Category

China

Daily Brief China: Beijing Strong Biotechnolo-A, United Nova Technology , Bank of Communications , Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering-A, China Traditional Chinese Medicine, Biwin Storage Technology Lt, Yunnan Aluminium Co Ltd A, SHEIN, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group), Guosen Securities and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • CSI Medical Service Index Rebalance: Adds Could Outperform Deletes in the Coming Week
  • STAR50/STAR100 Index Rebalance: Index Committee Flip-Flops on Profitability
  • SSE50/SSE180 Index Rebalance: Heavy Focus on Sector Balance
  • Quiddity CSI 300/​​500 Jun 24 Rebalance: 92% Hit Rate; US$3.7 One-Way Flows
  • Merger Arb Mondays (03 Jun) – China TCM, Huafa, GA Pack, SciClone, CF Logistics, Great Eastern
  • CES China Semiconductor Chips Index Rebalance: Adding to Impact for Some Stocks
  • CSI300/CSI500 Index Rebalance: Big Flows and US$5bn Round-Trip Trade
  • SHEIN: Several US Customs Broker Suspensions Tied to Tighter ‘de Minimis’ Rules
  • Fosun Pharma (2196 HK/600196.CH) To Privatize Henlius (2696.HK) – Things Are Not as Good as Expected
  • CSI All Share IB & Brokerage Index Rebalance: Couple of Large Flow & Impact Names


CSI Medical Service Index Rebalance: Adds Could Outperform Deletes in the Coming Week

By Brian Freitas

  • CSI announced the changes for the June rebalance after market close on 31 May and the changes will be effective after the close of trading on 14 June.
  • There are 5 adds/deletes – we correctly forecasted 3 adds and all 5 deletes. Passives need to trade 0.5-3x ADV on the adds and 0.5-2.1x ADV on the deletes.
  • With the index not very widely forecasted, the adds could outperform the deletes over the next week in a repeat of the performance at the December rebalance.

STAR50/STAR100 Index Rebalance: Index Committee Flip-Flops on Profitability

By Brian Freitas


SSE50/SSE180 Index Rebalance: Heavy Focus on Sector Balance

By Brian Freitas

  • There are 5 changes for the SSE50 Index (SSE50 INDEX) that will be implemented at the close on 14 June. There is over 1x ADV to trade on most stocks.
  • The index committee has focused on sector balance with higher ranked stocks from the Financials sector ignored and lower ranked stocks from other sectors included.
  • The adds have outperformed the deletes over the last 6 months and positioning (especially on the surprises) could lead to further upside for a long/short trade.

Quiddity CSI 300/​​500 Jun 24 Rebalance: 92% Hit Rate; US$3.7 One-Way Flows

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • The June 2024 index review results for China’s CSI 300 and CSI 500 indices were announced after market close on Friday 31st May 2024.
  • There will be 12 changes in CSI 300 and 50 changes in CSI 500 which could collectively cause one-way index flows of ~US$3.7bn during the June 2024 index rebal event.
  • Compared to Quiddity’s final expectations, 114 out of the 124 index changes (both ways) were correct translating to a hit rate of 92%. 


CES China Semiconductor Chips Index Rebalance: Adding to Impact for Some Stocks

By Brian Freitas

  • There are 4 changes for the CES China Semiconductor Chips Index that will be implemented at the close on 14 June.
  • Biwin Storage Technology Lt (688525 CH) and Beijing Yandong Microelectroni (688172 CH) are also inclusions to other indices too and the multiple flows will increase the impact on the stocks.
  • The adds have underperformed the deletes. If things go the way of the December rebalance, a long adds/ short deletes trade could do well from now to implementation.

CSI300/CSI500 Index Rebalance: Big Flows and US$5bn Round-Trip Trade

By Brian Freitas

  • There are 12 changes for the CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX) and 50 changes for the CSI Smallcap 500 Index (SH000905 INDEX) in June. Most changes were expected.
  • There are a lot of stocks with over 1 day of ADV to trade. The round-trip trade in June is estimated to be US$5bn.
  • The adds have outperformed the deletes for both indices but the return profile of a long adds/ short deletes trade for the CSI500 Index is a lot smoother.

SHEIN: Several US Customs Broker Suspensions Tied to Tighter ‘de Minimis’ Rules

By Daniel Hellberg

  • Several US customs brokers have been suspended under new, tighter rules
  • The new rules could make ‘de minimis’ imports slightly more difficult
  • Whether it lists in London or NYC, additional rule changes could threaten SHEIN

Fosun Pharma (2196 HK/600196.CH) To Privatize Henlius (2696.HK) – Things Are Not as Good as Expected

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • It is said that Fosun Pharma plans to privatize Henlius. There’re doubts about how to solve the debt problem/cash flow pressure of Fosun Pharma. A third party could be involved.
  • Shareholders may not be willing to accept an Offer Price that is significantly below IPO price. It’s also possible that shareholders vote against the privatization. So, there are many uncertainties.
  • Deal talks are still ongoing. It’s difficult to see clearly what’s happening under the table. Valuation logic of Fosun Pharma should be more like PE/VC firms not traditional pharmaceutical company.

