own startups or join competitors. These moves have led to equally high-profile and in some cases, embarrassing, law-suits. Other companies rush to hire talented artificial intelligence engineers has decimated the research ranks of leading universities.The safety and reliability of autonomous driving technology on our streets today has also been thrown into doubt in recent times. Just two days ago, on March 18'th, the first fatal accident involving an autonomous vehicle occurred in Phoenix Arizona, details <a href="https://electrek.co/2018/03/19/uber-self-driving-prototyp-fatal-crash-police/" target="_blank">here</a>. That vehicle was a Volvo XC90 and was part of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/430" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:430:1">Uber Technologies Inc</a> self-driving test fleet in the city. According to initial reports, the vehicle was operating in autonomous mode and had a safety driver on board. While we need to await the outcome of this particular investigation, previous incidents involving other autonomous vehicles highlight some astonishing shortcomings of the technology being used on our streets today. Indeed, there are now serious questions about the viability of so-called Level 3 autonomous driving in so far as they rely on emergency intervention by a driver highly likely to have been distracted by something more exciting than monitoring an automobile driving by itself. Autonomous driving is a subject far too broad to be covered in a single Insight. Consider this a primer where we begin by examining the origins of autonomous driving, tracing its roots back to 1960s which, by no coincidence, was also the starting point for much of the research on modern-day artificial intelligence. We look at the specific factors which combined to propel autonomous driving from the AI laboratories of prestigious universities to the drawing boards of multinationals around the globe. We review the framework for the different levels of autonomous driving and highlight the fact that most auto OEM's choose to largely ignore them. We then examine in detail the aforementioned issues with Level 3 autonomous driving and reveal that the technology used in the Volvo XC90, the vehicle involved in the recent fatal accident in Phoenix, specifically warns in its user manual that it should not be used for city driving and that it cannot detect pedestrians, cyclists etc. Recognizing the seminal role that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/11369" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11369:1">Alphabet Inc Cl C (GOOG US)</a> has played in advancing the technology, we provide an in-depth review of their self-driving initiative from its inception as a secretive Google X project to its current day incarnation as Waymo. By way of contrast, we examine the autonomous driving ambitions of one of the world's leading auto OEMs, General Motors, and provide a detailed review of their progress to date. Finally, we address the question on everybody's mind when it comes to autonomous driving - are we there yet?

Autonomous Driving represents the perfect fusion of our love affair with automobiles and our fascination with artificial intelligence. It has been part of our collective imagination for decades, first epitomized at the 1939 New York World Fair Futurama exhibit which posited an automated highway system (AHS), sponsored by General Motors. Research on AHS conducted at The Ohio State University led to the development of the world's first partially autonomous vehicle in 1962. Fast forward half a century and the goal of achieving autonomous driving is firmly fixed in the glare of our automobile headlights. Leading automakers, as well as technology companies, are promising autonomous or at least highly autonomous automobiles within the next three years. At the forefront, Alphabet Inc Cl C (GOOG US) represented by its automotive spin-off Waymo, is in the process of launching the world's first driverless taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona. General Motors Co (GM US), arguably the closest to Waymo in technology terms, has announced similar plans to launch an autonomous ride-sharing service in 2019.Not all is rosy in the autonomous driving garden, however. The sector has been plagued by high-profile defections of key staff leaving to either create their own startups or join competitors. These moves have led to equally high-profile and in some cases, embarrassing, law-suits. Other companies rush to hire talented artificial intelligence engineers has decimated the research ranks of leading universities.The safety and reliability of autonomous driving technology on our streets today has also been thrown into doubt in recent times. Just two days ago, on March 18'th, the first fatal accident involving an autonomous vehicle occurred in Phoenix Arizona, details here. That vehicle was a Volvo XC90 and was part of Uber Technologies Inc self-driving test fleet in the city. According to initial reports, the vehicle was operating in autonomous mode and had a safety driver on board. While we need to await the outcome of this particular investigation, previous incidents involving other autonomous vehicles highlight some astonishing shortcomings of the technology being used on our streets today. Indeed, there are now serious questions about the viability of so-called Level 3 autonomous driving in so far as they rely on emergency intervention by a driver highly likely to have been distracted by something more exciting than monitoring an automobile driving by itself. Autonomous driving is a subject far too broad to be covered in a single Insight. Consider this a primer where we begin by examining the origins of autonomous driving, tracing its roots back to 1960s which, by no coincidence, was also the starting point for much of the research on modern-day artificial intelligence. We look at the specific factors which combined to propel autonomous driving from the AI laboratories of prestigious universities to the drawing boards of multinationals around the globe. We review the framework for the different levels of autonomous driving and highlight the fact that most auto OEM's choose to largely ignore them. We then examine in detail the aforementioned issues with Level 3 autonomous driving and reveal that the technology used in the Volvo XC90, the vehicle involved in the recent fatal accident in Phoenix, specifically warns in its user manual that it should not be used for city driving and that it cannot detect pedestrians, cyclists etc. Recognizing the seminal role that Alphabet Inc Cl C (GOOG US) has played in advancing the technology, we provide an in-depth review of their self-driving initiative from its inception as a secretive Google X project to its current day incarnation as Waymo. By way of contrast, we examine the autonomous driving ambitions of one of the world's leading auto OEMs, General Motors, and provide a detailed review of their progress to date. Finally, we address the question on everybody's mind when it comes to autonomous driving - are we there yet?

