Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/unibail-rodamco-westfield" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27181:1" rel="noopener">Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW AU)</a>, Europe's largest listed commercial property company, recently reported solid 3Q23 financials (through to September 2023). </li>
<li>Covid played havoc on shopping mall players/developers - URW is still down 62% from its Covid cliff versus an average of 24% for a basket of peers.</li>
<li>Investor concerns over URW's strategy and leverage have been a drag on the stock; however its long-term plan is finding the right path. </li>
</ul>



Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW AU), Europe's largest listed commercial property company, recently reported solid 3Q23 financials (through to September 2023). 
Covid played havoc on shopping mall players/developers - URW is still down 62% from its Covid cliff versus an average of 24% for a basket of peers.
Investor concerns over URW's strategy and leverage have been a drag on the stock; however its long-term plan is finding the right path. 


Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield: The Retail Community

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>There could be 2 changes to the ASX100 and ASX200 prior to the March rebalance due to the acquisitions of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ausnet-services" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10293:1" rel="noopener">Ausnet Services (AST AU)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sydney-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19063:1" rel="noopener">Sydney Airport (SYD AU)</a>. </li>
<li>There will also be the large <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bhp-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:147:1" rel="noopener">BHP Group (BHP AU)</a> upweight and funding trade following unification, and possibly the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/afterpay-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26940:1" rel="noopener">Afterpay Touch (APT AU)</a> acquisition by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/square-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23755:1" rel="noopener">Square Inc (SQ US)</a>. </li>
<li>Then there will be more changes to the ASX200 and ASX300 at the March rebalance. There could be a lot of new listings included in the ASX300.</li>
</ul>


There could be 2 changes to the ASX100 and ASX200 prior to the March rebalance due to the acquisitions of Ausnet Services (AST AU) and Sydney Airport (SYD AU). 
There will also be the large BHP Group (BHP AU) upweight and funding trade following unification, and possibly the Afterpay Touch (APT AU) acquisition by Square Inc (SQ US). 
Then there will be more changes to the ASX200 and ASX300 at the March rebalance. There could be a lot of new listings included in the ASX300.


ASX100/​200/300 Index Rebalance Preview (March 2022): A Lot Happening From Now to March

Last Week in Event SPACE:  Afterpay, SPH, ESR Cayman, Prosus/Naspers, Kingsoft, Milton, SOHO China

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/square-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23755:1" rel="noopener">Square Inc (SQ US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/afterpay-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26940:1" rel="noopener">Afterpay (APT AU)</a> have <a href="https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02402191-3A571915?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a firm merger, the completion of which will create Australia's largest-ever buyout, exceeding <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/unibail-rodamco-se" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21140:1" rel="noopener">Unibail-Rodamco SE (UL NA)</a>'s 2017 takeover of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/westfield-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:896:1" rel="noopener">Westfield Corp (WFD AU)</a> - discussed <a href="https://skr.ma/8TPFU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Under the terms of the Offer, by way of Scheme, Afterpay shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.375 shares of Square Class A common stock for each Afterpay ordinary share.
Based on Square’s closing price of US$247.26 on July 30, 2021, this represents an implied transaction price of ~A$126.21 per Afterpay share, or a premium of ~30.6%.
Following completion of the transaction, Afterpay shareholders are expected to own ~18.5% of the merged entity on a fully diluted basis.
Square may elect to pay 1% of total consideration in cash.
Square has agreed to establish a secondary listing on the ASX to allow Afterpay shareholders to trade Square shares via CHESS.
The merger is tentatively expected to complete in the 1Q22. The Scheme has the unanimous backing of both Boards. 
More below the fold.

Square Inc (SQ US) and Afterpay (APT AU) have announced a firm merger, the completion of which will create Australia's largest-ever buyout, exceeding Unibail-Rodamco SE (UL NA)'s 2017 takeover of Westfield Corp (WFD AU) - discussed here.
Under the terms of the Offer, by way of Scheme, Afterpay shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.375 shares of Square Class A common stock for each Afterpay ordinary share.
Based on Square’s closing price of US$247.26 on July 30, 2021, this represents an implied transaction price of ~A$126.21 per Afterpay share, or a premium of ~30.6%.
Following completion of the transaction, Afterpay shareholders are expected to own ~18.5% of the merged entity on a fully diluted basis.
Square may elect to pay 1% of total consideration in cash.
Square has agreed to establish a secondary listing on the ASX to allow Afterpay shareholders to trade Square shares via CHESS.
The merger is tentatively expected to complete in the 1Q22. The Scheme has the unanimous backing of both Boards. 
More below the fold.

