Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Equity Capital Markets

Webtoon Entertainment / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>Webtoon announced that it is targeting a valuation of up to US$2.7 billion in the upcoming IPO. The IPO price range is from US$18 to US$21 per share. </li>
<li>The company is aiming to raise as much as US$315 million in this IPO. Blackrock Asset Management has indicated interest of purchasing up to US$50 million in this IPO.</li>
<li>Our base case valuation of Webtoon is market cap of US$3.6 billion or target price of US$27.9 per share (33% higher than the high end of the IPO price range). </li>
</ul>


Webtoon announced that it is targeting a valuation of up to US$2.7 billion in the upcoming IPO. The IPO price range is from US$18 to US$21 per share. 
The company is aiming to raise as much as US$315 million in this IPO. Blackrock Asset Management has indicated interest of purchasing up to US$50 million in this IPO.
Our base case valuation of Webtoon is market cap of US$3.6 billion or target price of US$27.9 per share (33% higher than the high end of the IPO price range). 


Webtoon Entertainment IPO Valuation Analysis

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.

<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> is looking to raise up to US$315m in its US IPO, down from an earlier reported float of US$500m.</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 and undertook a peer comparison. In this note, we share our thoughts on valuation.</li>
</ul>



Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) is looking to raise up to US$315m in its US IPO, down from an earlier reported float of US$500m.
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 and undertook a peer comparison. In this note, we share our thoughts on valuation.


Webtoon Entertainment IPO - Thoughts on Valuation

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.

<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> is a global storytelling platform. Webtoon has launched a Nasdaq IPO to raise US$270-315 million at a US$18.00 to US$21.00 price range.</li>
<li>We previously discussed the IPO in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/webtoon-entertainment-ipo-the-bull-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:146038" rel="noopener">Webtoon Entertainment IPO: The Bull Case</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/webtoon-entertainment-wbtn-us-ipo-the-bear-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:149092" rel="noopener">Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) IPO: The Bear Case</a>.</li>
<li>In this note, we outline our forecasts and valuation. Our valuation analysis suggests that Webtoon is attractively valued at the IPO price range.</li>
</ul>



Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) is a global storytelling platform. Webtoon has launched a Nasdaq IPO to raise US$270-315 million at a US$18.00 to US$21.00 price range.
We previously discussed the IPO in Webtoon Entertainment IPO: The Bull Case and Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) IPO: The Bear Case.
In this note, we outline our forecasts and valuation. Our valuation analysis suggests that Webtoon is attractively valued at the IPO price range.


Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) IPO: Valuation Insights

<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>, a global storytelling platform, seeks to raise up to US$500 million through a Nasdaq IPO.</li>
<li>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/webtoon-entertainment-ipo-the-bull-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:146038" rel="noopener">Webtoon Entertainment IPO: The Bull Case</a>, we highlighted the key elements of the bull case. In this note, we outline the bear case.</li>
<li>The bear case rests on declining organic revenue, declining Korean paying ratio, a peaking Japan growth driver, optimistic market sizing, and unsustainable low marketing spending.</li>
</ul>



Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US), a global storytelling platform, seeks to raise up to US$500 million through a Nasdaq IPO.
In Webtoon Entertainment IPO: The Bull Case, we highlighted the key elements of the bull case. In this note, we outline the bear case.
The bear case rests on declining organic revenue, declining Korean paying ratio, a peaking Japan growth driver, optimistic market sizing, and unsustainable low marketing spending.


Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) IPO: The Bear Case

<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> is looking to raise up to US$500m in its US IPO.</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 note, we talked about the company’s historical performance. In this note, we undertake a peer comparison.</li>
</ul>



Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) is looking to raise up to US$500m in its US IPO.
Webtoon Entertainment is a global storytelling platform where a community of creators and users discover, create and share new content.
In our previous note, we talked about the company’s historical performance. In this note, we undertake a peer comparison.


Webtoon Entertainment Pre-IPO - Peer Comparison - Relatively Small in Operating Scale as a Platform

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Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US)

Webtoon Entertainment IPO Valuation Analysis

Our base case valuation of Webtoon is market cap of US$3.6 billion or target price of US$27.9 per share (33% higher than the high end of the IPO...

Douglas Kim

Webtoon Entertainment IPO - Thoughts on Valuation

Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN US) is looking to raise up to US$315m in its US IPO, down from an earlier reported float of US$500m.

Ethan Aw