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grab-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab Holdings (GRAB US)</a> recently posted another set of positive results, with another quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. We conducted a follow-up call to explore the outlook for 2024. </li>
<li>The company announced both a US$500m Buyback and the potential for improving margins in its deliveries business plus several new initiatives to drive growth in 2024 and beyond. </li>
<li>Grab Financial continue to grow its loan book through lending to drivers and merchants, which should help to improve margins plus its high-margin advertising income is becoming increasingly important.</li>
</ul>



Grab Holdings (GRAB US) recently posted another set of positive results, with another quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. We conducted a follow-up call to explore the outlook for 2024. 
The company announced both a US$500m Buyback and the potential for improving margins in its deliveries business plus several new initiatives to drive growth in 2024 and beyond. 
Grab Financial continue to grow its loan book through lending to drivers and merchants, which should help to improve margins plus its high-margin advertising income is becoming increasingly important.


United States

Union Pacific Corporation is a rail transportation company.  The Company's railroad hauls a variety of goods, including agricultural, automotive, and chemical products. Union Pacific offersslong-haul routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways as well as connects with Canada's rail systems and serves the major gateways to Mexico.

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. is an inter-regional and multi-regional motor carrier.  The Company primarily transports less-than-truckload shipments of general commodities, such as consumer goods, textiles, and capital goods.  Old Dominion serves regional markets throughout the United States.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide transportation and logistics services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  The Company transports a variety of products including automotive parts, department store merchandise, paper and wood products, food and beverages, plastics, chemicals, and manufacturing materials and supplies.

Norfolk Southern Corporation provides rail transportation services. The Company transports raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods primarily in the Southeast, East, and Midwest and, via interchange with rail carriers, to and from the rest of the United States. Norfolk Southern also transports overseas freight through several Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports

CSX Corporation is an international freight transportation company.  The Company provides rail, intermodal, domestic container-shipping, barging, and contract logistics services around the world.  CSX's rail transportation services are provided principally throughout the eastern United States.

Landstar System, Inc. is a North American truckload carrier.  The Company transports a variety of freight, including iron and steel, automotive products, paper, lumber, chemicals, foodstuffs, and military hardware.  Landstar provides truckload carrier services, intermodal transportation services, and expedited air and truck services to shippers in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

U-Haul Holding Company operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, offers rental of trucks, trailers, and self storage space, as well as provides property and casualty and life insurance products. U-Haul Holding also sells boxes, tapes, and other moving and self-storage products and services to 'do-it-yourself' moving and storage customers.

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. provides transportation and logistics services. The Company offers dry van, cross border freight transportation, fleet solutions, consulting, brokerage, equipment leasing, temperature controlled transport, and engineering services. Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings serves customers in North America.