CSI All Share IB & Brokerage Index Rebalance: Couple of Large Flow & Impact Names

By Brian Freitas

  • The changes to the CSI All Share Investment Banking & Brokerage Index were announced after market close on 31 May and will be implemented at the close on 14 June.
  • Guosen Securities (002736 CH) will be added to the index while Northeast Securities (000686 CH) will be deleted from the index.
  • There is a lot of flow and impact for both stocks and the stocks could outperform/underperform their peers over the next couple of weeks.

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Daily Brief China: China Yangtze Power Co, Ltd., MINISO Group Holding , ZX, Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Mainland Connect NORTHBOUND Flows (To 31 May 2024): Net Sell Flows on Weak Gross Volumes
  • HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 31 May 2024); Private Tech, Energy/Financial SOEs See BIG Net Buys
  • KWEB Index Rebalance: ZX (9890 HK) In; Fenbi (2469 HK) Out
  • A/H Premium Tracker (To 31 May 2024):  HK Stocks Have an Ugly Week; AH Premium in Liquid Pairs Rises


Mainland Connect NORTHBOUND Flows (To 31 May 2024): Net Sell Flows on Weak Gross Volumes

By Travis Lundy

  • The Quiddity Mainland Connect NORTHBOUND Monitor. Like the A/H Premium Monitor and HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Monitor. Lots of Flows/Position Tables and Charts with which to play.
  • Last week saw NORTHBOUND net SELL RMB 5.7bn of A-shares on lower gross volumes. NORTHBOUND bought Zijin, Yangtze Power, and renewables and sold SOEs.
  • Ongoing questions as to whether the NORTHBOUND volumes to the buy side are all foreigners. Some suspect there is national team buying mixed in, as was expected from earlier announcements.

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 31 May 2024); Private Tech, Energy/Financial SOEs See BIG Net Buys

By Travis Lundy

  • SOUTHBOUND was again a net buyer for HK$29.7bn on small two-way volumes. Bank Of China Ltd (H) (3988 HK) dropped to #4 this week but SOE buying dominated.
  • It is not clear how much of this is H/A discounts, expected dividend tax removal, and the KPIs for SOE CEOs to raise prices and payout ratios, but it continues.
  • Valuations are acceptable. Flows are good. Policy changes are afoot. SOUTHBOUND may continue to see inflows – national team and otherwise.

KWEB Index Rebalance: ZX (9890 HK) In; Fenbi (2469 HK) Out

By Brian Freitas


A/H Premium Tracker (To 31 May 2024):  HK Stocks Have an Ugly Week; AH Premium in Liquid Pairs Rises

By Travis Lundy

  • The New/Better A-H Premium Tracker has tables, charts, measures galore to track A/H premium positioning, southbound and northbound positioning/volatility in pairs over time, etc.
  • SOUTHBOUND’s renewed buy streak continued this past week; every day net positive. Strong net buying. NORTHBOUND saw net selling. Gross volumes on both were light.
  • AH Premia rebounded off multi-year lows, on average, this past week as Hang Seng/other HK indices fell and A-shares did not do much. Liquid Hs underperformed As by 2%.

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Daily Brief China: Greatview Aseptic Packaging, Bloks Group, Xinyi Glass Holdings, Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, PDD Holdings, Alibaba Health Information Tec, China Vanke , Jiangxi Rimag Group and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • GAPack (468 HK): Shandong Xinjufeng Offer Progesses
  • Bloks Group Pre-IPO Tearsheet
  • Xinyi Glass (868): Beneficiary of Chinese RE Rejuvenation
  • CaiNiao Q4FY Results: After IPO Withdrawn, Margins Fell | Retention Payments, or Something Else?
  • PDD Holdings: Will The Focus On Agricultural Strategy Convert Into Positive Revenue Growth? – Major Drivers
  • Baba’s Babies: They’re All Grown Up!: Alibaba Health (241 HK) Temperature’s Rising!
  • China Vanke – ESG Report – Lucror Analytics
  • Jiangxi Rimag IPO (2522.HK): Global Offering and Valuation Update


GAPack (468 HK): Shandong Xinjufeng Offer Progesses

By David Blennerhassett

  • On the 9th May, Shandong Xinjufeng (301296 CH) (XJF) made a pre-conditional voluntary general Offer at $2.65/share (best & final), contingent on a 50% acceptance. Final/special dividends to be added.
  • GAPack(468 HK) has made it clear that XJF is a competitor of GAPack. And Mengniu (2319 HK) may review its relationship if pre-cons are satisfied/waived; or the Offer gets up.
  • XJF has announced the necessary applications have been sent to NDRC, MoC, and SAMR; and it prepping for a shareholder meeting to approve the Offer. 

