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

<ul>
<li>Industrials and Consumer Staples Remain Top Overweights, Though Sentiment Fragile for Both.</li>
<li>Energy sector shows signs of a turnaround from long-term decline, whilst Financials remain unloved by China investors.</li>
<li>Real Estate allocations have hit record lows, with average holdings at just 2.93%, while Consumer Discretionary sector approaches all-time highs.</li>
</ul>


Industrials and Consumer Staples Remain Top Overweights, Though Sentiment Fragile for Both.
Energy sector shows signs of a turnaround from long-term decline, whilst Financials remain unloved by China investors.
Real Estate allocations have hit record lows, with average holdings at just 2.93%, while Consumer Discretionary sector approaches all-time highs.


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<div>
<p>Back in May 2016, a buyout group comprising <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a>'s founder Lei Jun terminated its US$2.5bn Offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/joyy-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:285:1" rel="noopener">JOYY (YY US)</a>, on account of heightened regulatory scrutiny. At the time, Lei was JOYY's chairman. The buyout group also comprised CEO David Xueling Li. The non-binding Offer price for ~64% of shares out not held by the buyout group was US$68.50/share.  </p>
<p>Fast forward to 16 November last year, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc-a55ca720-5968-48f0-8194-ac94390d065c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32212:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (9888 HK)</a> <a href="https://ir.baidu.com/news-releases/news-release-details/baidu-acquire-joyys-live-streaming-business-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> it had entered into definitive agreements with JOYY to acquire its domestic <span id="spanHghltb285">video-based</span> entertainment live streaming business in China ("YY Live"), for US$3.6bn. </p>
<p>Two days later, Muddy Water had a <a href="https://www.muddywatersresearch.com/research/yy/1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slightly less favourable</a> take on Baidu "buying growth". </p>
<p>JOYY and certain of its current and former officers and directors were named as defendants in a federal putative securities class action filed on the 20 November 2020, alleging that they made material misstatements and omissions in documents filed with the SEC regarding certain of the allegations contained in the MW report.</p>
<p>On the 8 February, JOYY <a href="https://ir.joyy.sg/static-files/0aeb5b77-b567-4621-bb81-dea6177cdfa6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disclosed</a> the conclusion of the independent review, which concluded that the allegations raised and conclusions reached in that MW report about JOYY's YY Live business were not substantiated.</p>
<p>The Baidu sale has been substantially completed, with certain customary matters remaining to be completed  - namely SAMR. </p>
<p><strong>The New News</strong></p>
<p>Reuters is reporting that Chairman David Li and Lei Jun are reloading an Offer for JOYY. Reportedly they are looking to offer US$75-$100/share, or a market cap of US$7.8bn at the top end of that range.</p>
<p>More below the fold.</p>
</div>


Back in May 2016, a buyout group comprising Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)'s founder Lei Jun terminated its US$2.5bn Offer for JOYY (YY US), on account of heightened regulatory scrutiny. At the time, Lei was JOYY's chairman. The buyout group also comprised CEO David Xueling Li. The non-binding Offer price for ~64% of shares out not held by the buyout group was US$68.50/share.  
Fast forward to 16 November last year, Baidu (9888 HK) announced it had entered into definitive agreements with JOYY to acquire its domestic video-based entertainment live streaming business in China ("YY Live"), for US$3.6bn. 
Two days later, Muddy Water had a slightly less favourable take on Baidu "buying growth". 
JOYY and certain of its current and former officers and directors were named as defendants in a federal putative securities class action filed on the 20 November 2020, alleging that they made material misstatements and omissions in documents filed with the SEC regarding certain of the allegations contained in the MW report.
On the 8 February, JOYY disclosed the conclusion of the independent review, which concluded that the allegations raised and conclusions reached in that MW report about JOYY's YY Live business were not substantiated.
The Baidu sale has been substantially completed, with certain customary matters remaining to be completed  - namely SAMR. 
The New News
Reuters is reporting that Chairman David Li and Lei Jun are reloading an Offer for JOYY. Reportedly they are looking to offer US$75-$100/share, or a market cap of US$7.8bn at the top end of that range.
More below the fold.


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.