Saia, Inc. provides trucking transportation to the retail, petrochemical, and manufacturing industries.  The Company offers regional, interregional, and national less-than-truckload services, and selected truckload services across the United States.

Ryder System, Inc. provides a continuum of logistics, supply chain, and transportation management solutions worldwide.  The Company's offerings range from full-service leasing, commercial rental and maintenance of vehicles to integrated services.  The Company also offers comprehensive supply chain solutions, logistics management services, and e-Commerce solutions.

Daqin Railway Co., Ltd. mainly provides coal transportation service in Northern China. It also operates passenger transportation business.

MTR Corporation Limited provides public transport services in Hong Kong.  The Company owns and operates the Mass Transit Railway.  The Company also develops, sells, and manages residential and commercial properties.  In addition, MTR leases commercial facilities and provides services along the Railway, such as advertising, telecommunication facilities, and provides consultancy services.

Central Japan Railway Company provides rail transportation services between Tokyo and Osaka, including the Tokai region.  The Company, through its subsidiaries, also provides bus transportation services, leases real estate, and operates department stores, hotels, restaurants, and construction businesses.

East Japan Railway Company provides rail transportation services in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, including Tokyo.  The Company's services include the shinkansen (bullet train) network and the Tokyo metropolitan network.  East Japan Railway also leases real estate and operates hotel, travel, and restaurant businesses.

DSV A/S is the parent company for a group of companies that offer transport and logistics.   The Group provides truck, ship, and plane transport services, as well as warehousing and logistic services.  DSV operates in Europe, North America, and the Far East.

Canadian National Railway Company operates a network of track in Canada and the United States.  The Company transports forest products, grain and grain products, coal, sulfur, and fertilizers, intermodal, and automotive products. Canadian National operates a fleet of locomotives and railcars.

Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway Co., Ltd. provides railway operation services. The Company offers high-speed railway and stations investment, construction, operation, and other services. Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway provides services in China.

Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Ra (601816 CH)

TOKYU CORPORATION provides passenger rail transportation, bus transportation, truckload services, and air transportation serving the Tokyo and its surrounding areas.  The Company operates department stores, real estate leasing, and hotel businesses.  Through its subsidiaries, Tokyu offers leisure-related services such as travel agents, theaters. golf, and rent car agents.

West Japan Railway Company provides rail transportation services including the shinkansen network (bullet train) in North Kyushu, Kinki, Chugoku, and Hokuriku including Kyoto and Osaka.  The Company also operates ferries in Miyajima, manages real estate, shopping centers, and hotels, and offers leisure-related services such as travel packaging products.

Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc. is a passenger rail company serving the Kansai area.  The Company also provides passenger bus transportation and logistics services.  In addition, Hankyu Hanshin Holdings operates housing and urban development, athletic facilities, theaters, travel agents, hotels, and other leisure-related services.

Uber Technologies Inc provides ride hailing services. The Company develops applications for road transportation, navigation, ride sharing, and payment processing solutions. Uber Technologies serves customers worldwide.

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Uber Technologies (UBER US)

Grab Holdings (GRAB US) - Rich in Initiatives

Grab's 1Q2024 results will reflect seasonal factors but should also reveal something about Grab's new initiatives and the changing competitive...

Angus Mackintosh

Lalatech IPO: New Filing Shows March From Losses To Profits Between 2021 and 2023

We doubt Lalatech will be able to repeat anything like the dramatic improvements in CoR and OpEx the company showed between 2021 and 2023.

Tracking Traffic

Lalatech IPO: New Filing's H123 P&L Shows Impressive Growth, Unanswered Questions

For us, the most urgent questions for Lalatech still revolve around its "incredible" progress on cost control and how the company will successfully...

Tracking Traffic

Autonomous Driving- Are We There Yet?

I find it fascinating to read this again, almost six years to the day since I published it. I intend to publish an update on this topic in the...

William Keating

Grab Holdings (GRAB US) - 2024 Set Up

Grab Holdings recently posted another set of positive results, with another quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. We conducted a follow-up call to...

Angus Mackintosh

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