Bloks Group Pre-IPO Tearsheet

By Clarence Chu

  • Bloks Group (1850960D CH) is looking to raise US$300m in its upcoming Hong Kong IPO. The bookrunners on the deal are Goldman Sachs, and Huatai International.
  • Bloks Groups (Bloks) operates in the toy segment where it primarily assembles character toys. Its portfolio contains both self-developed and renowned licensed intellectual property (IPs).
  • According to F&S, Bloks was China’s largest player in the assembly character toy segment with an approximate gross merchandise value (GMV) of RMB1.8bn in 2023.

Xinyi Glass (868): Beneficiary of Chinese RE Rejuvenation

By Henry Soediarko

  • The majority of its revenue comes from selling float glass, which is used in buildings and construction. 
  • The Chinese government has started home ownership relaxation that will reinvigorate the real estate market. 
  • It is still trading at 67% lower to 3 years ago. 

CaiNiao Q4FY Results: After IPO Withdrawn, Margins Fell | Retention Payments, or Something Else?

By Daniel Hellberg

  • After CaiNiao halted IPO in late March, company reported lower Q4 margins
  • What drove Q4 margin deterioration, retention payments or weaker X-border?
  • With IPO off the table, supporting AliExpress becomes CaiNiao’s main role

PDD Holdings: Will The Focus On Agricultural Strategy Convert Into Positive Revenue Growth? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • PDD Holdings Inc., an innovative online retail company based in China, seems to show a strong future trajectory based on its first quarter 2024 earnings conference call.
  • The company surpassed its year-on-year growth with total revenue reaching RMB 86.8 billion, marking a 131% increase.
  • This impressive growth serves as a testament to PDD Holdings’s efforts to deepen its access and widely influence the consumer market.

Baba’s Babies: They’re All Grown Up!: Alibaba Health (241 HK) Temperature’s Rising!

By David Mudd

  • Alibaba Health Information Tec (241 HK) operates an online platform for healthcare services and products.  Post COVID the company has maintained and grown it the online healthcare market.
  • The company which is 53%-owned by Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK) , recently reported results for 2023 which beat analyst estimates, recording a 65% increase in net profit.
  • The company recently bought AJK Technology from Taobao which gives Ali Health  operational rights for advertising of online healthcare merchants on Tmall (Alimama).

China Vanke – ESG Report – Lucror Analytics

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics’ ESG Scores are based on a 3-tiered scale and are adjusted for Controversies (if applicable).
We assess China Vanke’s ESG as “Adequate”. The company has “Adequate” scores for all three pillars. Controversies are “Immaterial” and Disclosure is “Strong”.


Jiangxi Rimag IPO (2522.HK): Global Offering and Valuation Update

By Andrei Zakharov

  • Jiangxi Rimag Group, a China-based medical imaging center operator and provider of Rimag cloud services, set terms for an IPO and plans to raise ~HK$280M (~$36M) in Hong Kong.
  • The IPO is expected to be between HK$14.60 and HK$16.80. At the midpoint of the range, Jiangxi Rimag will have a market value of ~HK$5.6B based on 356.3M outstanding shares.
  • CITIC Securities is leading the offering. CMB International and Huatai International act as joint global coordinators, joint bookrunners and joint lead managers.

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Daily Brief China: Legend Holdings Corp H, China Medical System, Shui On Land, Rakuten and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • How to Own Lenovo at a Discount: BUY Legend Holdings Corp (3396 HK)
  • China Medical System (CMS, 867 HK) – A Cheap Play on China’s Pending Health Care Crisis
  • Morning Views Asia: Shui On Land
  • Morning Views Asia: Fosun International, Lenovo, Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust, NTPC Ltd, Rakuten


How to Own Lenovo at a Discount: BUY Legend Holdings Corp (3396 HK)

By David Mudd

  • Legend Holdings Corp H (3396 HK) owns 31% of Lenovo (992 HK) , the number one global PC maker
  • Lenovo is a leader selling AI enabled PC’s globally.  Its server business is growing rapidly through strong demand for generative AI.  Legend is the leading AI seed investor in China.
  • Technical pattern strong for Lenovo reaching a 9 year high.  Legend showing increasing momentum from an historic trough valuation level

China Medical System (CMS, 867 HK) – A Cheap Play on China’s Pending Health Care Crisis

By Avien Pillay

  • A high disease burden, high demand for chronic treatment, and an ageing population makes China an excellent opportunity for an established pharma company.
  • A transition period following the inclusion of four large drugs in the NDRL creates an opportunity following a big de-rating.
  • With 1/3 of the market cap in cash, a healthy payout ratio, and a FPE of under 8, CMS is one of the bargain beneficiaries in the Chinese healthcare space.

