Covering IPOs, Healthcare and Technology Stocks

Andrei Zakharov

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Webtoon Entertainment, a Korean the world’s largest digital comics platform, has successfully completed IPO and private placement in June.</li>
<li>The NAVER-backed storytelling platform has raised ~$359M and priced its IPO and concurrent private placement at $21.00 per share, at the top end of price range.  </li>
<li>However, Webtoon Entertainment shares significantly underperformed with shares down ~48% below IPO offer price.</li>
</ul>


Webtoon Entertainment, a Korean the world’s largest digital comics platform, has successfully completed IPO and private placement in June.
The NAVER-backed storytelling platform has raised ~$359M and priced its IPO and concurrent private placement at $21.00 per share, at the top end of price range.  
However, Webtoon Entertainment shares significantly underperformed with shares down ~48% below IPO offer price.


Webtoon Entertainment: A Weakening USD Will Give A Lift To 3Q Earnings, Founder Picked Up 42K Shares

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kadokawa-dwango-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4152:1" rel="noopener">Kadokawa Dwango (9468 JP)</a> shares rose 16% after <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/sony-talks-buy-media-powerhouse-behind-elden-ring-sources-say-2024-11-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters reported</a> that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:563:1" rel="noopener">Sony Corp (6758 JP)</a> is in talks to acquire it. Kadokawa confirmed an initial letter of intent. </li>
<li>The privatisation interest is unsurprising as Kadokawa’s publishing arm, acclaimed intellectual properties, and positioning in the anime industry would be attractive to Sony.</li>
<li>The upside is limited as the last close reflects a significant takeover premium. There is a risk if a binding proposal emerges, it could be takeunder like Bain/T-Gaia.</li>
</ul>



Kadokawa Dwango (9468 JP) shares rose 16% after Reuters reported that Sony Corp (6758 JP) is in talks to acquire it. Kadokawa confirmed an initial letter of intent. 
The privatisation interest is unsurprising as Kadokawa’s publishing arm, acclaimed intellectual properties, and positioning in the anime industry would be attractive to Sony.
The upside is limited as the last close reflects a significant takeover premium. There is a risk if a binding proposal emerges, it could be takeunder like Bain/T-Gaia.


Kadokawa (9468 JP): Take Profits as a Sony Privatisation Rumours Surface

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Ethan Aw

APAC IPOs & Placements

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.

Equity Capital Markets

Webtoon Entertainment / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/webtoon-entertainment-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43652:1" rel="noopener">Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US)</a> raised around US$315m in its US IPO, after pricing the deal at the top of the range at US$21/share.</li>
<li>Webtoon Entertainment is a global storytelling platform where a community of creators and users discover, create and share new content.</li>
<li>In our previous notes, we talked about the company’s historical performance, undertook a peer comparison and shared our thoughts on valuation. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.</li>
</ul>



Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) raised around US$315m in its US IPO, after pricing the deal at the top of the range at US$21/share.
Webtoon Entertainment is a global storytelling platform where a community of creators and users discover, create and share new content.
In our previous notes, we talked about the company’s historical performance, undertook a peer comparison and shared our thoughts on valuation. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.


Webtoon Entertainment IPO Trading - Not Cheap Given the Lack of Growth

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

<ul>
<li>Aequitas Research's weekly update on the IPOs, placements, lockup expiry and other ECM linked events that were covered by the team over the past week.</li>
<li>On the IPO front, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guzman-y-gomez" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43656:1" rel="noopener">Guzman</a> provided some hope to the Australian market, while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/webtoon-entertainment-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43652:1" rel="noopener">Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/allied-blenders-distillers" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36090:1" rel="noopener">Allied Blenders &amp; Distillers</a> will soon test their respective markets.</li>
<li>There was no dearth of placement this week, with large deals in Hong Kong, New Zealand and India.</li>
</ul>


Aequitas Research's weekly update on the IPOs, placements, lockup expiry and other ECM linked events that were covered by the team over the past week.
On the IPO front, Guzman provided some hope to the Australian market, while Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) and Allied Blenders &amp; Distillers will soon test their respective markets.
There was no dearth of placement this week, with large deals in Hong Kong, New Zealand and India.


