Greater China Equity Long/Short Analyst

Eric Chen

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Sentiment driven rally is fading. Although COVID exit remains swing factor, individual company’s performance will increasingly be driven by their business models.</li>
<li>Our proprietary store expansion framework suggests divergent growth outlook for major players - stretched for Haidilao, moderate for Jiumaojiu and Yum China, and ample for Xiabuxiabu.</li>
<li>Xiabuxiabu is our top pick due to its strong turnaround not yet priced in depressed valuation. We also like Yum China but stay cautious on Jiumaojiu and Haidilao on valuation.     </li>
</ul>


Sentiment driven rally is fading. Although COVID exit remains swing factor, individual company’s performance will increasingly be driven by their business models.
Our proprietary store expansion framework suggests divergent growth outlook for major players - stretched for Haidilao, moderate for Jiumaojiu and Yum China, and ample for Xiabuxiabu.
Xiabuxiabu is our top pick due to its strong turnaround not yet priced in depressed valuation. We also like Yum China but stay cautious on Jiumaojiu and Haidilao on valuation.     


China Catering Sector: In Search of Alpha

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

<ul>
<li>PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US listed China companies.</li>
<li>The Hong Kong visit was on the back of the 26th Aug 2022 announcement by PCAOB and CSRC that they had entered into an agreement with US authorities for access.</li>
<li>In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments, possible outcomes and implications.</li>
</ul>


PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US listed China companies.
The Hong Kong visit was on the back of the 26th Aug 2022 announcement by PCAOB and CSRC that they had entered into an agreement with US authorities for access.
In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments, possible outcomes and implications.


China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

Analyst

Steve

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yum-china-holdings-inc-0533692c-6dae-4014-baa1-ed0b050638f2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29259:1" rel="noopener">Yum China Holdings (9987 HK)</a>'s 1Q24 earnings were weaker than the already lowered consensus expectations, as both sales and core operating profit only grew 1% yoy.</li>
<li>Same-Store-Sales declined by 3% yoy, and restaurant margin declined by 2.7ppt yoy, mainly due to more discounts offered.</li>
<li>China's catering industry has changed compared to pre-COVID, where overall average selling price (ASP) is continually under pressure, and customers are increasing seeking value-for-money options.</li>
</ul>



Yum China Holdings (9987 HK)'s 1Q24 earnings were weaker than the already lowered consensus expectations, as both sales and core operating profit only grew 1% yoy.
Same-Store-Sales declined by 3% yoy, and restaurant margin declined by 2.7ppt yoy, mainly due to more discounts offered.
China's catering industry has changed compared to pre-COVID, where overall average selling price (ASP) is continually under pressure, and customers are increasing seeking value-for-money options.


Yum China (9987 HK/YUMC US):  Earnings Risk Materialized As 1Q24 Earnings Were Weak

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

<ul>
<li>In its last update, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group</a> announced that the company was preparing for its primary listing in Hong Kong and the process was expected to complete by the end August.</li>
<li>The Board meets on 14 August to approve results for the three months ending June. Could there be an announcement on the dual primary listing too?</li>
<li>Mainland Chinese own between 3.5%-15.5% of companies that converted from Secondary to Dual-Primary in the last few years. Similar buying in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba</a> could take the stock higher from here. </li>
</ul>


In its last update, Alibaba Group announced that the company was preparing for its primary listing in Hong Kong and the process was expected to complete by the end August.
The Board meets on 14 August to approve results for the three months ending June. Could there be an announcement on the dual primary listing too?
Mainland Chinese own between 3.5%-15.5% of companies that converted from Secondary to Dual-Primary in the last few years. Similar buying in Alibaba could take the stock higher from here. 


Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guzman-y-gomez" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43656:1" rel="noopener">Guzman Y Gomez</a> plans to raise around US$160m in its Australian IPO.</li>
<li>GYG is a quick service restaurant business with more than 200 restaurants globally. It mainly focuses on fresh, made-to-order, Mexican-inspired food.</li>
<li>In this note, we talk about the not-so-positive aspects of the deal.</li>
</ul>



Guzman Y Gomez plans to raise around US$160m in its Australian IPO.
GYG is a quick service restaurant business with more than 200 restaurants globally. It mainly focuses on fresh, made-to-order, Mexican-inspired food.
In this note, we talk about the not-so-positive aspects of the deal.


Guzman Y Gomez IPO - The Negatives - Lawsuits and Management Churn

China

Yum China Holdings, Inc. operates chain restaurants. The Company offers pizza, entrees, pasta, rice dishes, appetizers, soups, vegetables, beverages, and desserts. Yum China Holding conducts its business worldwide.

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Yum China Holdings (9987 HK)

China Catering Sector: In Search of Alpha

Sentiment-driven rally is fading. We expect investors' focus to shift to company fundamental. Our store expansion framework points to Xiabu as the...

Eric Chen

China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US...

Sumeet Singh

Yum China (9987 HK/YUMC US): Earnings Risk Materialized As 1Q24 Earnings Were Weak

China's catering industry has changed compared to pre-COVID, where overall average selling price is continually under pressure, and customers are...

Steve

Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

Alibaba will be in included in Southbound Stock Connect from the open of trading today. Volumes should be higher than usual as mainland investors...

Brian Freitas

Guzman Y Gomez IPO - The Negatives - Lawsuits and Management Churn

Guzman Y Gomez plans to raise around US$160m in its Australian IPO. In this note, we talk about the not-so-positive aspects of the deal.

Sumeet Singh

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

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