Morning Views Asia: Shui On Land

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.


Morning Views Asia: Fosun International, Lenovo, Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust, NTPC Ltd, Rakuten

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.


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Daily Brief China: Asia Cement China, Tencent, Techtronic Industries, Trip.com, Quantgroup Technology, QuantumPharm, Mokingran Jewellery Group and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Asia Cement (743 HK): Parent’s Ready-Mixed Offer?
  • Asia Cement China (743 HK): Privatisation by Asia Cement?
  • Tencent/Netease: Major Names Get Zeroed in May, Smells of Common Prosperity?
  • HK CEO & Director Dealings (29 May 2024): J&T Global, Melco, Techtronic, Gushengtang, United Energy
  • Monthly Chinese Tourism Tracker | Outbound Grinds Forward | Domestic Weakness Not New | (May 2024)
  • Quantgroup Technology Pre-IPO Tearsheet
  • QuantumPharm (Xtalpi) Pre-IPO – PHIP Updates – Strong Growth, Although Losses Continue to Pile Up
  • Pre-IPO Mokingran Jewellery Group – Disappointing Profit Margin and Potential Risk in Business Model


Asia Cement (743 HK): Parent’s Ready-Mixed Offer?

By David Blennerhassett

  • Chinese cement play Asia Cement China (743 HK) (ACC) is currently suspended pursuant to the Takeovers Code.
  • Asia Cement (1102 TT) has been ACC’s majority shareholder since its 2008 IPO. Asia Cement currently holds 73.07%. 
  • Shares gained ~50% this week. On serious volume. With net cash of US$1.03bn vs. a market cap of US$66mn, a privatisation should command a punchy premium to the last close.

Asia Cement China (743 HK): Privatisation by Asia Cement?

By Arun George

  • Asia Cement China (743 HK) entered a trading halt based on the Hong Kong Code on Takeovers and Mergers. Bloomberg reports that Asia Cement (1102 TT) is considering a buyout. 
  • Privatisation interest is unsurprising, as ACC’s EV has been negative since 6 July 2022 due to headwinds from the weak Chinese property sector and uncertainty about cash use.
  • An offer price of HK$5.18 would imply a zero EV. However, due to the difficult trading conditions, we think an offer would be around HK$4.00 per share.

Tencent/Netease: Major Names Get Zeroed in May, Smells of Common Prosperity?

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • China announced game approval for the May batch. The number of games approved remained at a higher level than 2023.
  • The pace of China game approval appears to have accelerated to the same level as pre-tightening, though the number of approvals appears to be slower than March.
  • None of the listed companies that we followed received approval for mobile games.

HK CEO & Director Dealings (29 May 2024): J&T Global, Melco, Techtronic, Gushengtang, United Energy

By David Blennerhassett


Monthly Chinese Tourism Tracker | Outbound Grinds Forward | Domestic Weakness Not New | (May 2024)

By Daniel Hellberg

  • Chinese outbound travel demand continued its gradual recovery in April 
  • Moderating domestic demand? It’s not new, and outbound matters more 
  • On a pullback to below US$50, we would again BUY Trip.com’s ADRs

Quantgroup Technology Pre-IPO Tearsheet

By Ethan Aw

  • Quantgroup Technology (1467534D CH) is looking to raise up to US$200m in its upcoming HK IPO. The deal will be run by CICC and CMB International.
  • Quantgroup Technology is a digitalization solutions provider in China. Its digitalization solutions primarily include digitalized marketing, including precision marketing for financial institutions and local merchants, and goods transaction facilitation.
  • The apps that Quantgroup operates can be largely categorized into two Quant-enabled proprietary apps, namely Yangxiaomie and Consumption Guide. 

QuantumPharm (Xtalpi) Pre-IPO – PHIP Updates – Strong Growth, Although Losses Continue to Pile Up

By Clarence Chu

  • QuantumPharm (QUP HK) (Xtalpi) is looking to raise US$200m in its upcoming Hong Kong IPO.
  • QuantumPharm is a R&D platform, utilizing quantum physics-based first-principles calculation, advanced AI, high-performance cloud computing, and scalable and standardized robotic automation to provide drug and material science R&D solutions.
  • In our previous note we looked at the company’s past performance. In this note, we discuss QuantumPharm’s PHIP updates.