ECM Weekly (24th June 2024)-Webtoon, Guzman, Black Ses, Johor Plant, Bajaj Housing, Infratil, Mizuho

<ul>
<li>Webtoon Entertainment, a South Korean global storytelling platform and the world's largest digital comics platform, filed for an IPO in the United States.</li>
<li>The company offers 15M shares at a price range between $18.00 and $21.00, implying a market cap of roughly $2.5B at the midpoint based on 129.3M outstanding shares.</li>
<li>I have a positive view of the upcoming Webtoon Entertainment IPO and I think risk/reward is more favorable for IPO investors given the company’s improving profitability and strong cash position.</li>
</ul>


Webtoon Entertainment, a South Korean global storytelling platform and the world's largest digital comics platform, filed for an IPO in the United States.
The company offers 15M shares at a price range between $18.00 and $21.00, implying a market cap of roughly $2.5B at the midpoint based on 129.3M outstanding shares.
I have a positive view of the upcoming Webtoon Entertainment IPO and I think risk/reward is more favorable for IPO investors given the company’s improving profitability and strong cash position.


Webtoon Entertainment IPO: Favorable Risk/Reward IPO Valuation and Limited Downside Potential

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Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US)

Webtoon Entertainment: A Weakening USD Will Give A Lift To 3Q Earnings, Founder Picked Up 42K Shares

Webtoon Entertainment shares look undervalued after sell-off while a weakening U.S. Dollar will give a lift to 3Q earnings coupled with active...

Andrei Zakharov

Kadokawa (9468 JP): Take Profits as a Sony Privatisation Rumours Surface

While an acquisition has a strong strategic rationale, the upside is limited as the last close reflects a significant takeover premium. There is a...

Arun George

Webtoon Entertainment IPO Trading - Not Cheap Given the Lack of Growth

Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) raised around US$315m in its US IPO, after pricing the deal at the top of the range at US$21/share.

Ethan Aw

ECM Weekly (24th June 2024)-Webtoon, Guzman, Black Ses, Johor Plant, Bajaj Housing, Infratil, Mizuho

Aequitas Research's weekly update on the IPOs, placements, lockup expiry and other ECM linked events that were covered by the team over the past week.

Sumeet Singh

Webtoon Entertainment IPO: Favorable Risk/Reward IPO Valuation and Limited Downside Potential

I see upside for Webtoon Entertainment shares and my implied equity value of ~$3.3B represents ~29% upside vs. expected IPO price range of $18 to...

Andrei Zakharov

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Webtoon Entertainment: A Weakening USD Will Give A Lift To 3Q Earnings, Founder Picked Up 42K Shares

​Webtoon Entertainment shares look undervalued after sell-off while a weakening U.S. Dollar will give a lift to 3Q earnings coupled with active...

Andrei Zakharov

Kadokawa (9468 JP): Take Profits as a Sony Privatisation Rumours Surface

While an acquisition has a strong strategic rationale, the upside is limited as the last close reflects a significant takeover premium. There is a...

Arun George

Webtoon Entertainment IPO Trading - Not Cheap Given the Lack of Growth

Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) raised around US$315m in its US IPO, after pricing the deal at the top of the range at US$21/share.

Ethan Aw

ECM Weekly (24th June 2024)-Webtoon, Guzman, Black Ses, Johor Plant, Bajaj Housing, Infratil, Mizuho

Aequitas Research's weekly update on the IPOs, placements, lockup expiry and other ECM linked events that were covered by the team over the past week.

Sumeet Singh

Webtoon Entertainment IPO: Favorable Risk/Reward IPO Valuation and Limited Downside Potential

I see upside for Webtoon Entertainment shares and my implied equity value of ~$3.3B represents ~29% upside vs. expected IPO price range of $18 to...

Andrei Zakharov

Webtoon Entertainment shares look undervalued after sell-off while a weakening U.S. Dollar will give a lift to 3Q earnings coupled with active...