Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, 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.

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aristocrat-leisure-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10303:1" rel="noopener">Aristocrat Leisure (ALL AU)</a> aims to raise around US$1bn (A$1.3bn) via a renounceable entitlement offer to partly fund its acquisition of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/playtech-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22099:1" rel="noopener">Playtech Plc (PTEC LN)</a> for a total enterprise value of around A$5bn.Past deals undertaken by Aristocrat have generally done well and the stock has a good track record. In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Aristocrat Leisure (ALL AU) aims to raise around US$1bn (A$1.3bn) via a renounceable entitlement offer to partly fund its acquisition of Playtech Plc (PTEC LN) for a total enterprise value of around A$5bn.Past deals undertaken by Aristocrat have generally done well and the stock has a good track record. In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Aristocrat Leisure's Playtech Acquisition, Entitlement and Shortfall

Equity Capital Markets

Vulcan Steel Limited (Vulcan), a pure-play value-added steel distributor and processor, aims to raise around US$273m (A$371m) in its Australia and NZ IPO.Vulcan operates as a link between steel producers and bulk traders, and end-users. It has a network of 29 operating sites, 16 in Australia and 13 in New Zealand, through which it services over 7,000 customers, as of Jun 21. Vulcan distributes steel products, including carbon steel, stainless steel and engineering steel to a diversified customer base including customers in engineering, manufacturing, fabricating, transport, mining and other segments. It also provides value-added processing services for steel coils, steel plates, stainless steel and engineering steel.The company has put in a steady performance, especially in FY21 with margins hitting recent highs, and expects it to continue in FY22. However, its suppliers, the steel manufacturers, are trading at much cheaper valuation and analysts are building in a decline in their earnings for FY23 as they expect earnings to decline along with steel prices.

Vulcan Steel Limited (Vulcan), a pure-play value-added steel distributor and processor, aims to raise around US$273m (A$371m) in its Australia and NZ IPO.Vulcan operates as a link between steel producers and bulk traders, and end-users. It has a network of 29 operating sites, 16 in Australia and 13 in New Zealand, through which it services over 7,000 customers, as of Jun 21. Vulcan distributes steel products, including carbon steel, stainless steel and engineering steel to a diversified customer base including customers in engineering, manufacturing, fabricating, transport, mining and other segments. It also provides value-added processing services for steel coils, steel plates, stainless steel and engineering steel.The company has put in a steady performance, especially in FY21 with margins hitting recent highs, and expects it to continue in FY22. However, its suppliers, the steel manufacturers, are trading at much cheaper valuation and analysts are building in a decline in their earnings for FY23 as they expect earnings to decline along with steel prices.

Vulcan Steel Limited IPO - Past Performance Looks Fine but Margins Might Be at Cyclical Highs

Transurban Group / Equity Capital Markets

<div>
Transurban has almost raised (barring the shortfall) around US$3.2bn (A$4.2bn) via a mix of entitlement offer and private placement to fund the acquisition of the remaining 49% stake in WestConnex. In this note, we will talk about the retail entitlement worth US$273m (A$371m) which was launched today.
We have covered most aspects of the deal in our earlier note <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/transurban-entitlement-and-shortfall-well-flagged-deal-for-a-well-known-asset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transurban Entitlement and Shortfall - Well Flagged Deal for a Well Known Asset</a>. 
</div><div>We have covered some of the prior entitlement offer related shortfall bookbuilds in the past:</div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/acquisition-appears-attractive-and-track-record-remains-stellar-but-upside-seems-limited" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nov 2015: Acquisition Appears Attractive and Track Record Remains Stellar but Upside Seems Limited</a></li>
<li>Dec 2017: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/transurban-entitlement-offer-uncertainty-abound" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transurban Entitlement Offer - Uncertainty Abound</a>
</li>
<li>Sep 2018: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/transurban-entitlement-and-short-fall-long-term-value-accretion-with-short-term-earnings-drag" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transurban Entitlement and Short-Fall - Long-Term Value Accretion with Short-Term Earnings Drag</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/transurban-retail-short-fall-quick-take-much-better-positioned-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transurban Retail Short-Fall - Quick Take - Much Better Positioned Now</a>
</li>
<li>Aug 2019: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/transurban-retail-short-fall-quick-take-much-better-positioned-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transurban Retail Short-Fall - Quick Take - Much Better Positioned Now</a>
</li>
</ul></div><div></div>