Pre-IPO Mokingran Jewellery Group – Disappointing Profit Margin and Potential Risk in Business Model

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • MOKINGRAN’s revenue fluctuated in the past three years. Profit margin was much lower than that of peers/industry average, which may not necessarily have big improvement even with upward gold price.
  • MOKINGRAN once applied for IPO in A-share but failed. The concerns of SZSE included “unusual” gold trade-in business, large inventory balance and the risk of “false increase” in profits/revenues.
  • The gold boom should not mask the risks of MOKINGRAN. Even if MOKINGRAN successfully goes public, it still faces many challenges. Valuation of MOKINGRAN should be lower than peers. 

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Daily Brief China: Akeso Biopharma Inc, Jiangxi Rimag Group, Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharm, China Vanke and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Is Akeso’s Sell-Off a Long Waited Opportunity or a Long Overdue Correction?
  • Pre-IPO Jiangxi Rimag Group (PHIP Updates) – Some Points Worth the Attention
  • Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharm (6990.HK) – Current High Valuation Is Not Secure
  • Morning Views Asia: China Vanke


Is Akeso’s Sell-Off a Long Waited Opportunity or a Long Overdue Correction?

By Eric Wen

  • Disputable Phase III result of Akeso’s (9926 HK) flagship pipeline Ivonescimab (AK112) caused Akeso’s share price to drop 28% in three days, reaching the bottom of a year-long trading range;
  • The fundamental difference of opinions is around Ivonescimab’s global prospects against (1) Merck’s Keytruda, (2) J&J’s Rybrevant, (3) Kelun’s SKB264 and domestic prospect against (4) Innovent’s IBI305;
  • Some answers are clear while others are now. What can provide answers are (1) SKB264‘s Phase III data, and to a lesser degree (2) AK112’s head-to-head trial against Keytruda.

Pre-IPO Jiangxi Rimag Group (PHIP Updates) – Some Points Worth the Attention

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • Considering the dominant position of medical imaging centers in public hospitals and challenges from other players, future development space of Rimag would be squeezed,and even will soon encounter growth bottlenecks.
  • Although Rimag turned losses into profits, we still have doubts about its future profitability due to increasing costs and potential price decline.This business may fail to bring investors decent profits.
  • Rimag’s post-investment valuation after last round financing isn’t cheap.Given the uncertainty of future revenue growth prospects and the real market space, P/S of below 3 is a more comfortable range.

Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharm (6990.HK) – Current High Valuation Is Not Secure

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • The imagination space and good stories for Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharm (6990 HK) at this stage mainly come from SKB264. The market has higher expectations for SKB264’s clinical data on NSCLC/TNBC. 
  • The better the clinical results of SKB264 +PD1/L1, the greater the negative impact on AK112’s future expectations/market space in NSCLC. ADC +PD-1 seems more “convincing” than the logic of BsAb.
  • This July, restricted shares of major shareholders will be lifted, which may lead to big share price fluctuation if they reduce their shareholdings. Investors need not rush to be long.

Morning Views Asia: China Vanke

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.


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Daily Brief China: Alibaba Group Holding , Huafa Property Services Group, China Merchants China Direct Investments, Baidu, JD.com , iQIYI Inc, Lalatech Holdings Co Ltd, Akeso Biopharma Inc and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Alibaba/JD.com:  Thoughts On The Recent Convertible Bond Issuance
  • Huafa Property Services (982 HK)’s Knockout Offer
  • Activism Takes On CMCDI (133 HK)
  • Huafa Property Services (982 HK): Scheme Offer at HK$0.29
  • Baidu Inc.: What Are Their Expansion Plans Of AI Offerings Beyond Ernie? – Major Drivers
  • JD.com Inc.: How Are They Strengthening the Platform Ecosystem & Continuing Their Market Dominance? – Major Drivers
  • iQIYI Inc.: Initiation of Coverage – How Are They Leveraging Generative AI capabilities? – Major Drivers
  • Lalatech Compared to Full Truck Alliance, SF Intra-City, and GOGOX in Eleven Easy Charts
  • Akeso Biopharma (9926.HK) – It’s Not Game over Yet


Alibaba/JD.com:  Thoughts On The Recent Convertible Bond Issuance

By Steve Zhou, CFA

  • Alibaba Group Holding (9988 HK) and JD.com (9618 HK) both announced the issuance of convertible debt last week (Alibaba on May 23 and JD.com on May 21). 
  • Both have mentioned that the reasons for the issuance are the low funding cost (0.25% coupon for JD.com and 0.5% for Alibaba) and to fund their current share repurchase program. 
  • I think the convertible debt structures makes sense and it is beneficial for both companies to buy back as much as possible at the current share price.