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

*Simon Says: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest move, it was announced that it will collaborate with Simon Property Group (SPG.US) in the US across it’s significant footprint of retail shopping malls  - over 200 across the country. This collaboration enables Afterpay to establish an in-store presence in the US where both companies will work side by side with retailers in Simon shopping malls;*Tencent Tutelage: Afterpay is helping Tencent enter markets earlier and with Tencent’s (700.HK) tutelage likely will help Afterpay more deeply penetrate North America.  We fully anticipate that Tencent will help Afterpay enter the Asian markets - uncharted territory with a large young population – with the big prize obviously being mainland China. Tencent’s digital expertise should also help Afterpay to improve its technology platform (e.g. its digital wallet checkout experience and its shopping platform, plus customer led generation). It also wouldn’t surprise us if Tencent took up greater than its pro rata share of the capital raise; and*Magic Fairy Dust: While no transaction particulars were disclosed, we calculate an average share purchase price of AUD 22.47 per share for the 5% stake or a hefty 6.8x P/BV for a company which is loss-making and where Tencent hasn’t control. Tencent has already earned 278% on this stake.

*Simon Says: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest move, it was announced that it will collaborate with Simon Property Group (SPG.US) in the US across it’s significant footprint of retail shopping malls  - over 200 across the country. This collaboration enables Afterpay to establish an in-store presence in the US where both companies will work side by side with retailers in Simon shopping malls;*Tencent Tutelage: Afterpay is helping Tencent enter markets earlier and with Tencent’s (700.HK) tutelage likely will help Afterpay more deeply penetrate North America.  We fully anticipate that Tencent will help Afterpay enter the Asian markets - uncharted territory with a large young population – with the big prize obviously being mainland China. Tencent’s digital expertise should also help Afterpay to improve its technology platform (e.g. its digital wallet checkout experience and its shopping platform, plus customer led generation). It also wouldn’t surprise us if Tencent took up greater than its pro rata share of the capital raise; and*Magic Fairy Dust: While no transaction particulars were disclosed, we calculate an average share purchase price of AUD 22.47 per share for the 5% stake or a hefty 6.8x P/BV for a company which is loss-making and where Tencent hasn’t control. Tencent has already earned 278% on this stake. 

Australia

Westfield Corp is a property trust that invests in, leases and manages over retail shopping centers in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.  The Group's operations also include funds and asset management and property development and construction.

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Westfield Corp (WFD AU)

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield: The Retail Community

Concerns over URW's strategy and leverage have been a drag on the stock; however its long-term plan is finding the right path. Not a hard catalyst...

David Blennerhassett

ASX100/200/300 Index Rebalance Preview (March 2022): A Lot Happening From Now to March

There will be many changes to the ASX100/200/300 indices from now to March due to M&A activity & price moves. Plus a large funding trade following...

Brian Freitas

Last Week in Event SPACE: Afterpay, SPH, ESR Cayman, Prosus/Naspers, Kingsoft, Milton, SOHO China

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Afterpay Ltd (APT AU): All Squared Away

I think it is highly illustrative the co-founders are happy to kick out at price ~22% below the recent high of A$160/share, potentially suggesting...

David Blennerhassett

Tencent - One If By Land

*Simon Says: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest move, it was announced that it will collaborate with Simon Property Group (SPG.US) in...

Thomas J. Monaco

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Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield: The Retail Community

Concerns over URW's strategy and leverage have been a drag on the stock; however its long-term plan is finding the right path. Not a hard catalyst...

David Blennerhassett

ASX100/​200/300 Index Rebalance Preview (March 2022): A Lot Happening From Now to March

There will be many changes to the ASX100/200/300 indices from now to March due to M&A activity & price moves. Plus a large funding trade following...

Brian Freitas

Last Week in Event SPACE: Afterpay, SPH, ESR Cayman, Prosus/Naspers, Kingsoft, Milton, SOHO China

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Afterpay Ltd (APT AU): All Squared Away

I think it is highly illustrative the co-founders are happy to kick out at price ~22% below the recent high of A$160/share, potentially suggesting...

David Blennerhassett

Tencent - One If By Land

*Simon Says: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest move, it was announced that it will collaborate with Simon Property Group (SPG.US) in...

Thomas J. Monaco

ASX100/200/300 Index Rebalance Preview (March 2022): A Lot Happening From Now to March