Transurban has almost raised (barring the shortfall) around US$3.2bn (A$4.2bn) via a mix of entitlement offer and private placement to fund the acquisition of the remaining 49% stake in WestConnex. In this note, we will talk about the retail entitlement worth US$273m (A$371m) which was launched today.
We have covered most aspects of the deal in our earlier note Transurban Entitlement and Shortfall - Well Flagged Deal for a Well Known Asset. 
We have covered some of the prior entitlement offer related shortfall bookbuilds in the past:
Nov 2015: Acquisition Appears Attractive and Track Record Remains Stellar but Upside Seems Limited
Dec 2017: Transurban Entitlement Offer - Uncertainty Abound

Sep 2018: Transurban Entitlement and Short-Fall - Long-Term Value Accretion with Short-Term Earnings Drag and Transurban Retail Short-Fall - Quick Take - Much Better Positioned Now

Aug 2019: Transurban Retail Short-Fall - Quick Take - Much Better Positioned Now



<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/scientific-games-corp-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9746:1" rel="noopener">Scientific Games Corp A (SGMS US)</a> aims to raise around US$3.7bn (A$5bn) via selling a majority of its stake in SG Lottery (SGL) in an Australian IPO.SGL runs a global lottery business supplying lottery products and services across the lottery ecosystem. It works with various governments globally who use its products and services to run their lotteries. As of FY20, SGL had more than 130 customers in over 50 countries. Revenue from North America and Europe accounted for 73% and 24% of its FY20 revenue, respectively.SGL generates most of its sales from instant lottery products. It has supplied instant lottery products to 40 of the 46 US jurisdictions that sell instant lottery products and has sold instant lottery products to customers in approximately 50 countries. Its  relationship with its top 10 customers have been ongoing for an average 35 years.SGL has been reporting steady past growth and margins have been relatively stable as well.

Scientific Games Corp A (SGMS US) aims to raise around US$3.7bn (A$5bn) via selling a majority of its stake in SG Lottery (SGL) in an Australian IPO.SGL runs a global lottery business supplying lottery products and services across the lottery ecosystem. It works with various governments globally who use its products and services to run their lotteries. As of FY20, SGL had more than 130 customers in over 50 countries. Revenue from North America and Europe accounted for 73% and 24% of its FY20 revenue, respectively.SGL generates most of its sales from instant lottery products. It has supplied instant lottery products to 40 of the 46 US jurisdictions that sell instant lottery products and has sold instant lottery products to customers in approximately 50 countries. Its  relationship with its top 10 customers have been ongoing for an average 35 years.SGL has been reporting steady past growth and margins have been relatively stable as well.

SG Lottery Pre-IPO - First Look at Possibly Australia’s Largest IPO in 2021

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Cross Asset Strategy

Over 50% of allocations are in the US with the bulk of the remainder split between Japan, China &amp; HK and the major European nations.  The EMEA overweight is comprised mainly of the UK, Netherlands, France and Germany, with active managers running underweights in the US, China &amp; HK, Australia and Japan.UK allocations hover around their lowest levels in history, though managers remain stubbornly overweight compared to the MSCI AC World index.  A total of 62% of managers are overweight the UK at an average +1.88% above benchmark.  Global Value investors are approaching their largest ever overweight in UK stocks of 3.64% above benchmark.Another month, another slump in Japan exposure.  Average weights in Japan stand at an all-time low of 5.06% with 85.5% of funds exposed (another low). <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:563:1" rel="noopener">Sony Corp (6758 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kddi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:639:1" rel="noopener">KDDI Corp (9433 JP)</a> are the most widely held stocks, with 23% and 21% of funds holding a position.Tech exposure is at record highs, though this is matched by a record underweight of -0.47%.  Indeed, the percentage of funds who are overweight technology has fallen to below 50% for the first time since the end of 2018, a sign that Global managers are tilting their portfolios away from Tech.German Industrials allocations have hit a 4-year high as more Global investors add exposure to the sector. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/deutsche-post-ag" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21608:1" rel="noopener">Deutsche Post AG (DPW GR)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/siemens-ag" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21713:1" rel="noopener">Siemens AG (SIE GR)</a> were the key stocks behind the move, with 4.2% and 2.4% of funds adding exposure over the last 6-months.Alibaba has seen closures by some of the larger holders in our analysis, led by American Funds Capital World Fund (-$1.1bn) and New Economy Fund (-$451m).  Though closures have dominated, selected funds have opened exposure during this period of volatility, including Invesco's Global Focus Fund and Liontrust's Global Income Fund.