Huafa Property Services (982 HK)’s Knockout Offer

By David Blennerhassett

  • After entering a trading halt on the 16th May pursuant to the Takeover’s Code, property manager Huafa Property Services (982 HK) has now announced a privatisation by way of a Scheme. 
  • The cancellation price of A$0.29/share is a 30.63% to last close, a 70.59% premium over the 30-day average close, and a life-time high price. The price is final.
  • The Offeror, Zhuhai Huafa, a state-owned enterprise wholly-owned by Zhuhai SASAC, plus concert parties hold 42.63% of shares out. Clean deal.

Activism Takes On CMCDI (133 HK)

By David Blennerhassett

  • In January this year, Argyle Street, a (now) 8% shareholder of China Merchants China Direct Investments (133 HK) (CMCDI), a closed-end investment company, proposed a solution to boost shareholder value.
  • Two months later, Rydal Value Fund (stake unknown) also proposed a means to boosting shareholder value along similar lines.
  • CMCDI is currently trading at a ~63% discount to NAV. But it is up 78% since Argyle’s initial proposal, and recently touched a six-year high. Argyle is still buying.

Huafa Property Services (982 HK): Scheme Offer at HK$0.29

By Arun George

  • Huafa Property Services Group (982 HK) announced a privatisation offer from Huafa Industrial Co., Ltd. Zhuhai (600325 CH) at HK$0.29 per share, a 30.6% premium to the undisturbed price.
  • Key conditions include approval by at least 75% of independent shareholders (<10% of independent shareholders rejection) and a headcount test. No shareholder holds a blocking stake.
  • The offer, which has been declared final, is attractive compared to historical share prices and peer multiples. This is a done deal, with payment likely in November.  

Baidu Inc.: What Are Their Expansion Plans Of AI Offerings Beyond Ernie? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Baidu’s revenue growth for the first quarter exceeded expectations, with a year-over-year increase of 4%, reaching RMB 23.8 billion.
  • Additionally, Baidu’s continued efforts in Gen AI path have resulted in a 12% year-over-year acceleration in the revenue growth from Baidu AI Cloud, which also delivered an operating profit on a non-GAAP basis.
  • These positive results signify the company’s successful transition from an internet-centric business to an AI-first business.

JD.com Inc.: How Are They Strengthening the Platform Ecosystem & Continuing Their Market Dominance? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • JD.com, a China-based multinational technology conglomerate, has announced its first-quarter results for 2024 in an earnings call and reported robust profit and revenue growth, along with an encouragingly high Net Promoter Score (NPS).
  • The revenue growth was accelerated by strong execution amidst evolving industry dynamics, improved user experience, price competitiveness, and platform ecosystems.
  • Importantly, the general merchandise and supermarket category recorded a notable jump in terms of gross merchandise value (GMV) and revenue growth.

iQIYI Inc.: Initiation of Coverage – How Are They Leveraging Generative AI capabilities? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • iQIYI, an innovative market-leading online entertainment service provider in China, delivered robust first-quarter 2024 results, achieving numerous record highs, such as non-GAAP operating income and its corresponding margin.
  • CEO, Mr. Yu Gong, shared that the expanding margin could be attributed to the high-quality growth of the company.
  • The Membership Services business continued its growth trajectory with monthly ARM observed an all-time high.

Lalatech Compared to Full Truck Alliance, SF Intra-City, and GOGOX in Eleven Easy Charts

By Daniel Hellberg

  • We compare Lalatech’s scale, P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow to peers
  • On several measures, Lalatech is comparable to Full Truck Alliance, SF-Intra
  • Small, unprofitable GOGOX not an appropriate comp for Lalatech, in our view

Akeso Biopharma (9926.HK) – It’s Not Game over Yet

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • We saw the collapse of Akeso’s share price after the Company released the clinical data of AK112 on ASCO. Judging from the market reaction, there are indeed“something unsatisfactory” about AK112.
  • Akeso’s high valuation mainly comes from the expectation that it would be a player that can compete on international stage. But investors’ confidence in AK112’s future commercialization has been shaken.
  • We advise investors to remain patient and “let the bullets fly”. It’s not yet time for the final result.But, if you want to bet, you need to pay the price.