Equity Capital Markets

Midea Group Co Ltd A / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/midea-group-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16185:1" rel="noopener">Midea Group Co Ltd A (000333 CH)</a>, one of the world’s largest home appliance producers, aims to raise up to  US$5bn in its H-share listing.</li>
<li>Midea Group is one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturing companies with a presence in over 200 countries. Its A-shares have been listed since 2013.</li>
<li>In this note, we look at its past performance and other deal dynamics that might impact the listing.</li>
</ul>



Midea Group Co Ltd A (000333 CH), one of the world’s largest home appliance producers, aims to raise up to  US$5bn in its H-share listing.
Midea Group is one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturing companies with a presence in over 200 countries. Its A-shares have been listed since 2013.
In this note, we look at its past performance and other deal dynamics that might impact the listing.


Midea A/H Listing - Early Look - Probably Raising Acquisition Currency

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Independent and original Asian investment research

Aletheia Capital

Aletheia Capital (HK) Ltd. (previously known as Asianomics) combines the extensive knowledge of its experienced team with technology and regulatory changes to disrupt Global Markets business in Asia. The firm is completely independent with no conflicts of interest either on Investment Banking advisory or Capital Markets execution.

Equity Bottom-Up

<h2>Growth of low end driven by Pinduoduo</h2>
<p>The growth of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pinduoduo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27250:1" rel="noopener">Pinduoduo (PDD US)</a> has spurred growth in China’s express market over the last two years, accounting for 60% or more of incremental growth in parcel volume in 2018. PDD’s emergence has boosted parcel volume growth, but this gift has come at a price: to win business from the merchants operating on PDD’s platform, express companies must offer rock-bottom pricing.</p>
<h2>Volume growth a nice gift, but it comes with a price</h2>
<p>PDD’s emergence offers strong volume growth, accompanied by downward pressure on pricing and margins. To combat these pressures, express companies must aggressively pursue parcel volume share in order to reduce unit costs (and thereby limit margin erosion). With most small express players squeezed out, we believe price competition among the remaining express firms is intensifying, with average parcel pricing down by 12-16% YoY in recent months.</p>
<h2>At high end of express &amp; logistics, less competition</h2>
<p>Away from intensifying competition at the low-end of the express sector, the high-end of China’s express segment features pockets of growth with muted competition. In time-definite (i.e., ‘overnight’) express, international express, supply chain management, and cold-chain logistics, providers tend to compete based on service levels, and their customers tend to be less price-sensitive than those at the low-end of the market. Underlying demand for these services is powered by a gradual ‘consumption upgrade’, helping merchants move high-value goods faster and more reliably compared to mainstream express products. We believe these segments offer shelter from the price competition that has emerged at the low-end of the express sector.</p>
<h2>Express market is bifurcating</h2>
<p>We see two distinct segments developing within express. At the low end, most of the listed express companies are aggressively pursuing volume share gains in order to reduce costs so they can profitably handle the low-priced parcels that are driving sector growth. Meanwhile, at the high end, SF Holding is successfully courting customers who value speed and reliability ahead of low prices. We expect profitability in this latter segment to remain fairly stable, while at the low end we expect profitability to continue eroding.</p>
<h2>Low-end pressure adds to rising capex demand, sliding returns</h2>
<p>The development of a bifurcated market comes at the same time most Chinese express companies are already facing pressures on cash flow and profitability. We believe most of the listed express companies are increasing capital expenditures in order to expand ‘last mile’ service and to build out needed infrastructure in smaller cities and rural areas. We suspect initial returns on these types of investments will be low, compounding downward pressure on margins related to PDD’s rise.</p>
<h2>Focus on high end should produce better results going forward</h2>
<p>Strong downward pressures on margins will make it increasingly difficult for most express companies to convert strong top-line growth into attractive earnings growth. In the medium-term, we believe companies with limited exposure to low-end parcel volumes are more likely to generate attractive strongest earnings growth. </p>