Over 50% of allocations are in the US with the bulk of the remainder split between Japan, China &amp; HK and the major European nations.  The EMEA overweight is comprised mainly of the UK, Netherlands, France and Germany, with active managers running underweights in the US, China &amp; HK, Australia and Japan.UK allocations hover around their lowest levels in history, though managers remain stubbornly overweight compared to the MSCI AC World index.  A total of 62% of managers are overweight the UK at an average +1.88% above benchmark.  Global Value investors are approaching their largest ever overweight in UK stocks of 3.64% above benchmark.Another month, another slump in Japan exposure.  Average weights in Japan stand at an all-time low of 5.06% with 85.5% of funds exposed (another low). Sony Corp (6758 JP) and KDDI Corp (9433 JP) are the most widely held stocks, with 23% and 21% of funds holding a position.Tech exposure is at record highs, though this is matched by a record underweight of -0.47%.  Indeed, the percentage of funds who are overweight technology has fallen to below 50% for the first time since the end of 2018, a sign that Global managers are tilting their portfolios away from Tech.German Industrials allocations have hit a 4-year high as more Global investors add exposure to the sector. Deutsche Post AG (DPW GR) and Siemens AG (SIE GR) were the key stocks behind the move, with 4.2% and 2.4% of funds adding exposure over the last 6-months.Alibaba has seen closures by some of the larger holders in our analysis, led by American Funds Capital World Fund (-$1.1bn) and New Economy Fund (-$451m).  Though closures have dominated, selected funds have opened exposure during this period of volatility, including Invesco's Global Focus Fund and Liontrust's Global Income Fund.

Global Fund Positioning Update:  Japan Lows, US Highs, UK Value Rotation, Tencent & Alibaba Exit

Australia

Westpac Banking Corporation offers general and savings banking services.  The Company provides investment portfolio management and advice, insurance services,  consumer finance, and money market services among other services.  Westpac Banking Corp. serves individuals, businesses, and corporations worldwide.

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Westpac Banking (WBC AU)

Aristocrat Leisure's Playtech Acquisition, Entitlement and Shortfall

Aristocrat Leisure (ALL AU) aims to raise around US$1bn via a renounceable entitlement offer to partly fund its acquisition of Playtech Plc (PTEC...

Sumeet Singh

Vulcan Steel Limited IPO - Past Performance Looks Fine but Margins Might Be at Cyclical Highs

Vulcan Steel Limited, a pure-play value-added steel distributor and processor, aims to raise around US$273m (A$371m) in its Australia and NZ IPO.

Sumeet Singh

Transurban Retail Shortfall Quick Note

Transurban has almost raised around US$3.2bn (A$4.2bn) via a mix of entitlement offer and private placement. In this note, we will talk about the...

Sumeet Singh

SG Lottery Pre-IPO - First Look at Possibly Australia’s Largest IPO in 2021

Scientific Games Corp A (SGMS US) aims to raise around US$3.7bn (A$5bn) via selling a majority of its stake in SG Lottery (SGL) in an Australian IPO.

Sumeet Singh

Global Fund Positioning Update: Japan Lows, US Highs, UK Value Rotation, Tencent & Alibaba Exit

A detailed look at investor positioning among 380 active Global strategies, covering the major themes in country, sector and stock exposure.

Steven Holden

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