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Daily Brief China: Meituan, Great Wall Motor, L’Occitane, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings , China Molybdenum Co Ltd H, Shanghai Henlius Biotech , Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), China Resources Pharmaceutical, Baidu , XPeng and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 24 May 2024); Strong Bank Buying and Tech Selling Continues
  • A/H Premium Tracker (To 24 May 2024):  HK Stocks Have a BAD Week and AH Premium Rebounds In
  • Merger Arb Mondays (27 May) – L’Occitane, SciClone, GA Pack, KFC Japan, CF Logistics, Best World
  • Offshore China ETFs Rebalance Preview: Three Changes in June; Cutoff Today
  • FXI Rebalance Preview: Cutoff Today; Two Changes Likely in June
  • Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696.HK) – Behind the Trading Halt and Privatization Rumor
  • Mainland Connect NORTHBOUND Flows (To 24 May 2024): Weak Net Buy, Weak Gross, Idiosyncratic Flows
  • China Healthcare Weekly (May.26)-VBP Scope Expands, Optimistic About Glove Industry, China Resources
  • Baidu: Priced to Fail
  • China Consumption Weekly (27 May 2024): Xpeng, Tongcheng, Kanzhun, Gaotu, KE, Bilibili, and Weibo


HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 24 May 2024); Strong Bank Buying and Tech Selling Continues

By Travis Lundy

  • SOUTHBOUND was again a net buyer for HK$18.6bn on strong two-way volumes. The top three net buys of the week were SOE banks. Some may be Central Huijin.
  • Some of this may be driven by the dividend w/h tax cancellation on H divs and by significant H-share discounts, but high-div CNOOC was the biggest net sell.
  • No end to the inflows, and HK valuations are not at a place where they would hamper continued flows. Alibaba making HK a Primary will spur more inflows over time.

A/H Premium Tracker (To 24 May 2024):  HK Stocks Have a BAD Week and AH Premium Rebounds In

By Travis Lundy

  • The New/Better A-H Premium Tracker has tables, charts, measures galore to track A/H premium positioning, southbound and northbound positioning/volatility in pairs over time, etc.
  • SOUTHBOUND’s buy streak continued this past week; every day was net positive. NORTHBOUND was net positive too. It is not clear how much is National Team buying. Much may be.
  • AH Premia rebounded off multi-year lows, on average, this past week as Hang Seng and other HK indices fell sharply and A-shares did not fall as much. 


Offshore China ETFs Rebalance Preview: Three Changes in June; Cutoff Today

By Brian Freitas


FXI Rebalance Preview: Cutoff Today; Two Changes Likely in June

By Brian Freitas

  • With a day to go in the review period, there could be 2 changes for the iShares China Large-Cap (FXI) (FXI US) in June.
  • There should be more than 1x ADV to buy on one of the adds while there will be nearly 5x ADV to sell on one of the deletes.
  • There will be positioning in all the potential changes but there appears to be higher interest in one of the potential adds and one of the potential deletes.

Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696.HK) – Behind the Trading Halt and Privatization Rumor

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • There are many rumors about Henlius’s trading halt, but Fosun Pharma had applied for the resumption of trading in H Shares, which makes us confused whether this is really privatization.
  • Henlius is in “an awkward position” in capital market. Fosun is to blame for Henlius’s low valuation. The high debt problem makes the profits generated from drug sales meaningless.
  • If Henlius cannot break away from the system controlled by Fosun, the complexity of corporate governance brought about by the relationship between Henlius and Fosun would inevitably affect investment judgment.

Mainland Connect NORTHBOUND Flows (To 24 May 2024): Weak Net Buy, Weak Gross, Idiosyncratic Flows

By Travis Lundy

  • The Quiddity Mainland Connect NORTHBOUND Monitor. Like the A/H Premium Monitor and HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Monitor. Lots of Flows/Position Tables and Charts with which to play.
  • Last week saw NORTHBOUND net BUY RMB 0.8bn of A-shares on lower gross volumes. NORTHBOUND bought CATL, China Yangtze Power, and Luxshare. AH Premia bounced, but net volumes are suspect.
  • There is some question as to whether the NORTHBOUND volumes to the buy side are all foreigners. Some suspect there is national team buying mixed in, as was expected.

China Healthcare Weekly (May.26)-VBP Scope Expands, Optimistic About Glove Industry, China Resources

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • The NHSA issued a Notice on “improving the quality and expanding the scope of VBP”. The trend of full coverage of VBP of conventional drugs/consumables is determined.TCM is under pressure.
  • We analyzed the potential demand growth rate of the glove industry, which is already better than most cyclical stocks. Therefore, we see no need to remain pessimistic about this industry.
  • Holding platform companies have valuation discounts.HK$50-60 billion is reasonable market value for China Resources Pharmaceutical.Better to go long when share price is below HK$5 and then hold to receive dividends.

Baidu: Priced to Fail

By Wium Malan, CFA

  • Since late 2020, Search’s share of digital advertising revenue has stabilised at around 8-10%, seemingly retaining its core advertising customers and industries.
  • Baidu management expects AI Cloud to maintain strong revenue growth momentum in the upcoming quarters.
  • Baidu trades on a 3.6x NTM EV/EBITDA multiple, well below one standard deviation lower than its 5-year historical average trading range and the lowest it has ever been.