Growth of low end driven by Pinduoduo
The growth of Pinduoduo (PDD US) has spurred growth in China’s express market over the last two years, accounting for 60% or more of incremental growth in parcel volume in 2018. PDD’s emergence has boosted parcel volume growth, but this gift has come at a price: to win business from the merchants operating on PDD’s platform, express companies must offer rock-bottom pricing.
Volume growth a nice gift, but it comes with a price
PDD’s emergence offers strong volume growth, accompanied by downward pressure on pricing and margins. To combat these pressures, express companies must aggressively pursue parcel volume share in order to reduce unit costs (and thereby limit margin erosion). With most small express players squeezed out, we believe price competition among the remaining express firms is intensifying, with average parcel pricing down by 12-16% YoY in recent months.
At high end of express &amp; logistics, less competition
Away from intensifying competition at the low-end of the express sector, the high-end of China’s express segment features pockets of growth with muted competition. In time-definite (i.e., ‘overnight’) express, international express, supply chain management, and cold-chain logistics, providers tend to compete based on service levels, and their customers tend to be less price-sensitive than those at the low-end of the market. Underlying demand for these services is powered by a gradual ‘consumption upgrade’, helping merchants move high-value goods faster and more reliably compared to mainstream express products. We believe these segments offer shelter from the price competition that has emerged at the low-end of the express sector.
Express market is bifurcating
We see two distinct segments developing within express. At the low end, most of the listed express companies are aggressively pursuing volume share gains in order to reduce costs so they can profitably handle the low-priced parcels that are driving sector growth. Meanwhile, at the high end, SF Holding is successfully courting customers who value speed and reliability ahead of low prices. We expect profitability in this latter segment to remain fairly stable, while at the low end we expect profitability to continue eroding.
Low-end pressure adds to rising capex demand, sliding returns
The development of a bifurcated market comes at the same time most Chinese express companies are already facing pressures on cash flow and profitability. We believe most of the listed express companies are increasing capital expenditures in order to expand ‘last mile’ service and to build out needed infrastructure in smaller cities and rural areas. We suspect initial returns on these types of investments will be low, compounding downward pressure on margins related to PDD’s rise.
Focus on high end should produce better results going forward
Strong downward pressures on margins will make it increasingly difficult for most express companies to convert strong top-line growth into attractive earnings growth. In the medium-term, we believe companies with limited exposure to low-end parcel volumes are more likely to generate attractive strongest earnings growth. 

Bifurcated Chinese Express Market Developing

Travis Lundy

<ul>
<li>In March, the HK Secretary for Financial Services announced a waiver of stamp duty on dual counter trading market making. In November, the Govt of HK <a href="https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202211/18/P2022111800254.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gazetted</a> a bill.</li>
<li>HKEX launched plans in December. 9 large HK names announced in March they'd apply (Tencent, Kuaishou, Geely, BOC, Anta, AIA, China Resources Beer, Bidu, HKEX). Six more in April.</li>
<li>All the announcements are similar. But one on 21 April caught my eye because it is a big H/A with strong southbound support. That's <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a>. </li>
</ul>


In March, the HK Secretary for Financial Services announced a waiver of stamp duty on dual counter trading market making. In November, the Govt of HK gazetted a bill.
HKEX launched plans in December. 9 large HK names announced in March they'd apply (Tencent, Kuaishou, Geely, BOC, Anta, AIA, China Resources Beer, Bidu, HKEX). Six more in April.
All the announcements are similar. But one on 21 April caught my eye because it is a big H/A with strong southbound support. That's China Mobile (941 HK). 


Another Reason To Like China Mobile (941 HK)

China

Xiaomi Corporation manufactures communication equipment and parts. The Company produces and sells mobile phones, smart phone software,  set-top boxes, and related accessories. Xiaomi markets its products worldwide.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)

China Macro: Sector Positioning Update

Sector positioning among active China Funds. Industrials and Consumer Staples Remain Top Overweights, Energy shows signs of a turnaround, whilst...

Steven Holden

JOYY (JOYY US): Rumoured Privatisation

A little over three years after entering into an SPA, Baidu (9888 HK) has now terminated discussions with JOYY (YY US) as the closing conditions...

David Blennerhassett

Midea A/H Listing - Early Look - Probably Raising Acquisition Currency

Midea officially filed for an H-share listing yesterday. As per media reports the company is looking to raise up to US$3bn in Hong Kong.

Sumeet Singh

Bifurcated Chinese Express Market Developing

We will write more about SF Holding soon as the company prepares to seek a secondary listing in Hong Kong. But we believe some of the themes we...

Daniel Hellberg

Another Reason To Like China Mobile (941 HK)

China Mobile remains cheap as it likely has more dividend payout ratio upside as per the plans when the A-shares were listed. Now we are on track...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)