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

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Update on the US postage fraud case we reported on earlier: it's far more expansive than previously reported, and last week the judge ordered that the trial begin in August</li>
<li>A new report from the US Congress attacks Temu, SHEIN on two fronts: Xinjiang-made goods and <em>de minimus</em> imports; tighter enforcement or new legislation could soon follow</li>
<li>It's unclear how the postage fraud case and growing Congressional concerns will play out; worst-case, both could dramatically undermine the direct-to-US consumer business model</li>
</ul>


Update on the US postage fraud case we reported on earlier: it's far more expansive than previously reported, and last week the judge ordered that the trial begin in August
A new report from the US Congress attacks Temu, SHEIN on two fronts: Xinjiang-made goods and de minimus imports; tighter enforcement or new legislation could soon follow
It's unclear how the postage fraud case and growing Congressional concerns will play out; worst-case, both could dramatically undermine the direct-to-US consumer business model


New Developments in Postage Fraud Case and US Congress Could Create Big Obstacles for Temu, SHEIN

<ul>
<li>Q224 parcel volume growth slowed dramatically in all markets versus Q124 pace</li>
<li>Share price has fallen by more than half compared to Q124 peak levels</li>
<li>HK$7.8 is our target, but slower growth, sub-par margins &amp; disclosure = AVOID</li>
</ul>


Q224 parcel volume growth slowed dramatically in all markets versus Q124 pace
Share price has fallen by more than half compared to Q124 peak levels
HK$7.8 is our target, but slower growth, sub-par margins &amp; disclosure = AVOID


J&T Global Express Q224 Operating Stats: Volume Growth Fell Vs Q124 | We Revisit Valuation | AVOID

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>We believe SF's core express margins are higher than most of its peers' margins</li>
<li>But on 2023 EV / EBITDA SF trades at multiples below most Chinese, US peers</li>
<li>One objective of SF listing in HK is to attract global investors, lift valuation</li>
</ul>


We believe SF's core express margins are higher than most of its peers' margins
But on 2023 EV / EBITDA SF trades at multiples below most Chinese, US peers
One objective of SF listing in HK is to attract global investors, lift valuation


SF Holding Pre-IPO: Core EBITDA Margins Compare Favorably to Most Express Peers in China and US

<ul>
<li>SF Holding's time-definite express service differentiates it from Chinese rivals</li>
<li>We believe SF dominates China's domestic inter-city air express segment</li>
<li>High exposure to air service mostly beneficial, with few risks, in our view</li>
</ul>


SF Holding's time-definite express service differentiates it from Chinese rivals
We believe SF dominates China's domestic inter-city air express segment
High exposure to air service mostly beneficial, with few risks, in our view


SF Holding Pre-IPO: Dominance in Domestic Time-Definite (Air) Express Is a Durable Differentiator

China

YTO Express Group Co., Ltd. provides global express services. The Company also provides general cargo warehousing, domestic air transport agency, car rental, supply chain management, and other related services throughout China..

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YTO Express (600233 CH)

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

New Developments in Postage Fraud Case and US Congress Could Create Big Obstacles for Temu, SHEIN

We offer an update on a fascinating criminal case set to go to trial next month, plus we outline big risks posed by criticisms of Temu and SHEIN by...

Tracking Traffic

J&T Global Express Q224 Operating Stats: Volume Growth Fell Vs Q124 | We Revisit Valuation | AVOID

Y/Y parcel volume growth at J&T Global Express in Q224 fell sharply compared to Q124's rate of growth, and the slowdown hit all three of the...

Tracking Traffic

SF Holding Pre-IPO: Core EBITDA Margins Compare Favorably to Most Express Peers in China and US

In this insight we compare SF Holding's core EBITDA margins and EV / EBITDA valuation to peers in the Chinese and US express delivery segments.

Tracking Traffic

SF Holding Pre-IPO: Dominance in Domestic Time-Definite (Air) Express Is a Durable Differentiator

SF Holding's exposure to China's domestic time-definite (air) express services segment is a positive differentiator that sets it apart from all of...

Tracking Traffic

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