China Consumption Weekly (27 May 2024): Xpeng, Tongcheng, Kanzhun, Gaotu, KE, Bilibili, and Weibo

By Ming Lu

  • In 1Q24, Revenues of Xpeng, Tongcheng, Kanzhun, and Gaotu grew by 62% YoY, 50%, YoY, 43% YoY and 34% YoY.
  • KE’s revenue decreased by 20% YoY in 1Q24 due to the weak property market.
  • Bilibili’s value added services revenue grew by 17% YoY and advertising revenue grew by 31% YoY.

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Daily Brief China: Alibaba Group Holding , Legend Biotech Corp and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Alibaba Group: A Story Of Cross-Border E-commerce Scale-up! – Major Drivers
  • Legend Biotech Corporation: Implementation of Commercial Launch of CARVYKTI & Other Major Drivers


Alibaba Group: A Story Of Cross-Border E-commerce Scale-up! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Alibaba Group’s March Quarter and Full Fiscal Year 2024 results show that major segments such as the Taobao and Tmall Group, Alibaba International Digital Commerce, and core public cloud offerings are experiencing growth.
  • The Taobao and Tmall Group achieved double-digit year-over year growth, while Alibaba International Digital Commerce revenue increased by 45%.
  • Moreover, AI related revenue increased triple digit year-over-year, demonstrating the potential of AI technology in fueling the company’s growth.

Legend Biotech Corporation: Implementation of Commercial Launch of CARVYKTI & Other Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Legend Biotech Corporation is a biotech company specializing in CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
  • In Quarter 1 2024, two major approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Commission for the company’s CARVYKTI therapy for second line relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma have solidified its position in the industry.
  • This historical quarterly update positions Legend Biotech’s CARVYKTI on the path to transforming the treatment landscape for thousands of patients suffering from multiple myeloma.

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Daily Brief China: Sciclone Pharmaceuticals, Hang Seng Index, PDD Holdings, Kuaishou Technology and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • SciClone Pharma (6600 HK): Scheme Vote on 19 June
  • EQD | Hang Seng Down: How Low Can the Pullback Go?
  • [PDD Holdings (PDD US,BUY,TP US$172) TP Change]:Squeezing Supplier Base for Its Own Benefit,Globally
  • [Kuaishou (1024 HK, BUY, TP HK$83) Target Price Change]: Out-Performance in Off-Season Thanks to GAI


SciClone Pharma (6600 HK): Scheme Vote on 19 June

By Arun George

  • Sciclone Pharmaceuticals (6600 HK)‘s scheme document is out, and the court meeting is scheduled for 19 June. The IFA considers the HK$18.80 per share offer fair and reasonable. 
  • The key condition is approval by at least 75% of disinterested shareholders (<10% of all disinterested shareholders rejection). No independent shareholder holds a blocking stake.
  • This is a done deal. At the last close and for the 12 July payment, the gross and annualised spread is 2.2% and 17.3%, respectively.

EQD | Hang Seng Down: How Low Can the Pullback Go?

By Nico Rosti

  • The Hang Seng Index has been rallying for 3 weeks but then last week the rise was halted and the index gave up a good chunk of the gains.
  • It seems the index has become quite volatile but this week it could go up again, or otherwise next week, the reversal is imminent given its oversold condition.
  • It’s hard to predict if the rally can continue after the bounce, the index seems a bit long-term overbought, albeit short-term oversold. A contradiction, but that is the situation now.

[PDD Holdings (PDD US,BUY,TP US$172) TP Change]:Squeezing Supplier Base for Its Own Benefit,Globally

By Ying Pan

  • PDD reported C1Q24 top-line, non-GAAP EBIT, and non-GAAP net income 1.3%, 67.0%, and 80.0% vs. our estimate, and 13.9%, 82.0%, and 94.7% vs. consensus, respectively;
  • Temu unit economics improvement drove the 1Q beat. Per order outlay on marketing and fulfilment declined 20-25% qoq, we estimate;
  • PDD continues to effectively squeeze merchants for its benefit,while also benefiting from weak consumer sentiment in China and overseas. We maintain BUY,and raise TP to US$172, implying 12.3x CY24 PE.

[Kuaishou (1024 HK, BUY, TP HK$83) Target Price Change]: Out-Performance in Off-Season Thanks to GAI

By Ying Pan

  • Kuaishou reported C1Q24 revenue, IFRS OP, and IFRS Net income inline, 58%, and 78% vs. our estimates; and inline, 67% and 86% vs. consensus
  • Company suggested contribution of Generative AI (GAI) to the growth of the advertising business to be substantial;
  • We reiterate our BUY rating and raised target price to HK$83, implying 17x PE in 2025.

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